Multiplayer ever coming to consoles?
Norman_the_Biter
Member Posts: 4
Hello, I’ve been a big fan of the IE games since this sunmer. I picked up the switch version of BG EE with hopes of luring my friends into it. I was wondering because through scouring the internet it says beamdog planned on implimenting multiplayer, if it would be introduced in a later patch?
0
Comments
We wanted to prioritize making the 1st player experience the best it could be. Exploring multiplayer for the IE games on console is still something we're interested in, but the challenges have been significant.
Just purchased last night, how long do I have until I can get a refund? Everywhere I read, console editions were said to include coop multiplayer and cross platform compatibility. I feel misled, to put it lightly.
You know, I've just about had enough with Beamdog. Multiplayer cross-platform was a major selling point on the PC/Mobile platforms from day one on the adverts, and it took them YEARS to actually get it working right. Your business practice of misleading people has got me absolutely fed up. $50.00 USD for a solo experience of a 20 year old game is an absolute joke.
@JuliusBorisov NWN:EE explicitly said 'multiplayer' in the promotial messages for the console version. Does that mean that the console version of it also comes without MP?
Oh really? What is this mean then?
Create a full party of 6 custom player characters and bring them into single player or multiplayer games. Customize your characters with expanded options for hair, skin, and clothing colors, as well as new class kits, voice sets, and portraits.
https://www.skybound.com/baldurs-gate-baldurs-gate-ii-enhanced-edition
I've never heard of Skybound, but I don't know why that company would promise something for a game that Beamdog is adapting. It's unfortunate that people have been misinformed, but if Skybound is issuing misinformation about a Beamdog project, I think the blame lies with Skybound... though I'm guessing Skybound wasn't intentionally misleading people, and this was a communication error because someone at Skybound didn't realize MP functionality wasn't going to be available for every platform.
Beamdog doesn't exactly control what other companies say. All they can control is what their own website says.
No problem. I'll be passing it along to the FTC for false advertising.
Note: Multiplayer mode is not available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
I just wanted to re-comment on this page, because truthfully I had no clue that this many people would've responded so quickly.
@JuliusBorisov is correct, nowhere had they promised multiplayer at launch, and for the most part, I'd agree it is not entirely Beamdog's fault for the misled consumers.
But,
I feel like when someone opens the console store, sees "single-player" and their first reaction isn't "oh it's single-player", but rather "wait so is this game single-player" in a state of consumer confusion: that is kind of a problem.
It is also a significantly larger problem when that consumer has to scour the internet for this information (which they should never have to do in the first place, for such basic information), and they returned MORE confused than before they looked on the internet.
Every other article is claiming it is multiplayer, not only skybound but Co-optimus, for example, lists the game as 6-player online. Now every other news article is posting pictures of either of the console version or the pc version, leaving me confused as a consumer on who to even begin to believe.
Now here is the BIGGEST issue: throughout all of this Beamdog is completely silent. Beamdog does not own online news outlets, this is true, but they have google. They can google their own games, they can see their products are being misrepresented.
Now I'm going to go ahead and give Beamdog the benefit of the doubt here because I don't believe they're scummy. It's consumer trust. I trust Beamdog to make the correct decisions.
Now the trust is very, very strained.
Here's why I purchased the game on the console: I was confused about the product, and I trusted Beamdog's better judgment. They priced the game at $50, I had assumed it would have most if not all of the same content as the PC version. I expected through all of the articles and interviews with Beamdog claiming to be working on "cross-platform multiplayer", that there would be SOME multiplayer component (even a prototype would've been helpful). I bought this to experience this story with my friends with "easier to learn" pad controls for my friends.
Now I'll go ahead and say it: without multiplayer this game is not worth $50. You can add in as many wonky at best drive mechanics as you want. Without multiplayer, this game is NOT worth $50. $140 for the whole package, Ludacris.
As a concerned consumer and loyal Beamdog fan, find out if multiplayer is going to work. As soon as possible. Because here's the thing about my trust for Beamdog, if they tell me they can do it: I'll believe them. If Beamdog tells me they can make multiplayer a reality, I will not be upset, and all my issues with this game will be resolved. I hope they would then get multiplayer out in a timely fashion, but as long as I know it's possible and being worked on: I'm perfectly happy waiting.
If Beamdog cannot make multiplayer possible that's alright, but two steps must to be taken to keep consumer trust.
1. A refund must be offered, bare minimum. Yes legally Beamdog did not "mislead their consumers" to purchase this product, but let's be genuine, complete silence on such a pivotal feature of the game, is essentially the SAME thing. The truth is I would've never purchased this game if Beamdog had been clear about the features of this game, at least not for $50. Which brings me to the second point.
