"Vote with your wallets": 4A responds to Metro Redux complaints
Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light developer 4A Games has confessed itself "blindsided" by negative reactions to the new Redux versions of both games.
Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light are being re-released in a new "Redux" form, with all DLC and significant overhauls, on PS4 and Xbox One as well as PC.
Although there's little new content in the new builds - with the notable exception of Last Light's new Survival mode - 4A Games and Deep Silver is proud of the work it has done. You can compare the original and Redux Metro games side by side in this video.
It looks good, right? But the re-release hasn't been universally popular. On Steam, users have complained that the upgraded builds ought to have been released for free - despite the fact that those who own the original got a 50% discount on the new versions.
"This response blindsided us a little. We have taken our time to review the concerns and arguments and offer a proper response," 4A Games wrote on Steam.
The developer said "almost the entire team of around 80 people at 4A Games will have been working on the Metro Redux titles for almost a year" by the time they release next month.
The project includes significantly updating the 4A engine, as well as upgrading Metro: Last Light and completely rebuilding Metro 2033 to run on the new tech.
"We are extremely grateful for your support for the original game – we do not expect you to purchase the Redux version, nor do we feel entitled to your custom."
"We think the 50% discount is more than fair for the amount of work that has gone into this title. It is a complete remake of the original game in the latest engine, that will offer a significantly different experience from the original throughout with improved graphics, performance and gameplay," 4A Games wrote.
The team admitted that Last Light has not had such a huge rebuild as Metro 2033, but said that because of the nature of the change it made - an engine rewrite - it was literally impossible to just patch in new additions. 4A also pointed out that Last Light Redux does come with all DLC.
"We understand that for those of you who already had the DLC, the offer is not as compelling - again, we are not pretending this is as significant an overhaul as Metro 2033," the developer went on.
"And we did consider alternatives – e.g. 50% if you only owned the base game, 75% if you owned all the DLC – but these ideas raised a number of practical / logistical challenges. In the end, a flat 50% discount was judged to be the simplest, fairest solution. Ultimately, you are free to vote with your wallets."
In fact, if you vote againts the upgrade, "that's fine" - 4A loves you regardless.
"We are extremely grateful for your support for the original game - we do not expect you to purchase the Redux version, nor do we feel entitled to your custom. Make your own decision based on whether you think that $12.49 (or the local currency alternative) is worth the asking price, and we will respect that.
"We know this response will not please everyone – but even though you still might not agree with the rationale, we do hope you understand that our goal was to reward, not exploit, existing owners while still making a viable business model that allowed this Redux project to go ahead on PC as well as console."