Twisted Metal developer David Jaffe promises early adopters a free download of a popular previous entry in the series.
I have at least one thing in common with David Jaffe: both of us are back to work after a short holiday break. Jaffe, the mind behind God of War and the Twisted Metal series is hard at work at Twisted Metal for the PS3, which will ship in just a little over two months. If the prospect of bloody vehicular mayhem alone does not sell you on the game, though, perhaps Jaffe’s new announcement will. In a special post-Christmas message, Jaffe revealed that every copy of Twisted Metal in the first print run will come with a voucher to download Twisted Metal: Black, the critically acclaimed PS2 installment of the series.
“We have a voucher, and it goes in the box for the first printing of Twisted Metal,” said Jaffe in his video on the official PlayStation blog. “It has, basically, a digital download of the original Twisted Metal: Black … as a thank you to our hardcore fans.” Jaffe explained that while he hopes the first print run will not last long in stores, it will allow “our most hardcore fans … the fans that have been looking forward to the title for a long time and supporting us” to relive one of the most popular entries in the series. Presumably, the download code will still work for new fans of the series or folks who pick up the game on a whim.
In addition to saying “thank you” to longtime fans and being a way to entice new customers, Jaffe had very specific reasoning for including Twisted Metal: Black. “Black was the first title where we really started getting into that darker world of Twisted Metal,” he said. “[It’s] kind of a look back to allow you to sort of see where all that began.” In particular, Jaffe cited the evolution of homicidal clown Sweet Tooth, and that Black‘s story will be integral to understanding Sweet Tooth’s role in the new game.
Packaging previous installments with new games is an established practice: Shadow Hearts: Covenant did it, as did White Knight Chronicles II. The inclusion of Black should please – or at the very least, not annoy – existing fans, but if it succeeds in drawing in new players as well, this practice could become more common. In the age of digital downloads, including a voucher for a comparatively small game that’s no longer on the retail market is relatively simple. Furthermore, it could help build brand loyalty and ensure the long-term viability of a franchise. Hardcore fans and newcomers alike can purchase the game when it ships on Valentine’s Day 2012.
Source: Official PlayStation Blog
