XCOM 2 - Firaxis Wants Players to Take Risks

Firaxis aims to make XCOM 2 more unpredictable, forcing players to take greater risks, says Jake Solomon, XCOM 2's creative director. Examiner gets the scoop.

When it comes to a good strategy game, the concept of unpredictability plays an important role. To strategize and develop new tactics are vital to being successful in strategy games as the enemies test your intellect and Firaxis wants the player to take risks when it comes to XCOM 2. Examiner.com recently spoke with Jake Solomon, creative director on XCOM 2, about the types of strategies players will be able to use, the unpredictable elements the title has to offer, and how players will need to cycle their soldiers to ensure a strong squad.

We asked Solomon whether or not players will be able to utilize similar strategies that they may have used in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, or if XCOM 2 would force the player to think of new tactics. Solomon told us that the development didn’t want players to play XCOM 2 and feel that things are completely different, but also didn’t want players to feel that everything they learned from Enemy Unknown would be effective to use in XCOM 2, either.

“Part of the joy of strategy, tactical games is that element of encountering a new system and learning it,” said Solomon.

As a result, Firaxis sought to eliminate the bad strategies that were forced on the player in Enemy Unknown. By doing so, Solomon says that they have been able to add a lot of unpredictable elements to XCOM 2.

“That’s why we’ve added a lot of unpredictable elements because we need them to take risks. When they take risks, that’s when they create situations that are memorable,” shared Solomon.

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More information.

More information.

Oh I know they want me to take risk and play without the class they removed and put in season pass.
Not gonna happen.

Deliver the complete product first, discounted as penalty for scamware, then we can talk more.
I was so excited about this game and I really didn't need the cold shower.

joxer said:

Oh I know they want me to take risk and play without the class they removed and put in season pass.
Not gonna happen.

Deliver the complete product first, discounted as penalty for scamware, then we can talk more.
I was so excited about this game and I really didn't need the cold shower.

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How's your cold shower with fallout 4 which offers season pass?

I would ask why the 2 different standards but I already knowwhy, your Joxer.

Anyway I can't wait for this game and will preorder but I don't have supposed "standards" that I arbitrarily decide which games need to meet and which don't.

Well said. But it is a very understandable human emotion. I despise Fallout 4 so I found its price and season pass despicable. I love XCOM and I don't care how much they charge. The only difference is that I don't even try to be 'objective'. The hell with Fallout (4). And BTW, the hell with PoE as well. RPG of the year my @#$.

You're going to be taking a lot of cold showers, Joxer. At least until games finally start increasing the base price.

sakichop said:

How's your cold shower with fallout 4 which offers season pass?

I would ask why the 2 different standards but I already knowwhy, your Joxer.

Anyway I can't wait for this game and will preorder but I don't have supposed "standards" that I arbitrarily decide which games need to meet and which don't.

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Be careful, last time I called him out on this he called me a troll and put me on his ignore list

joxer said:

Oh I know they want me to take risk and play without the class they removed and put in season pass.
Not gonna happen.

Deliver the complete product first, discounted as penalty for scamware, then we can talk more.
I was so excited about this game and I really didn't need the cold shower.

Click to expand...

I usually don't post, but what class are you talking about?
5th class is still coming with base game like they announced it will.
6th class is a part of the DLC that will launch in summer, and it wasn't part of the base game to begin with.

sakichop said:

How's your cold shower with fallout 4 which offers season pass?

I would ask why the 2 different standards but I already knowwhy, your Joxer.

Anyway I can't wait for this game and will preorder but I don't have supposed "standards" that I arbitrarily decide which games need to meet and which don't.

Click to expand...

Yes I suck and I'm rotten. So?
But double standards? Nah.

I preordered/paid for FO4 BEFORE Bethesda announced season pass. IIRC I already posted that and also that I wouldn't preorder if I knew.

But it's not the only case, I'm actually surprised you forgot another.
I also preordered TW3 the very day it was possible. And they've announced season pass way later.
If I knew that'll happen, there would have been no preorder. Regardless of everyone stating that season pass contains completely separate areas and stuff, practically standalone DLC that doesn't mess the base game - the only kind of DLC I'll ever support.

What happened with FC4? I wanted that game desperately (didn't know it'll turn out to be boredom) and then, on the day preorder was available, I saw it has season pass. So I didn't buy it at all.
When did I buy it? When they put season pass on sale - it's cost was, imagine this, 0 (zero) dollars. I've posted even a screenshot of that purchase somewhere on this forum, probably pricewatch thread.

