Marco Massarutto Responds to Free Porsche Content Criticism

[Paul Jeffrey]

Marco Massarutto, Kunos Simulazioni Licencing Manager and somewhat outspoken unofficial Kunos spokesperson, has responded via his Facebook account to the rather strong criticism from some members of the community following the free Porsche content announcement several days ago.

With feelings running high amongst the community, and many people voicing negative feelings regarding the inclusion of SUV's from the prominent German manufacturer, Massarutto has taken to his personal Facebook profile to respond directly to those vocal critics. As is the usual Massarutto style, no punches have been pulled in the latest statement!

The full Marco Massarutto Facebook statement can be read below:

"Imagine you get into a mall to buy a pair of Lee jeans, and when you go for the check out, the guy at desk tells you "I'm glad to tell you that, since you have purchased this product, you will get this t-shirt for free, offered by Lee".

What do you will answer? Some options:

- I didn't ask for it, just give me my jeans...
- I don't like this t-shirt, I'm not going to wear it
- What are you trying to do? To fill my closet with useless stuff?!
- I've a t-shirt already, I don't need this so-called gift
- Let's do this: give me the jeans for free and keep the t-shirt for you
- If I was interested to a t-shirt, I would have purchased it
- What a waste of time and money, tell Lee to give me a 100$ jacket for free instead
- I'm here for the jeans and you give me a free t-shirt? Shame on you
- So, now Lee gives stuff for free to let me have a taste of it? Shame on them

Sounds weird? Not to some simracers. Sad, but true.

So, about Porsche: few people complain because Assetto Corsa will release - for free, and even if you just own the game but you don't purchase any Porsche DLC - the new Panamera, Cayenne and Macan. Saying the things you can read above. As part of our agreement with Porsche, the Brand asked us to reproduce, for THEIR simulators, ALSO the models included in their current production. For THEIR purposes. Once we worked for months to reproduce those models with the maximum accuracy for Porsche simulators, we believed it would have been a shame do not allow the AC community to enjoy those cars as well. Without charging them. And that's it. Also because we take in consideration that the AC community is so wide today that different people like different cars, something that some blind gamers still don't understand, or accept. On the other side, this kind of agreement allows us to reproduce and make available for Assetto Corsa cars like the one you see in the picture.

So, today lot of people tell me that they want so badly in Assetto Corsa the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde . If to get it in the game we would be asked to include also the next Stelvio SUV as free bonus content, would you complain for it? If yes, probably you would need to turn off your PC or console, open the door, leave the house, close your eyes and take a breath; and relax. Because it looks to me that you are not able anymore to enjoy what is supposed to be your passion. BTW, driving the new PanameraTurbo at the Nordschleife in 7'.39" is a blast, and it is not for everyone. Stay tuned. And take it easy, enjoy your life, you live once"​

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What do you think of Massarutto's comments? Let us know below!

 

[Arne Dopudja]

Will the Kunos and affiliate marketing teams, please stop defending the inclusion of SUV and a family saloon in a racing simulator.

The inclusion of these "family saloons" will get me playing AC.

Please, add more "family saloons". Nudge nudge, wink wink, if ya know what I mean.

 

[seco46]

People read?

"On the other side, this kind of agreement allows us to reproduce and make available for Assetto Corsa cars like the one you see in the picture."

 

[ouvert]

its free so who cars but I think they might benefit more by giving for free one of more anticipated cars to turn players on and make them wanna more -> buy DLC ... they have 24 pieces I`m sure they could find one or two that would be better to motivate ...

 

[Michael Nais]

Hi, I've been a silent reader for a while. But this topic freaks the hell out of me.

FREE PORSCHE CONTENT CRITICISM

See how far it has come?

 

[Bazooka_Joe]

I'd love to see at least one or two of 'proper' Porsche's for free, otherwise in the vanilla game the Porsche line-up will look not impressively good, at least at the beginning (hopefully there will be more Porsche's coming up later too).
However, I'm not going to cry about it since I'm likely to get all Porsche DLC's anyway so it makes no difference for me, but can understand the frustration of people who won't be buying any DLC's and get 'less Porschy' Porsche's only. On the other hand - it's Kunos' choice - to either lose revenue on DLC and release more iconic cars for free, or it could've been some agreement with Porsche to have those 3 for free only and everything else as DLC, or nothing at all - we don't know. There are other aspects to look at when judging their decision.

