APB Has No Paid DLC or Microtransactions; Yearly Retail Expansions Planned [Updated]

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[Update: 6/11/10 - 5:37PM] EJ Moreland has clarified his statement in an update to Shacknews, saying that there are currently no plans for microtransactions at this time, but it is possible in the future.

"To clarify, we have no current plans for item transactions in APB - but that has the possibility of changing post-release based on business climate and audience demand," Moreland clarified. "In addition, we will be developing and offering a wide variety of [in-game] points-based services to expand and augment APB after release."

[Original Story] In a round-table phone interview with APB lead designer EJ Moreland, it was confirmed that APB will not have any paid DLC or real currency-based microtransactions.

"We won't be offering items for sale for real money. We have no DLC," said Moreland. "Any update we do throughout the cycle is free except when we do a major retail event, which will add almost a completely new game."

The game's subscription model is unique, allowing players to subscribe for unlimited gameplay or purchase hours of playtime in the game's action districts. Customers that have purchased the game and are subscribed or have hours of playtime banked will get the content.

Moreland explained what types of content will be coming post-launch:

Throughout the year, we're going to release both content updates, which are new missions, new clothing assets, new weapons, new vehicles. Basically, new things for the players to earn, customize, or experience. Then we have much larger updates, which will come less frequently, called activity updates. [These will] introduce new gameplay, new rulesets, or new large additions to the game. Then probably once every year or so, we'll also do a retail event, which will be an expansion."

There is currently no schedule for when these updates or expansions might happen. APB will be released both at retail and digitally on June 29 for the PC. A console version is still planned (Xbox 360, PS3), but will be its own project, not a port of the PC game.

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