Free for all?

Baba heads up Bandai Namco’s current drive in experimenting with monetisation models, which has spurred the creation of free-toplay entries in both the Ace Combat and Soul Calibur series alongside Rise Of Incarnates. But he is adamant that the business model will not interfere with the need for a level competitive playing field. “We were clear right from the start that this wouldn’t be a pay-to-win game. It’s something we learned to stay well away from with Tekken Revolution. Instead, all of the monetisation [will be] focused on personalisation.” Players will be able to purchase new costumes for their chosen brawler, but the mechanics and player progression will remain unsullied by financial concerns. Whether such a seemingly light touch can make Rise Of Incarnates sustainable is another matter.