It's not as there's a whiteboard (cool wall style) with all the Porsche's on and Kunos are picking the free ones for plebs that way I'm sure they made their decision based on number of different factors, a lot we won't know (such as contracts/licensing agreements with car manufacturers) that can affect their final decision. Please remember that.

I'm looking forward for all new cars, regardless if they're SUV's or GT3 cars. Keep them all varied and same good quality Kunos!

 

[Vojko Music]

Kit's of us have bought this game at it's earliest stage. I remember having only few cars and tracks and I was still very satisfied. Now we have so many options and they are giving us free content and there are still coplains about free stuff. It seems lots of developers have reached their goal...make some microtransactions and give them what they want...simply pathetic.

So please respect everything that is or will be given to you as a free content and show them some respect. It's their good will to give us a free content and not a "must do" thing on their list. They are showing us lots of respect by giving us free content or a content that is set at such a low price...at least show them some respect by saying thank you. Is it so hard? o.O

 

[Queequeg]

I don't understand why people complain about free content, really.

I mean, there are legit criticisms to be made towards that game like the poor AI, poor implementation of pitstops and bizarre collision physics in multiplayer, but complaining about free content instead? I don't get it, but then again the hardcore Assetto Corsa fanboys have always struck me as a bunch of weirdos just like any other hardcore fanboys, so who knows what goes in these people's minds?

 

[Vojko Music]

The inclusion of these "family saloons" will get me playing AC.

Please, add more "family saloons". Nudge nudge, wink wink, if ya know what I mean.

No offense by why do you people want to turn every single thread into the wish list?

 

[Jim Liak]

I still can't understand why there is drama.
99% of people, will happily accept this gift.
0.9% not but will not make it an issue.
0.01% not and make it an issue.

So why on earth, there is so much drama about the 0.01% of people?
Does not compute.

P.S. I laughed so much on Lord's "blamedepartment".
Mods don't let this forum becomes a PRC no2 please.

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

Hi, I've been a silent reader for a while. But this topic freaks the hell out of me.

FREE PORSCHE CONTENT CRITICISM

It's amazing right? We went from "No porsches in simracing" to "Too many porsches in simracing" in the space of what... a few months?

 

[ronniej]

I love these guys...They brought me an awesome game, gave it value, moddability, and have looked after it, and continue to work with it. I couldn't imagine to know what it would be like to deal with all of this "extra" PR while trying to juggle all the different aspects of the business while keeping their game on top....Marco and Stefano have been great and I'm thankful that they came out to play and hope they create a good retirement for themselves.

I'm one happy customer!

 

[Arne Dopudja]

No offense by why do you people want to turn every single thread into the wish list?

No offense but it was a joke for the guy who said no family saloons.

 

[Skybird05]

A typical Marco-message: polite, friendly, original - but then also precise and straight to the point. I always liked this guy posting something.

It really is rich when somebody complains because he gets something substantial for FREE. this is not just a pencil or a coloured ballon you get in the pedestrian zone when going to town. These are fully simulated content items: cars as complex as the other cars in AC. And then attacking the side offering this GIFT? That si rich. Really.

Some cars in AC I use more, others less, others not at all. And I'm done - life can be so easy. And no need for me to offend or criticise somebody. Or making a pitiful sight of myself.

Personally, I like to use the Maserati SUV a lot. Its great, one of my favourites in AC. I welcome that it gets some SUV buddies it can play with. And I do not appreciate some noisy minority defining what kind of content a "real" race sim should have, and what kind of content disqualifies it for that description. That is quite presumptuous. Always remember what they say: its different strokes for different folks. And AC serves the strokes for a very diverse crowd of folks. Its one of its design features - and one of its shining strengths. Other titles specialise. AC is more diverse in content offered. And I like that.

Its FREE. Its a full-fledged content item. That is all important statements that are to be given about free bonus cars. If you do not feel like wanting to show some polite thankfulness, at least you then can simply stay silent. Is that really too much asked for?

