One of the highlights of Microsoft’s recent E3 appearance was the exciting announcement that classic combat game Killer Instinct would be reborn on the Xbox One. Even more exciting was the follow-up news that the game would be ‘free-to-play’.
Technically this is true, but one of the game’s producers has clarified where a small cost does come into play for gamers looking to enjoy this modern take on one of the most memorable games of the 90’s. Speaking to Polygon, Torin Rettig reconfirms that yes, Killer Instinct 2013 is free to download and play with an Xbox LIVE account but states that players will get just one character, Jago, to fight as from the outset.
All other characters including Sabrewulf and Spinal, part of the classic cast who featured in the launch trailer, will be available to battle against as part of the initial Killer Instinct download – you just won’t be able to play as them unless you buy them individually as desired.
Rettig says “Some [fighting] games have anywhere between 30, 40, even 50 characters. And in reality, most players don’t play that many characters”. He adds “We wanted to take that into consideration and release the game in a way that allowed players to get in and play the game at the level that they want to play it.”
Microsoft currently gives no indication on how much each additional playable character will cost.
Killer Instinct was originally released as an exclusive on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1994 and it featured an original cast of combatants with a selection of individual move sets and killer combos to be mastered – all of which are expected to be returning in the remake on Xbox One.