What's a better incentive to create a level in
LittleBigPlanet than good, hard cold cash? According to recent comments by David Reeves, president of SCEE, that's what's planned for the upcoming community-driven platformer. "What we're trying to do with
LittleBigPlanet is almost iTunes meets eBay in the sense that once an individual or a developer has qualified by producing certain levels or certain add-ons, they will then be able in the future to exchange these and make money out of them," Reeves notes. "Eventually, it's feasible that you might well see the first
LittleBigPlanet millionaire!"
It appears that how much creators can charge for content is also user-determined. "Even if you charge less than one euro, it doesn't take many downloads if you've got a really strong LittleBigPlanet level for people to be able to make money. It's a great way for people to show others what they can do." This may give aspiring level designers a chance to not only show off their creativity, but turn their skills into profit.
[Thanks, Alex H.!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Brett from Atlanta @ Jul 20th 2008 2:05PM
Yeah! My cash-cow has arrived!
Lordtombot @ Jul 20th 2008 2:16PM
Soon we'll have a limewire type program especialy for nicking these levels without permission.
Evi1d33d @ Jul 31st 2008 12:10AM
Exactly, and what prevents someone to create a free level that is 'very similar'? Maybe they can make money selling custom items to put in levels but a whole level is a rip off and won't fly.
wicko @ Jul 20th 2008 2:17PM
This is neat, but how do you prevent someone from scamming people? Is there a way to demo the levels or see the level from one end to the other? I don't know if I'd trust people enough to start paying for their "creations". I hope you can release them for free, that would be the route I would take.
spyker @ Jul 20th 2008 2:22PM
Did you even read it? You have to qualify first to charge and you don't need to.
wicko @ Jul 20th 2008 2:37PM
Nope, guess I didn't.
Drake70 @ Jul 20th 2008 2:17PM
So I won't be able to download other people's content for free?
Or is it optional to charge other users for my content?
Skemo @ Jul 20th 2008 2:27PM
Optional.
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:18PM
It's not even optional.
Only the content selected by Sony (ie. the very best of the best) will be given the option of having a price tag.
Da @ Jul 21st 2008 1:21PM
Thats cool, if you're paying for it you know it's not just crap.
BananaBoat @ Jul 21st 2008 12:29AM
I have a feeling that making anything truly worthy of selling in Little Big Planet is going to be extremely difficult. Kinda like how a ton of people play Second Life (not me though, ugg no) but how there are very few people that can actually create (good) content for it. Since we're talking entire levels you'd have to create if you wanted to sell them, the field of potential sellers goes down to such a low number anyway, that once you take into account that they have to be "quality" levels, you've got a very small, and probably very dedicated field.
I'd pay for a really good map, but I'd never sell them. I'm of the opinion that this type of thing should be free. It's fine if other people don't feel that way, and I'd be more than happy to pay them if their content is amazing, but I wouldn't personally do it. I'm sure Sony will get a cut of any profits you make, which makes it less appealing anyway.
Phantom @ Jul 21st 2008 10:28AM
I'll probably try to make a few good maps to qualify , and sell them for like a dollar or 2 . I don't care if Sony gets 10 cents or so . I'm guessing if it'd really good maybe I could make like 200 dollars .
This map creating for profit is great for when i'm bored .
MexicanTerrorist @ Jul 20th 2008 2:27PM
You have to qualify by making really awesome free content and get chosen by Media Molecule to make charged for content.
Luke @ Jul 21st 2008 1:23PM
As long as this is true, where Mm specifically picks people and the average Joe cannot easily become "qualified" to charge for levels, I don't have a problem with this.
I just want to be able to download craploads of FREE levels from 99% of users. If Mm feels a user has enough creativity for them to charge for their levels, I think I can trust them and maybe, just MAYBE give them a few coppers.
MexicanTerrorist @ Jul 20th 2008 2:28PM
Besides, charging for content defeats the purpose of LBP for me anyway. It's Play, Create Share. Not Play, Create, Sell.
zyxwiley @ Jul 20th 2008 5:57PM
I agree for the most part. But to me, this seems like good ol' capitalist motivation. This should draw out the talented developers and push them to create truly interesting work. Even if 1% (heck, it'll probably end up being like .01%, given the amount of people that will likely make something) of the user generated content requires purchased, the remainder of the 99% of the free content should theoretically be that much better quality. Instead of rampant swarms of 12 year olds trying to make levels out of boobs, you'll get a lot more talented people trying to qualify / building their reputation for charging their skills.
Granted, if it ends up that like 10-20% of the user generated content isn't free, then that would ultimately be the death of the game (to me, at least).
Luke @ Jul 20th 2008 2:32PM
Here's a link to the interview.
http://uk.playstation.com/games-media/news/articles/detail/item111520/
paul @ Jul 20th 2008 2:39PM
MUST BUY IM GONNA BE RICH
McBonk @ Jul 20th 2008 2:40PM
Okay, this is the first cringe-worthy news I've seen regarding LBP.
Arttemis @ Jul 20th 2008 5:08PM
Agreed, this is pretty tasteless.
paul @ Jul 20th 2008 5:37PM
How?
ChodalBerryWagon @ Jul 20th 2008 8:54PM
Same. How?
I do not want to go try get some cool user-generated levels, only to find out that all the good ones must be paid for. I really hope it's only the VERY best of the best (a 1-in-a-1000 level) that you have to pay for, and that they don't charge you any more than a dollar/euro/pound/whatever. It DEFINITELY must be less than you pay for characters in Pain ;)
Damian @ Jul 20th 2008 2:46PM
But there should be plenty of choice - and if you've got a choice between good user-created levels which you've got to pay for, and a plentiful supply of good user-created levels which are free... it's a no-brainer surely?
browntown @ Jul 20th 2008 2:58PM
Stupid move, its gonna kill the community and numbr of user created levels played. Who wants to pay money to play a level they have no idea what it looks like exactly. Of course, this just makes me want to spend more time on making an wesome level
Mark @ Jul 20th 2008 5:21PM
You have to have a track recor of producing quality free content, before you can charge for levels.
