Welcome to "Starhawk"; Here's Every Map Pack, Free

The new shooter won't fracture its fanbase.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Sony's PS3-exclusive Starhawk, the sequel to Warhawk with a unique blend of strategic structure-construction and third-person-shooting, hit shelves yesterday, along with some interesting news: every map pack for the game will be totally free.

That goes contrary to everything game publishers have learned over the last decade or so; most companies charge $10-$15 for a few extra multiplayer maps, which segments the fanbase into those who do and those who don't have the maps.

Those who don't usually cave so they can play with their friends or find games faster, and the companies make tons of money. But Lightbox and Sony apparently don't want to put their fans through that.

That was a lesson they learned with Warhawk, they said. So every map pack DLC for Starhawk will be totally free. Awesome! The image above is some concept art from one of those new map packs.

They also announced that Major League Gaming is kicking things off with a $20,000 tournament, so head to MLG to check it out.

Starhawk will eventually have paid DLC, but it's not the kind that will fracture the multiplayer base, and Lightbox hasn't even decided what it'll be yet. Has this drummed up your interest in Starhawk, which, by the way, came out yesterday? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

And check out our interview with the studio's founder for more insight into the game.

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