Will I buy FO4 DLC? Most probably won't. Ever.
To this day I didn't buy TW3 season pass nor the first paid DLC. Will I ever? Dunno. But I'm definetly not planning to.

There is no arbitrary anything nor double standards. I'm not supporting season passes and I'm still saying those are scamware. Nothing changed.
Firaxis announced season pass at the same time the game got available to preorder. They failed to scam me - they should have waited till I preorder the game then announce season pass. And although I wouldn't buy that season pass, at least I would have pay the full price for the massacred game itself. Now I just won't.
Okay, that wouldn't work because I planned to preorder it on Steam where I know how to get a refund because Steam changed their business model. But I preordered TW3 on GOG and FO4 on GMG, I didn't know how to cancel it there back then, I don't know how to do it even today.

All I know that in 2016. I won't be so quick about preordering games. So I don't get buying games I normally wouldn't just because of lack of info. First will wait till 100% sure the game doesn't include scamware, then buy.
If it does include scamware, then wait (for ages?) till the game gets finished and completed then buy on some heavy discount the complete game not just the demo.

You may still continue to accuse me of double standards if it's hard for you to accept that I was basically scammed by both CDpr and Bethesda.
I know it's hard to accept that what you'll happily pay for someone else calls - scamware. And then you just have to undermine that one by ignoring everything that one posted in the past. If it helps you feel better, by all means, do it. It still won't change the fact you're supporting scamming business. Fact… Well, in my opinion.

Did CDpr and Beth deliberately postpone season pass announcement I'll never know. But I still feel scammed. Do I hate TW3 and FO4 because of this scam? No. I blame it on the publisher, not games.

borovnica said:

I usually don't post, but what class are you talking about?
5th class is still coming with base game like they announced it will.
6th class is a part of the DLC that will launch in summer, and it wasn't part of the base game to begin with.

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6th class is cut out content and sold separately as part of the season pass. It's like you sell me chess complet without queen figure and then selling me that figure separately.
You may support such stuff, I just won't.

Zloth said:

You're going to be taking a lot of cold showers, Joxer. At least until games finally start increasing the base price.

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Not really, no.
There are plenty of (great) games out there that don't have season passes nor ever will.

EDIT:
I'll probably have to bookmark this post as it seems I'll have to copypaste it again.
For some reason I thought everyone saw me posting how disappointed I am with CDpr's announcement of season pass and later with discovering FO4 is not a full game. And FC4 season pass thing too.

joxer said:

Yes I suck and I'm rotten. So?
But double standards? Nah.

I preordered/paid for FO4 BEFORE Bethesda announced season pass. IIRC I already posted that and also that I wouldn't preorder if I knew.

But it's not the only case, I'm actually surprised you forgot another.
I also preordered TW3 the very day it was possible. And they've announced season pass way later.
If I knew that'll happen, there would have been no preorder. Regardless of everyone stating that season pass contains completely separate areas and stuff, practically standalone DLC that doesn't mess the base game - the only kind of DLC I'll ever support.

What happened with FC4? I wanted that game desperately (didn't know it'll turn out to be boredom) and then, on the day preorder was available, I saw it has season pass. So I didn't buy it at all.
When did I buy it? When they put season pass on sale - it's cost was, imagine this, 0 (zero) dollars. I've posted even a screenshot of that purchase somewhere on this forum, probably pricewatch thread.

Will I buy FO4 DLC? Most probably won't. Ever.
To this day I didn't buy TW3 season pass nor the first paid DLC. Will I ever? Dunno. But I'm definetly not planning to.

There is no arbitrary anything nor double standards. I'm not supporting season passes and I'm still saying those are scamware. Nothing changed.
Firaxis announced season pass at the same time the game got available to preorder. They failed to scam me - they should have waited till I preorder the game then announce season pass. And although I wouldn't buy that season pass, at least I would have pay the full price for the massacred game itself. Now I just won't.
Okay, that wouldn't work because I planned to preorder it on Steam where I know how to get a refund because Steam changed their business model. But I preordered TW3 on GOG and FO4 on GMG, I didn't know how to cancel it there back then, I don't know how to do it even today.

All I know that in 2016. I won't be so quick about preordering games. So I don't get buying games I normally wouldn't just because of lack of info. First will wait till 100% sure the game doesn't include scamware, then buy.
If it does include scamware, then wait (for ages?) till the game gets finished and completed then buy on some heavy discount the complete game not just the demo.