Did you ACTUALLY read the article?
ADPolicenaut @ Jul 20th 2008 3:18PM
To capitalism!
Konchu @ Jul 20th 2008 3:21PM
I think this will be more for the really popular devs so say some of the big web comic guys like Penny Arcade jump on the bandwagon they may allow them to make sellable content and that would be a cool thing in my eyes. But I could also see some individuals making some super awesome content and get a following and start selling some. But I think there is going to be so much great content that it will take exceptional content to justify purchase.
Konchu @ Jul 20th 2008 3:23PM
So much free content that is.
stargateheaven @ Jul 20th 2008 3:26PM
If you see an object you like, surely you'd just make it yourself and not buy it?!
that, or i'm quitting my job lol
naruto007 @ Jul 20th 2008 3:30PM
i dont like this idea everyone will want to earn money from it so pretty much most good maps will be pay to play =/
Chico @ Jul 20th 2008 3:47PM
Still buying this game, however, will not be paying a cent for content, nor would I charge. Like a previous poster said, it's about sharing, not selling.
Potentially a bad move, but guess only time will tell.
MakaiOokami @ Jul 20th 2008 3:57PM
But if you're making good content and people are willing to buy why are you against people being compensated for time? If someone spends 20 hours developing a level shouldn't he be entitled to be able to make 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 cents or maybe even 1-5 dollars? Even Red Cross could make games and use the profits for donations. I mean this is epic.
Besides, if you can't sell something, do you really own it?
Chico @ Jul 20th 2008 4:13PM
Not arguing what people should be entitled to or not, just saying I would not pay for content.
This was by far, my most anticipated game, however, this news gives me pause.
I will definitely follow this over the next few to see how it pans out.
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:14PM
Well, unless you happen to make one of the most popular levels in the game, you won't even get the option to put a price tag on it.
Chico @ Jul 20th 2008 9:43PM
oh, I fully understand that not all content will have a price, that only the creme de la creme will carry a price tag.
What disappoints me, is that up until now, this game has been presented as being revolutionary, even somewhat utopian in it's premise. This latest news seems to have sullied that notion IMO.
I admit, a lot of people(myself included) are probably making a mountain out of a mole hill. Best to see what LBP news comes out this week, as I am sure some clarification will be offered.
Hyams @ Jul 21st 2008 8:18AM
Chico: This is actually in reply to your other post starting, 'no no, I was never under the impression that anyone and their mother could charge for content...'
My response is: fair enough. I don't intend to pay for any content in LBP either.
Thing is, many people have misread the article and are over-reacting based on their miscomprehension of it, setting up boycotts, cancelling pre-orders and such. These are the people my messages have been aimed at.
If you *do* understand the article, and still don't like it, fair enough. To be honest, I'm not thrilled about it either, but it's not the game-killing, all-content-will-cost-moneys thing many seem to think it is.
William @ Jul 20th 2008 3:49PM
Nice. I'm gonna try to create levels to make some money =)
Spider-Prime @ Jul 20th 2008 3:55PM
stupid IMO cause since anyone can make levels in it, if someone buys it they probably can just copy it by remaking it and send it out for free.
MakaiOokami @ Jul 20th 2008 3:59PM
Copyright infrindment. They'd probably have their PSN ids banned. All someone has to do is take a screenshot and send it in. The screenshot has a lot of information on it so they'll be able to entirely find out who's doing it and the stealers will be routed out pretty quickly.
They would just use the same kind of strategy they have planned for explicit or sexual images since you can upload anything you want really to be int he game.
Spider-Prime @ Jul 20th 2008 6:39PM
perhaps, but I guess we will have to wait and see.
Still wouldn't be hard for people to find out how to make the said level and make it themselves instead of downloading it.
We all know, people will do anything to get the things they want for free.
Le @ Jul 20th 2008 3:56PM
I think it's a ridiculous idea. It'll hurt the LBP community as people won't build levels for its wellbeing, but rather for their own profitable gain. if they want to reward great level devs with cash, do a contest or something where they can earn cash prizes or whatever, but to allow them to charge for levels is ridicule, or a donating option would be cool too. I think the word that knocked everyone off is 'feasible'.
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:15PM
The average person won't be able to put a price tag on their levels. Only the very most popular levels, the ones that catch Sony's eye, will ever get the option of having a price tag.
Nozz @ Jul 20th 2008 3:56PM
only official or known developers content for me!!!
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:16PM
Only official and very well known developers (ie. those selected by Sony) can put a price tag on their content.
The average person will not be able to.
MexicanTerrorist @ Jul 20th 2008 4:07PM
I think most people agree that this will make the community more focused on money than on the levels themselves. Although I like the contest "cash prize" idea, this is a bad move.
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:21PM
People can't choose to put a price on their content. Read the article again.
Only content selected by Sony and Media Molecules (ie. the very best content) is given the option of having a price
Burns11 @ Jul 20th 2008 4:13PM
They just killed the excitement of LBP.
oOo BioShock oOo @ Jul 20th 2008 4:16PM
Wow way to kill LBP, this is the worse idea ever. No way I'll buy or sell content, ever!
Hyams @ Jul 20th 2008 5:23PM
Unless you happen to make some of the very best levels available, you're not even going to be given the option to sell them.
Read the article again: only the very best content (as selected by Media Molecules) is given the option of having a price.
Chico @ Jul 20th 2008 4:20PM
Actually, maybe jumping the gun here...where's the source?