What a lot of people don’t understand is that guest characters don’t necessarily mean you bring in 1.5 million new fans that would’ve never even have played KI. The hard reality is that those guest characters are mainly for us. The ones who are going to play KI are already playing it, and the really hardcore fans are playing it and are here talking in this forum. If I’m a casual player to KI, trust me I wouldn’t be here in the forum.
Now if I’m a big Halo or Gears fan (which I am) I would be playing those games and if I don’t really like KI or fighting games in general it will only make me see -" oh look Arbiter is there, hey Rash is there", maybe I’d see it and say well I don’t normally play that type of game, I will stick to my Arbiter where he belongs. How many of you enjoy Mortal Kombat’s SubZero’s action/rpg game that came out a long time ago? How many Halo fans play Halo Wars? That game is a good RTS game but it is another game style which isn’t necesarily going to get everyone on board to play RTS games because it is Halo. What I’m saying here guys is that KI is lucky if this stunt gets them 100 more people interested in the whole of KI just because Rash is in it but at the loss of getting much more people upset and down about not getting the game truly completed. The reality is that if I was waiting 15 years for the next KI game, I wasn’t going to start playing Command & Conquer just because they slapped Fulgore in the game. All that would do is generate some free press on the gaming websites.
Remember this everyone we are getting possibly 1 or 2 new characters and 5 less stages and 1 Ultimate for 1 character with Season 3. A lot of wasted character slots (3) for possibly 3 new characters we aren’t getting (IG have a good record of creating new characters that blend in to KI) This isn’t fan service. Killer Instinct is ending with Season 3 leaving it a mess. Remember we were investing in its future, we knew this buying the incomplete game, well it is still incomplete with 5 less stages and 1 Ultimate for 1 character with Season 3, not a good way to wrap it up. The fan service IG call it, is not a fan service. The fan service would’ve been finishing KI and leaving out guest characters that are not important to KI and stick to priorities.
There’s your first wrong assumption. It does bring interest from another venues, maybe not massive but big enough for KI. How many we retain, that we will see but its still a solid progress towards expanding the player base, tenporary or not.
You might not, but I’m sure we have intersecting fans of both genres who will. Its a matter of publicity, it goes a long way in getting a game from “oh yea, it exists” to “maybe I should get on to see what the buzz is about” to “holy ■■■■ I’m in love/this game is rubbish, ■■■■ it”.
Let’s not start this here. There weren’t 8 to begin with this season as they explained so “5 less stages” is a moot argument. As for the Ultimate bit, its part of what makes that charactet special. I’d like to see one for every character, but keeping it exclusive to Shago adds a layer of difference to him. Maybe a No Mercy for everyone or something else. I mean if they can think of something for the level 4 Enders, shouldn’t be hard. Question is if its worth it.
The first fighting game I got truley addicted to was Soul Calibur 2, and I only bought it for Link. Now I play every fighting game that comes out.
Guest characters aren’t hurting the game, I only see people complaining about it here. They also aren’t “wasted character slots” as you put it, they are full characters with unique move sets that look fantastic.
I agree that there is potential to create a new character all together. I was never entirely sold on guest characters with any game.
It’s nice if you have a plethora of characters but if 76% of the cast is made up of guest and returning characters, that leaves a small margin for new characters. Two actually. Only two original characters made by IG.
… If the rumors are true that leaves us with one character that will be made from sratch. This is all speculation of course.
My only indifference is how the guest character works. Sure Rash is goofy in comparison and Arbiter is, well Arbiter but both fit the scheme well. As they implemented them and design them accordingly.
I’ve never been fond of Halo but Arbiter genuinely looks fun to play.
I am however find if Gears hint hint so you can maybe see where I’m getting at.
Either way, it really comes down to opinion. If you love Halo you are more than likely to enjoy the addition of a guest. I guess we will see what the turn out is in time.
I honestly think at least one guest character (I’ll leave it to your imagination and internet searching skills to figure out who) will be tied in as a bonus of some kind for another of Microsoft’s games releasing this year.
I am indifferent with guest characters. Their existence doesn’t bother me. But if you tell me we got one less original character because we got a guest character instead, that annoys me.
I prefer new characters instead of guests. As they have stated before…guests do not factor into the lore and story. New characters do and can continue on with the franchise. guest are most likely one and done.
Im not totally against guests… they are great and bring a lot to the table for the game and its marketing, ect… but to have 3 guests…that’s a lot… 2 is fine.
I’m fine with guest in fighting games and it’s even cooler when they are in another genre of games like arbiter is well thought out with the grenades and his gun taking the place of his HK. It brings more attention to the game from people who wouldn’t normally pick it up
I don’t mind that guest characters don’t have a story in KI because then they could focus more on the stories of all the existing characters(cough omen cough shago). Also if this isn’t the last season then we’ll get another comprised of new characters and a possible one returning character.
I actually don’t think guest characters are for the hardcore fanbase. This is counter productive. Why would you spend resources bringing in another character from another franchise when the people who already play your game will play it if these characters are there or not. Guest characters are used to entice people who haven’t checked the game out to go do so. MAYBE they want to go play as the arbitor because they like Halo, then they discover other KI characters they they like, then they become KI fans. As much as guest characters are fan service, is a marketing tool. It’s a tool that cost money and resources to produce. Why would you spend money and resources on things that The hardcore fanbase would pay for anyway??? So I think that guest characters ARE NOT for the hardcore fanbase. If the devs wanted to do something for the hardcore fanbase, then where are Eyedol and Gargos???
Rash is the only one I can see actually being for the core players. Quite a few of us requested him and he is an iconic character from a niche genre. I actually hope if there is a sequel that rash returns, he’s the perfect joke character and rareware tribute. If KI had an original joke character I don’t think it would feel the same. Hell I hope the BattleToads become a mascot of sorts for Microsoft in the beat em up department.
Like I’ve said in many other threads about this very topic, I don’t like guest character in any fighting game.
I DO think Rash is a fun addition, and it’s kinda cool to have a character that is a throwback to when Rare had their glory days. But honestly, I don’t really care for him, and even less so for Arbiter. At least I liked Battletoads, I have absolutely no connection to Halo.
Remember how yun and yang were alternate characters with the same moves in the first sf3? I would hope the same could be done with the toads. Two more accessory sets and depending on what you use the name changes.
I only like guest characters if they become something, like the final fight crew in street Fighter, soul edge characters in soul calibur etc, So Arbiter is a hit or miss for me, I love halo and he’s very well done but I still would’ve preferred an original gun character.
Rash however is something I actually would’ve expected Rare to do which is why I don’t mind him becoming something official as a joke character, he’s literally here to break the 4th wall and not be taken too serious.
Ah, you mean like Guy and Cody in Street Fighter and Yoshimitsu in Soul Calibur?
Well, thing is… The Final Fight games and Street Fighter, they exist in the same world, and Cody and Guy became stable SF characters. The same goes for Yoshimitsu and Tekken/Soul Calibur.
What I mean with guest characters, it is characters from another franchise entirely. Though Netherrealm Studios made both Mortal Kombat and Injustice, Scorpion being in Injustice is as a guest character, as Injustice is the world of DCU, a different world than MK.
Ah right, yeah I’d have to agree on that one then. It’s really give or take in those instances. I can enjoy them if they’re done well but the fact that I know they won’t be back and that they come from a different franchise and company leaves little room for attachment.