Free Super Meat Boy DLC revealed

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 23 September, 2010

Is a "f**k you" to the system.

The free downloadable chapter for the Xbox Live Arcade version of rock hard 2D platformer Super Meat Boy is a "f**k you" to the system of paying for DLC, the developer has said.

The Xbox-exclusive chapters, part of The Internets package, will be free to download because of what's called Title Managed Storage (TMS), a Microsoft feature that allows developers to add new chapters to games whenever they feel like it.

"In a world where it costs $2 to unlock content in a game that you've already purchased it is nice to have the power to totally say f**k you to that system and go our own way," said Team Meat on its site

"As we upload content there are no micro transactions to play new chapters and we can basically do whatever we want with these chapters and it costs you, our adoring fans, nothing. We love you."

Super Meat Boy launches on 20th October on XBLA. Team Meat – made up of developers Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes - is yet to announce a release date for the free DLC, but did share some details.

"Each internets chapter contains 20 levels and can be tailored to allow all characters to play them, or lock in a specific character allowing us to create levels that only certain characters can defeat using their special abilities."

Team Meat also explained the DLC's Xbox 360 exlcusivity.

"Before we all start to bitch and moan about this, know that in order for the game to come out on XBLA, we had to offer something exclusive and this was the best and coolest option for us," said the tiny studio.

"Also, quite frankly, Title Managed Storage on Xbox Live took all of the difficult parts of getting this system up and running out of my hands. It literally took me a week to implement the Internets Chapter fully, that's a huge deal for what it is."

So there you go.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Retroid #1 2 years ago

    Interesting.

    Is this a new feature MS are offering devs? Because it sounds like 'certain other' companies would've made use of this.

  • King_Edward #2 2 years ago

    Sounds more like a work-around than a feature. But whatever free stuff. :)

  • ozzzy189 #3 2 years ago

    Love the Rob Hubbard style music- even though i won't be getting this, it does look quite good.

  • mfnick #4 2 years ago

    Excellent!

    Shame they couldnt have done a "fuck you" to the system of charging 1200 points for every game on XBLA now too & release it at 800. But hey, cant have it all I guess.

  • lewiep #5 2 years ago

    The TMS isn't for adding new chapters, it's just a place devs can store updated information for their games.

    It's where things like call of duty's message of the day is stored, or Monday Night Combat's balance data.

    Presumably Team Meat have found a way of fitting entire levels onto it. I'd guess because their levels are tile based.

  • BuddyChrist #6 2 years ago

    Meat boy?! Edmund, get back in your cell and complete Gish 2.

  • lucky_jim #7 2 years ago

    I was already looking forward to SMB, but now it's a definite day-one for me. I wonder how long it'll take Microsoft to clamp down.

  • Shinetop #8 2 years ago

    A "fuck you to the system", eh? Swearing and badmouthing the establishment is still the norm in Indie circles, I guess. When will an indie developer emerge with, you know, some style and class?
    Edited by Shinetop at 23/09/10 @ 16:06

  • superbeast2010 #9 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 10:57:39 01-02-2012

  • Retroid #10 2 years ago

    Ah, thanks for the explanation lewiep!

    Makes perfect sense now - levels for a 2D game could be stored in a very small space indeed if tile-based. Nicely done!

  • Skandalle #11 2 years ago

    Fair play....i like his kahunas!

    ...in a completely heterosexual way that is.

  • BabyJesus #12 2 years ago

    Q: Has Microsoft expressed an opinion on you apparently sidestepping their rules/regulations on how to introduce new content?

    A: We were worried about this but, no. we slipped through a loop hole of awesome. In the end they actually welcomed it because they want developers to do anything and everything with their service that makes them stand out. No one has ever done anything like this in the history of XBLA as far as we (and our people at MS) know and it?s seriously the most awesome use of it ever.
    http://supermeatboy.com/

    Missed that bit EG, which doesn't fit the david vs goliath narrative...

  • BillPoon #13 2 years ago

    @mfnick MS are publishing this, they set the price.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #14 2 years ago

    "In a world where it costs $2 to unlock content in a game that you've already purchased it is nice to have the power to totally say f**k you to that system and go our own way," said Team Meat on its site

    Oh, isn't that mature. But yeah, go and f**k the system that is the very foundation your 'indie' studio needs to even exist.

  • Phishfood #15 2 years ago

    So Microsoft wouldn't allow them to publish the game on XBLA unless they offered something exclusive?

  • GreatBlackthorn #16 2 years ago

    It's not "fuck you to the system", it's "fuck you to that system".

  • BoffBoff #17 2 years ago

    If BabyJesus is right (#15), then why don't MS just support free DLC if the developer wants it?

    Same horse.

    If it's to do with capacity (#12), then why not introduce a file size limit on free DLC? (Anyone remember when we used to have a size limit on XBLA?)
    Edited by BoffBoff at 24/09/10 @ 15:47