You may still continue to accuse me of double standards if it's hard for you to accept that I was basically scammed by both CDpr and Bethesda.
I know it's hard to accept that what you'll happily pay for someone else calls - scamware. And then you just have to undermine that one by ignoring everything that one posted in the past. If it helps you feel better, by all means, do it. It still won't change the fact you're supporting scamming business. Fact… Well, in my opinion.

Did CDpr and Beth deliberately postpone season pass announcement I'll never know. But I still feel scammed. Do I hate TW3 and FO4 because of this scam? No. I blame it on the publisher, not games.


6th class is cut out content and sold separately as part of the season pass. It's like you sell me chess complet without queen figure and then selling me that figure separately.
You may support such stuff, I just won't.


Not really, no.
There are plenty of (great) games out there that don't have season passes nor ever will.

EDIT:
I'll probably have to bookmark this post as it seems I'll have to copypaste it again.
For some reason I thought everyone saw me posting how disappointed I am with CDpr's announcement of season pass and later with discovering FO4 is not a full game. And FC4 season pass thing too.

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Fallout 4 season pass was announced 2 months before release, plenty of time to cancel a preorder. Anyway sounds like a bunch of excuses and justifications to me.

I think there's pretty clear double standards and wavering of your "principles" and honestly I wouldn't even care or mention it if you didn't spam so many threads with it.

It would be nice to open threads about good games such as this one and not have to see your spam on grinding, DLC, scamware, season pass, etc but I guess that's more my problem than yours.

WTF is a season pass? Wait, I don't really want to know.

Also, why is everyone so bitchy, is it the holiday season stress?

screeg said:

WTF is a season pass? Wait, I don't really want to know.

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Paying a bunch of money up front to get all DLC that might come out later on for free.

Yeah, you really didn't want to know...

screeg said:

WTF is a season pass? Wait, I don't really want to know.

Also, why is everyone so bitchy, is it the holiday season stress?

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Similar to surprise premiere movie shows in cinemas. You play money in advance without knowing if you are going to get shit or gold for a chance to watch some movie before everyone else.

In case of games, you save few jewdollars if you pay in advance instead of buying each DLC separately.

sakichop said:

Fallout 4 season pass was announced 2 months before release, plenty of time to cancel a preorder. Anyway sounds like a bunch of excuses and justifications to me.

I think there's pretty clear double standards and wavering of your "principles" and honestly I wouldn't even care or mention it if you didn't spam so many threads with it.

It would be nice to open threads about good games such as this one and not have to see your spam on grinding, DLC, scamware, season pass, etc but I guess that's more my problem than yours.

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I said continue to think what you think. But your arguments are, at least from my perspective, wrong. In fact what arguments are we talking about? It was me who came out with arguments and what you did? Nothing. Not even read.

EDIT:
In fact I went on GMG to see when exactly I prepurchased FO4. The date is 10/07/15. July 10th.



On GMG, if in EU, for what I know, after 15 days you cannot ask for a refund of anything. Not sure 100% if I'm right, but you're so full of information and arguments, maybe you know.

And season pass for FO4 was announced two months after my preorder. In september:
http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-will-have-a-season-pass/

Your "good itentions" fall in the well. If you're so tired of my spamming probably by reading all of my posts, how come you didn't explain to exactly how to grab a refund on GMG once I found out the game I preordered will have a season pass? I know I posted about it.
If you did help me, and if it's even possible, I'd refund it.
But it's easier to come and post about "double standards" and whatever excuses.

:EDIT END

I won't stop with protesting against scam although to you it's spamming. Said why I think you have to "defend" and why I believe you're calling me out for nonexisting double standards, but all of that's not really my problem.
Feel free to put me on ignore list. Whatever you feel, think or do, scam is scam and will continue to be scam.

screeg said:

Also, why is everyone so bitchy, is it the holiday season stress?

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Erm… I don't actually remember a day I wasn't bitchy.

joxer said:

I said continue to think what you think. But your arguments are, at least from my perspective, wrong. In fact what arguments are we talking about? It was me who came out with arguments and what you did? Nothing. Not even read.

EDIT:
In fact I went on GMG to see when exactly I prepurchased FO4. The date is 10/07/15. July 10th.

On GMG, if in EU, for what I know, after 15 days you cannot ask for a refund of anything. Not sure 100% if I'm right, but you're so full of information and arguments, maybe you know.

