Tag: paywall
LOTR Gollum Dev Explains Why Elvish Language Is Locked Behind Paywall
Daedalic Entertainment, the developer behind The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, has explained why you’ll need to pay additional money for the characters to speak Elvish (Sindarin) throughout the game.
For those who are unaware, Elvish is the native language spoken by elves in The Lord of the Rings franchise. It was first introduced in the books, then brought to life in the films. Thanks to Eurogamer, we have a statement on why the dev team decided to lock Elvish behind a paywall.
Daedalic explained that the Elves in the game would speak their native language “from time to time,” even if you don’t purchase the language DLC. They also explained that the DLC adds additional lines for background characters and that they “went the extra mile” to hire voice actors trained in Sindarin by experts. It’s a DLC meant for “Tolkien devotees who want to immerse themselves.”
Spotify Drops Paywall for Gimlet Shows as It Struggles With Podcasts and Audiobooks
After spending years and hundreds of millions of dollars in building up an in-house suite of paywalled podcasts on its streaming service, Spotify is now re-evaluating that exclusivity and has revealed to employees that Gimlet Media podcasts will start being licensed to other platforms.
New HBO Max: Price, Release Date, Content, 4K Paywall, And Everything Else You Need To Know
Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that its streaming service HBO Max is being rebranded with a simpler name, Max, and the new offering goes live near the end of May with some notable changes, improvements, and important things to know.
During a high-profile announcement event, WB Discovery also announced more content for Max, including a Harry Potter reboot TV series and a new Game of Thrones show. There was a lot to take in, so we’re rounding up all the key details in one place.
Goodbye HBO Max, Hello Max
HBO Max will officially become “Max” when it launches in the US on May 23. It’s described as a single-stop destination for content from across the WB and Discovery pipelines, following the merger of the two media giants in 2022.
TikTok creators might soon put some videos behind a paywall
TikTok might use a simple strategy to keep growing: help creators make extra money. The Informationsources claim TikTok is developing a paywall feature that would let producers charge $1 (or a price of their choice) to access a given video. While it’s not clear exactly how the system would work, this would help influencers profit directly from their hottest clips.
The social network is also considering a revamp of its Creator Fund amid complaints about low payouts, according to the sources. TikTok would require a much larger follower count (100,000 versus 10,000), but could pay eligible creators more as a result. The fund might also reward users who produce longer videos that make good use of the recently raised 10-minute limit.
In a statement to Engadget, TikTok didn’t directly comment on the supposed plans but said it was “committed” to devising new ways to make the service “valuable and rewarding” for creators. It’s not clear when the paywall would be available, but the revised Creator Fund could launch as soon as March. The company is reportedly testing the new funding system in Brazil and France.
The additional rewards might be necessary. While TikTok’s American user base surged during the pandemic, that audience levelled off in 2022. Paywalls and a new Creator Fund could keep social media stars posting videos on TikTok where they’d otherwise drift toward Instagram or Snapchat. The firm already has a YouTube-style program that shares ad revenue, but it’s only available to a handful of top-tier users.
Any boost is contingent on TikTok surviving allegations that it’s a national security threat, mind you. Federal and state politicians are pushing to ban TikTok on at least government devices over concerns the Chinese government might use the app for spying and propaganda. The company has long denied these accusations, and its CEO is poised to testify before a House committee in March. If it can’t persuade officials, however, any US growth strategy could quickly fall apart.
Don’t worry, Quordle is not going behind a paywall, says Merriam-Webster
Mercedes’ new EV innovation is a paywall on your car’s performance
Tesla isn’t the only car brand asking you to pay extra to unlock your car’s existing capabilities. As The Vergeobserves, Mercedes has introduced a $1,200 per year “Acceleration Increase” subscription that improves the performance of the EQE and EQS in their standard sedan and SUV variants. Pay the annual fee and your 0-60MPH time will improve by 0.8 to 1 seconds thanks to a higher peak motor output and increased torque.
Mercedes is quick to explain that this is strictly a software change. In other words, you’re paying to get performance your car could already handle. While you’re still getting more value than BMW’s $18 per month heated seats, it’s an odd move when these cars are already expensive and have speedier models that only require a one-time outlay. Why buy an EQS 450 with the acceleration add-on when an EQS 580 will be faster and include more creature comforts in the bargain?
The German automaker isn’t the first to charge extra for added performance. Tesla has long asked customers to shell out for its most advanced driver assists. For a while, it also charged entry Model S buyers a premium to unlock battery capacity. And if you’re more inclined toward motorcycles, Zero asks nearly $1,800 to maximize the power of the 2022 SR. The difference, of course, is that those are still one-off purchases where Mercedes wants you to keep paying for the life of the car.
The business strategy is clear. As with the tech world’s general shift toward subscription services, Mercedes is hoping for a steady stream of revenue from customers who might otherwise spend little beyond the initial purchase. Acceleration Increase is decidedly more lucrative than periodic navigation updates and maintenance. Unlike those, though, there’s no recurring costs to help justify the power boost’s existence.
Elon Musk has discussed putting all of Twitter behind a paywall
So far Twitter Blue is a mess and might even lose money.
Overwatch 2’s battle pass has a free track and won’t lock heroes behind a paywall
Overwatch 2 won’t be locking new heroes behind a paid battle pass, it’s emerged. Blizzard VP Jon Spector confirmed that heroes will be available through a free track for the battle pass. Spector’s comments were an attempt to put an end to speculation over what he described as “incomplete info” circulating online about Overwatch 2’s battle pass.