 

[Coanda]

you tell them Marco if you don't like it don't drive it... simple as that... chillax all you angry people

 

[Brandon Wright]

Agreed, 4 pages of it. Ye gods what have we become

What's funny is you know that if people found out Kunos made these three cars for the Porsche Experience and didn't include them in the game there'd be an equal amount of whinging. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Kakusso]

Porsche SUV and Panamera reaction

 

[Epistolarius]

I hate to break it to you but all of racing is pretty much this and has been for a very long time.

People have come to expect this and even demand it, but they seem to get a little bent out of shape when they get stuck with the full measure of it. Yes racing is about advertizing for famous marques. Guess what, they're advertizing their whole car lineup too. People have only themselves to blame for this when they started showing to devs through their buying habits that they would throw more money at the devs who licensed cars from corporate entities rather than produce imitations or ones that don't require a license or aren't as marquee ie. those that aren't as fussed about advertizing their shopping and driving kids to soccer options.

I don't much myself like this stuff either. I don't like advertizing in general and I'm pretty cynical about it. I dislike it not because its free but because Kunos is giving us stuff for free that's basically throwaway content to us. Its disappointing because previously we'd received lots of great free cars that have personality and a place in the sim. The free content added to the experience and since we're all most of us paying for DLC the sense of entitlement is a big exaggerated as a criticism because I've already thrown near $100 at Kunos.

This is also why I'm a big Reiza fan. They barely charged me a dime since 2013 and gave me endless swaths of free content. I got a 1995 F1 car for free. I got an open wheel trainer for free. I got a V8 Super car for free. I got lots of great tracks for free. Etc etc. So to me I'm disappointed with the free Kunos content but I'm also quite aware of how people are always always always critical of Reiza for not making more mainstream stuff, stuff that Kunos makes, the stuff that requires paying for licensing, the stuff that would probably come with strings like putting an SUV into the game.

So this is the new normal people. This is what you get when you demand licensed content. You get crappy SUVs. You get advertizing because you're a whore for advertizing, because you go nuts for badges and famous cars and you dismiss things like the goofy unknown Brazilian stuff that Reiza lovingly crafts and then gives you for free.

It's absolutely great that Reiza does that, releasing lots of free content. But if that makes you expect, if that makes you think buying any other (video game) product makes you entitled to free content in the years after release then you should really think that over.

And the product 'Assetto Corsa' you buy in the store promised from the start to deliver accurately modelled real automotive machinery, and it does exactly that. Then to act disappointed that they 'bow to corporate overlords' and dare to continue to release real cars and implement 'advertising' content you don't like - even for free - is a bit much, no? Especially when what is "throwaway content" to you absolutely doesn't have to be the same to others.

 

[GTAce]

Personally, I like daily drivers in my sims. The Levante is also a lot of fun and I'm one of the people who hate SUVs with passion in real life. Sure, it's a bit of advertisement for these cars, so what? If it means I can hoon around in a sausage Porsche, eh, I mean Panamera, on the Nordschleife for free, yey! Also, if it helps to establish a relationship between Kunos and Porsche, I'm all for it.

Simply from a strategic point, I would've put out one of the basic 911 for free, but I'm sure the guys at Kunos are better business people than I.

 

[Scottt]

Actually, no: Porsche paid for this content.

But I own a Porsche, so I did pay for this content

The complaint is bizarre. You were sold "XY" and Kunos gave you "XY" and now they are giving you "Z" for no additional cost. Where the funding for "Z" came from is irrelevant, I got what I paid for. And "Z" on top of that.

Companies have giveaways all the time (go to any sporting event) and most of the time, most of that company's customers aren't even apart of the giveaway let alone like what's given away. At the end of the day, if the company provided what you paid for, then you really have no complaint.

 

[Shaun Clarke]

Sorry, I am sitting here thinking....

I don't get it. Free Content, whether it's a car/SUV what ever, its free......YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE IT?

OK so it takes up a tiny winy bit more of HD space, it takes a tiny winy bit longer to download, so what ITS FREE?