Katamari premium DLC begins

By Tom Bramwell Published 22 October, 2007

Dollar sign of things to come.

It's only been out in the USA and Japan for a matter of days and the stupid slack useless tosser postal service hasn't delivered my import copy yet, but Namco Bandai has already released downloadable premium content for owners of Beautiful Katamari based in Asia.

The four new levels - "Milky Way Constellations", "The Weaver Girl", "Shopping Spree" and "High-calorie Katamari", according to the Major - each cost 200 Microsoft points, which is about GBP 1.70 / EUR 2.33 in old money. In other words, it's four new levels for nearly seven quid. And this is just week one. What's the Japanese for "horse armour"?

Namco Bandai has said previously that it planned to offer premium downloadable content, of course, so this shouldn't come as any surprise. We just hope that it doesn't mean the game itself is on the light side, and we'll be aiming to tell you once and for all in the near future - just as soon as our good friends at Royal Fail catch up with the backlog.

For more on Beautiful Katamari, check out our first impressions. It's out now in the US and Japan on Xbox 360. There's currently no word on a PAL release.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (24) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bioreit #1 4 years ago

    "Royal Fail"

    Heh. Made me wait four extra days for Green Wing series 1 and 2, the ghets.

    On the other hand, they did deliver my 360 version of The Orange Box a day before release, so they are spared my wrath. This once.

    City Link, though......

    /sharpens all manner of spiky objects

  • Steroyd #2 4 years ago

    It's only been out in the USA and Japan for a matter of days and the stupid slack useless tosser postal service hasn't delivered my import copy yet.

    Here here, out of Final fantasy Tactics which I ordered 2 weeks ago, the Spiderman Trilogy which I ordered last Monday and PES 2008 which I ordered on Friday, I only get the Spiderman Trilogy in the mail today. >:(

    Where the **** is my FFT?

  • Snidesworth #3 4 years ago

    Can't remember where I read this, but apparently each of the DLC levels is only 300kb in size, implying that it simply unlocks content already on the game disc.

  • Stormflood #4 4 years ago

    Yup, you're paying for content already on the disc.

  • Weezer #5 4 years ago

    Why has no-one picked this up for a PAL release? Dimwits.

  • DB2k #6 4 years ago

    I think that is just morally reprehensible. and gay

  • Eighthours #7 4 years ago

    What's the Japanese for "horse armour"?

    Genuine LOL there, Tom.

  • Darren #8 4 years ago

    With this news, I'm glad the game hasn't got a release date yet. Maybe by the time it *is* released in Europe, we'll have the FULL game at the same price. ;)

  • Steroyd #9 4 years ago

    Don't get your hopes up, 3rd parties usually Screw people over on XBLM.

    That and Japan loves screwing over Europe.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/07 @ 11:31

  • Monkey_Puncher #10 4 years ago

    Aren't we getting a PAL release then?

    FUCK!

    Was looking for ward to playing this :(

  • Singularity #11 4 years ago

    This has been my biggest worry about DLC for ages now. They couldn't have even waited a little bit?

  • Rirekon #12 4 years ago

    Get a PAL release sorted already you bastards!

  • brooza #13 4 years ago

    Namco Bandai don't publish their own games in PAL territories.

    I've been in touch with NB US, but they couldn't help. They told me to get in touch with NB UK (which makes no mention of console games on its website).

  • Pulsar_t #14 4 years ago

    Meh meh meh meh!

    I hope Ace Combat and Soul Calibur don't have DLC on-disc as well.. Else I'll have to boycott Namco.

  • Agent_Llama #15 4 years ago

    Disgraceful, shameful rip-off merchants. But we knew it would happen.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/07 @ 13:15

  • mingster #16 4 years ago

    complete rip off - and you have to get the dlc for some of the achievements.

  • 3william56 #17 4 years ago

    There goes my jealousy of the 360 getting the new KD game. That's a fooking rip off.

    I'm curious. "Component" Pricing (advertising a headline price that doesn't include all the charges, like advertsing an air fare without taxes, or a car without the on-road costs) is illegal in many places (and soon to be outlawed here in Oz). How does delivering a game disk, then charging to unlock it differ? Methinks pre-installed DLC's time is coming.

  • SuperBas #18 4 years ago

    Guys, the "unlock keys" are a whopping 300kb; a bit large for a simple file that says "grant access to these levels" to the disc. My guess is that they're really complete levels, as I doubt a Katamari level takes a lot of space. Whereas an FPS level takes MB's of space, filled with new textures and stuff, Katamari levels are just the shape of the new level, with stuff like "place this item on coordinates 3 2 1" in the text file. Don't believe me? Make a text file that says "unlock download levels = true", save it, and check the file size. Does it come anywhere close to 300kb? No.

    It is a ripoff, but these are full levels you're downloading.

    Edit: And release the fucking game in PAL territories already.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/07 @ 13:31

  • Monkey_Puncher #19 4 years ago

    Yeah, I seem to remeber all other unlock keys for games weighed in at about 188kb or something. Does seem a bit big for an unlock key, but then it also seems a bit small for a whole level.

  • spliffhead #20 4 years ago

    Namco Bandai really need to sort the EU distribution out.

    Chuck me a £100 and I'll post the Katamari EU discs out to the bloody shops for you FFS!

  • bioreit #21 4 years ago

    @ Mingster

    I thought if Achievements came in DLC, then the DLC HAD to be free? Pretty sure that's a stipulation by Microsoft somewhere - hang on, will go look for a link.

    They're allowed to put extra Achievements in paid-for DLC, but convinced that the initial 1000 has to be available for the retail price.

    Edit 1: Here we go:

    [link url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/02/xbox-36 0-achievements-policy-amended/
    ]http://ww w.joystiq.com/2007/02/02/xbox-3...[/link]

    And Mugwum: This whole thing does stink to high heaven, but it ain't the first time and it certainly ain't the worst:

    [link url=http://www.joystiq.com /2007/02/01/aquazone-publisher-fishing-for-ms-points-5000-ms -points/
    ]http://ww w.joystiq.com/2007/02/01/aquazo...[/link]

    "Fish Armour!" sums it up quite well...
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/07 @ 13:48

  • Monkey_Puncher #22 4 years ago

    Any content that's needed to access the initial 1000 points has to be free. The extra 250 though is so far usually linked to premium content.

    This who thing wouldn't have seemed so bad if they'd have waited a few months to get the content on the marketplace, but the damn extra achievement were known before the game even came out so it just stinks of taking content out of the game and charging for it.

    Only saving grace is when the game eventually comes out over here (if it ever does) it'll be a budget release so about £25 at retail. Still sucks though!

  • dudefella #23 4 years ago

    "Yup, you're paying for content already on the disc."

    I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. This kind of shit brings my blood to a boil. It is DISGUSTING. You're paying premium price for a game already but you're not even getting the whole thing. Thoroughly reprehensible. And there probably will be enough people buying it so this doesn't stop. Terrible.

  • Adman #24 4 years ago

    They're allowed to put extra Achievements in paid-for DLC, but convinced that the initial 1000 has to be available for the retail price.

    The game as is, gives you access to 1000 points. There are only 3 achievements you can't get without DLC, and those total up to 250:

    All Presents is worth 80
    All Cousins is worth 80
    Astronomic Katamari is worth 90

    The secret achievements are all attainable from the off. Most are simply based around playing the game for a long period of time.