DLC comes standard with most major videogame releases these days, but one game that won't have it (unless plans change) is Dontnod's early 20th-century supernatural RPG Vampyr. Cédric Lagarrigue, president of publisher Focus Home Interactive, told MCVUK that the intent is to put out a complete game, and then if it does well enough, move ahead to a sequel.
"This is a purely solo experience; we did not plan DLC. We would prefer, if the reception of the game justifies it, to think about a sequel," Lagarrigue said. "We and Dontnod already have some ideas, as there are so many incredible things to offer in such a universe."
In terms of budget, Vampyr falls between triple-A and independent games, Lagarrigue said, but "the universe, theme and quality of the game all allow it to exist in stores next to the blockbusters." The fact that the PC is a "less retail-focused" platform, thanks to the advent of Steam and other digital platforms, is a big factor in enabling mid-budget games to succeed, which is good for everyone: "Players yearn for new experiences, originality and less generic direction," he said. "There’s room for blockbusters, but players are ever fond of different experiences."
Smaller budgets for unique experiences also allows games to be successful at much lower volumes than expensive games like, say, Dead Space 2. Lagarrigue said Vampyr will be profitable at 500,000 copies sold, and "will be considered a success" at a million.
Vampyr was slated to come out this month, but was recently delayed into the spring of 2018.
