Good news for folks who thought that simply forcing a buddy to use their phone to call in airstrikes when overwhelmed by Zombies was a dumb use of Xbox Smartglass; it appears Capcom has more in store for Dead Rising 3. According to the three-quel’s executive producer Josh Bridge, in an interview conducted by Siliconera, Smartglass users will also be treated to an exclusive side story and bonus missions only accessible through the (primarily) Xbox One’s companion mobile app.
When asked whether or not Dead Rising 3 would require its own unique app, Bridge said that, “it’s part of an upcoming version of the Xbox SmartGlass app and will function much like the current version. After you launch the app, it notices that Dead Rising is currently being played, press a button, and in kicks our phone. It actually skins your phone to be like the phone from the game’s universe.”
Getting down to the specifics on extra content, access to bonus missions will play out as follows: “You’ll get calls from a character that are only on the SmartGlass device. So if you don’t have SmartGlass, you won’t get those calls from that guy. Which also means you won’t get those missions.”
Bridge also goes on the mention that the character’s story is interwoven into the main campaign, but that those who don’t take part in the additional content won’t feel left out in any way. Players won’t miss out on any of the central campaign by skipping over on the extra content, but he still sees the secondary story as a worthwhile accompaniment to the core narrative.
While the good news is that Smartglass does function on devices other than specific ones running Windows OS, the bad news is that not everyone has access to the companion app. Coming out of a generation that features tactics such as retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses that angered many fans looking to own the entire contents of the games they were purchasing, this may not go over so well; especially with people who don’t own smartphones, tablets, or otherwise have access to Smartglass. Of course, there’s always the possibility this content will end up as DLC for a few bucks sometime down the line. You didn’t think publishers were going to nickel-and-dime you any less next generation, did you? I sure didn’t.
Dead Rising 3 is set for release as an Xbox One launch title coming in November.
How do you guys and gals feel about developers adding Smartglass-exclusive content to games? Do you like the idea of using additional companion devices to get more out of your console gaming experience? Or would you rather leave your phone and tablet on a side table and focus only on the controller and TV screen? Share your thoughts in the usual place, and don’t forget to like IGXPro on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or give us the ‘ol +1 on Google+. If you can’t get enough of my shenanigans, (who could blame you?) you can check me out @GamingsNirvana, or add +VinnyParisi to your circles.