And season pass for FO4 was announced two months after my preorder. In september:
http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-will-have-a-season-pass/

Your "good itentions" fall in the well. If you're so tired of my spamming probably by reading all of my posts, how come you didn't explain to exactly how to grab a refund on GMG once I found out the game I preordered will have a season pass? I know I posted about it.
If you did help me, and if it's even possible, I'd refund it.
But it's easier to come and post about "double standards" and whatever excuses.

:EDIT END

I won't stop with protesting against scam although to you it's spamming. Said why I think you have to "defend" and why I believe you're calling me out for nonexisting double standards, but all of that's not really my problem.
Feel free to put me on ignore list. Whatever you feel, think or do, scam is scam and will continue to be scam.


Erm… I don't actually remember a day I wasn't bitchy.

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Whatever, Joxer. If you knew the definition of scam it might carry more weight.

I'm not the first and won't be the last to see your double standards so think what you want it's not worth my time.

While I'm not as passionate about the ordeal as joxer, I can sort of understand where's he's coming from.

The way I see it, the Fallout 4 season pass is a typical season pass that guarantees you the future DLC they're going to put out for the game, and that DLC is content that Bethesda is developing post-release.

The XCOM 2 deal is obviously content that was developed on the side for the sole purpose of getting more money for a "deluxe edition". When that content includes a character class that's otherwise unavailable in the main game, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's a very blatant money-grab and nothing more.

JDR13 said:

While I'm not as passionate about the ordeal as joxer, I can sort of understand where's he's coming from.

The way I see it, the Fallout 4 season pass is a typical season pass that guarantees you the future DLC they're going to put out for the game, and that DLC is content that Bethesda is developing post-release.

The XCOM 2 deal is obviously content that was developed on the side for the sole purpose of getting more money for a "deluxe edition". When that content includes a character class that's otherwise unavailable in the main game, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's a very blatant money-grab and nothing more.

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To me when they make the content doesn't really matter.

If a team spends 2 months making extra content at the same time the games being made then it's a cash grab but if a team spends 2 months making extra content after the game is made its ok? I don't understand that, I guess.

To be honest we have no idea when the contents made. ( at least I don't) maybe bethesda's already made the DLC and will just release it later to generate more revenue and stay in the news longer.

I also think it's up to the dev's not us gamers to decide what's included in the base game and what's extra.

Game prices have been stagnant or even lower in price due to sales for quite some time, so I understand dev's trying to make up some of the money. I think the alternative to season passes is games jumping $10-$20 in price which would probably result in more backlash than the season pass gets.

sakichop said:

To me when they make the content doesn't really matter.

If a team spends 2 months making extra content at the same time the games being made then it's a cash grab but if a team spends 2 months making extra content after the game is made its ok? I don't understand that, I guess.

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If you can't see the difference, then yeah, I'd say you have a different perspective than many others.

JDR13 said:

If you can't see the difference, then yeah, I'd say you have a different perspective than many others.

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Could you explain the difference then?

If I understand what your saying is that if a company makes the content pre release then they shouldn't be compensated for it despite paying the extra labor to create the extra content but...

If they pay the extra labor and make the extra content after release then your fine with them asking for compensation.

So why, costs being equal should it matter when they produced the extra content?

sakichop said:

Could you explain the difference then?

If I understand what your saying is that if a company makes the content pre release then they shouldn't be compensated for it despite paying the extra labor to create the extra content but…

If they pay the extra labor and make the extra content after release then your fine with them asking for compensation.

So why, costs being equal should it matter when they produced the extra content?

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Where do you get that they're paying extra labor for that content?

I think you're being a little naïve if you believe that. I think it's far more likely that it was content that was made along with everything else during the normal development process and then separated to be DLC.

If you can't see why some people would take issue with that, there's nothing else I can say here.

I also have to say that release-day DLC for some types of games, at least to me, may be easier to digest than other games. If it's a huge RPG such as Witcher 3, where the DLC includes maybe a new style of armor or a few new missions, then I have no problem with it as it would 'feel' optional.

But here, in a turn-based tactical game, they're holding out core gameplay components. Sure, you will be given 5 classes in the base game, but adding another class as part of DLC-- especially announcing it before the game is even released, just seems a little… off. I would not be as rubbed if the DLC included minor stuff, like new armor skins or maybe a mission or two. But it's hard for me to believe that they aren't doing exactly what JDR13 is implying, which is snipping off parts of the core game already completed just for the sake of milking more money.

That said, I love X-com and will probably bite the bullet here to buy the season pass. But I'd put myself in the "obsessed" category for this franchise. If in any other circumstance I'd probably hold off as a matter of principle.