Producer Letter: Game Update 31!

Greetings DCUO Players,

This fall is shaping up to be an exciting time in DC Universe Online. It began with the launch of Sons of Trigon, our 8^th DLC Pack, continued with a community-driven Game Update 30, the return of the Witching Hour Halloween event with loads of new items and rewards, and will finish with a truly massive Game Update 31 and the launch of DC Universe Online on the PlayStation®4 System. It’s been a lot of hard work in a short amount of time, but we’re thrilled to be one of the first free-to-play MMOs on this next generation gaming console.

There’s been a lot of speculation about what Game Update 31 would include, and it’s not a short answer. The simplest way to describe GU31 is to say it prepares our game to launch on the PlayStation®4 System, and that it improves the game for all players, on all platforms. What does that mean? On a high level, that means a sweeping, game-wide graphical upgrade, a massive design effort to polish and remaster the core leveling game, and a host of technical work that prepares DCUO’s underlying technology not only for launch on a next generation gaming console, but for a long future on it as well. This is without a doubt the biggest technical update we have ever done.

Improved Graphics

While we can’t very easily demonstrate the sheer amount of work it’s taken to get ready for the PlayStation®4 launch in a technical sense – or the sheer amount of blood, sweat, and tears the engineers have poured into the project over the last months – it turns out artists’ tears are a lot easier to share.

In Game Update 31, we have made a combination of art upgrades that, when taken together, offer a significantly improved visual experience. Most notably, the level of detail on textures will be increased throughout the game on PC and PlayStation®4, and that’s perhaps nowhere more obvious than when observing the Earth from the Watchtower. We have also taken the opportunity to rebuild areas like Centennial Park in Metropolis and Robinson Park in Gotham City so that the visuals there better match the story being told.  And, we have corrected and improved hundreds of details in the environmental geometry throughout the game to bring a better, seamless experience to all players, and these changes will be in effect on all platforms, including the PlayStation®3.

DCUO Remastered

Also benefitting all platforms will be numerous design improvements, polish, and a remastering of the core leveling game. This means there has never been a better time to invite new players and new friends to try DCUO, to return to the game to see what you might have missed over the years, or to create that new character you’ve been thinking about to experience the game all over again.

You’ll notice right away that we have improved how characters progress from 1-30. New content presents itself naturally as you level, and there is less chance of getting lost or stuck without a mission. You’ll also notice that enemies are fighting and acting in more consistent ways throughout the game, that Henchmen, Back-Up, Sidekicks, and Accomplices from Home Turf are now available as soon as Lairs are (and with costs adjusted to suit), that leveling content rewards Marks of Triumph, that side missions are replayable, that open-world bounties are now level 30, and so much more.

What’s Next?

With that said, there is probably just one more question left on your minds. When is Game Update 31 launching? I am pleased to announce that Game Update 31 will be on the PC Test server this week, and that it is planned to launch on PC and PlayStation®3 in early November. We are also still on track to launch the PlayStation®4 version of DC Universe Online within the console’s launch window. Work remains to be done, so I’ll sign off here and get to it.

We want to thank all of our loyal players for making DC Universe Online such a success on all platforms over the last three years. We can’t wait for you to experience what’s next. 

Best,
Larry Liberty
Executive Producer
DC Universe Online