'NBA Playgrounds' DLC: 'Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn' Is Developers' Way of Making Up for Missing Online Multiplayer
Some say one of the letdowns on the Nintendo Switch port of "NBA Playgrounds" is the lack of an online multiplayer mode. Developer Saber Interactive now tries to make up for it by releasing a free downloadable content expansion called "Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn."
"NBA Playgrounds" is video game officially licensed by the National Basketball Association. It differs from other NBA-titled games as it focuses on its arcade-style game mechanics. It launched last May 9 on the Switch, as well as on Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
However, some fans were vocal about the elements that they thought they deserved to experience from the game, and Saber Interactive recognized them as well. Shortly after the launch of "NBA Playgrounds," other platforms got the highly requested online gaming mode, but the Nintendo Switch players did not.
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In an open letter from Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch, the developer announced: "It's with tremendous thanks and appreciation to our Nintendo fans who are still waiting online play that we offer you an entirely new game absolutely free. That's right, we're giving away a copy of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn for Switch to every Nintendo NBA Playgrounds player who has been patiently awaiting the first patch."
This is not the first time "Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn" was announced. It was actually supposed to be a main game sequel to the "Shaq Fu" game from Electronic Arts in 1994. A crowdfunding page at Indiegogo was set up in 2014 with a $450,000 goal — which has already been reached. It was supposed to be released in 2016 but the campaign page seems to lack updates on the game's development, until now.
Meanwhile, although Karch mentioned that there were "restrictions" in getting the free DLC expansion, these were not specified in his open letter.
The developer company has yet to reveal more details on how "NBA Playgrounds" players can get the free DLC as Saber Interactive is still negotiating with partner retailers on the matter of distributing the free content.
Meanwhile, as for the online game mode for the Nintendo Switch, Karch has also shed some light on it and said "it's coming soon." He added: "The fix is done and going through the final motions, we can still do something nice. Something big. Something free."
"Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn" is slated to arrive in the fall.