2. Lower the price. $50 for an incomplete version of a 20-year-old game is simply MAD. I will say this a thousand times if I have to, this game is not worth $50 dollars without multiplayer, nor is Planescape or Icewind Dale. I'm not sure how much, maybe $10 or $20, something to distinguish it from it's mroe complete steam version.
To be frank, these steps should be taken NOW, but if multiplayer is coming: I can wait, but I'm not sure if everyone else can.
Beamdog's overall silence on a feature so important makes them responsible for misled consumers. You can argue all day about how Beamdog has never explicitly stated multiplayer would be at launch, but their silence on something so important to the purchase of a consumer makes them responsible.
Please, as someone who has loved the infinity engine games and has put 100's of hours into them on PC: do the right thing. As someone who is a consumer in a market where all kinds of triple-A companies are trying to steal my wallet: have some common decency. If not, I'll never buy a Beamdog product again, and I guarantee you a large portion of your player base won't either.
-Just a few words from a conerned and loyal consumer.
https://www.co-optimus.com/game/5509/nintendo-switch/baldur-s-gate-enhanced-edition.html
I also retract my claim of cross-platform multiplayer, it is clear that it was meant for PC and MAC gamers. Although I don't believe this detracts much from any of my points, and on top of this, not many game companies use the language "cross-platform" to indicate a connection between two different computer brands (which honestly should never have been an issue, to begin with.
I believe there are ways to refund the purchase if it is your decision, depending on the platform you bought the games from.
Our position on MP is reflected in the first comment to this thread: There are challenges, and big. MP is a pain in IE even on PC. Exploring multiplayer for the IE games on console is still something we're interested in.
Here is what we said:
https://www.reddit.com/r/baldursgate/comments/df7kvw/multiplayer_on_console_release_of_enhanced/f32n3sh/ (7 days ago) "The console versions of IE games are Single Player only."
This was before the release. After the release, the position mentioned everywhere (from social media to this forum) is what is expressed in the first comment to this thread.
The first store page that went live was a Switch one, which included a mention of "Single Player only". Xbox and PS4 store pages went live afterwards (much later), and they still didn't have any mention of MP.
The confusion might have come from a few reviews which mentioned "MP is coming soon" - the text which was present in a review (early) build - and also one YT interview from April.
I apologize for the harsh tone from previous posts, as I said this is a market where it feels like companies mislead fans left and right and the thought it hit this close to home is an infuriating one. I hope you understand.
Thank you for updating your website to include this notice, even though a majority of people who are going to buy baldur’s gate on console probably have already bought it, I hope it leads to more informed consumers.
Once again thank you for this patience in this thread, I’ll be sure to follow Beamdog on social media for more accurate information in the future on upcoming releases!
Seems more likely to be deliberate to get more sales then claim, "oopsie, good catch!", when someone notices. This is the kind of shady, dishonest stuff I've noticed from Beamdog (and now their partner) from the beginning. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
Believe it or not, I actually prefer my CRPG experiences to be solo. Don't get me wrong; I'm a long-term PnPer as well (playing since 1988), and playing D&D around a table provides a sense of camaraderie and creativity that you won't find anywhere else. It's an experience I wouldn't have any other way.
But at the same time, I find it nearly impossible to really, REALLY immerse myself in a game world with other players around. There's always going to be SOMEBODY who spoils the mood by cracking a joke, talks about real life stuff while you're in the middle of shopping, or just insists on calling their character "JimBob the Gnome Ravisher" instead of a lore-appropriate name. As such, I much prefer playing RPGs alone, where it's just me and the story, along with whatever headcanon I want to cook up.
If you have bought the game for the multiplayer part I can understand you’re upset. I just think the vast majority won’t mind.
Btw. 50 $ seems a fair price - in the BG1 bundle you get SoD as well. In BG2 it’s ToB and IWD it’s TotLM+HoW.
Overall a solid release, and I hope we haven’t seen the last of Beamdog working with the IE. Please keep it coming
I hear what you’re saying, but it’s important to keep in mind that this game basically was the pioneering game in terms of NPC interaction (even more so BG2). There’s a reason NPC mods are so popular, and people agonize over how many NPCs to take to Spellhold- and it’s not because of multiplayer features. Multiplayer is a great way to play if you’re into that, but the massive innovation with this series is getting interesting interactions without doing so.
Welcome to the forum.
Whilst multiplayer may not come to the console, it is available on pc, android and iOS. So it it possible to get the multiplayer going.
The games where and are well known for npc interaction and not pc interaction, so I guess that part got the most attention.
There are a few multiplayers like you on the forum. Even though most mods and players are about novel’s. Enjoy your stay at the forum