Paying for additional game content

[Shattered Dreamer]

I was wonder what was the general consensus of the EoFF universe on paying for additional content for console games through Xbox Live & the Playstation store?

Personally I think unless its an expansion pack (it adds a few new levels to the campaign or story mode of a game) I think its greed on the part of the Gaming industry. I mean new games ain't cheap! I download a bunch of free content for Batman Arkham Asylum (I love the extra Joker challenge maps:D) but noticed as I looked around content for other games cost a few quid! I have friends who've had similar complaints of Xbox Live.

Anyway discuss

[Rocket Edge]

I'd like to see more come from the download content for the money I'm paying for it. For instance, Call of Duty: World at War content only gives out 4 maps for 10e. Bit of a rip off considering the game cost me 60e, which included the single player campaign, Nazi Zombies co-op, co-op itself, game packaging, & 12 multiplayer maps.

As for the rest of the download content on the PSN, some is definitely being whored out to the extreme. How much DLC can Little Big Planet have for example? I'd say theres a good 150e's worth alone. More for less ideally, but gaming developers are never gonna listen, and I can only see this continue. It's making nearly every game I buy come up to around 100e to get the max out of.

[Slothy]

As long as the cost is in line with the amount of content you get then DLC is great. Unfortunately it usually isn't. There is absolutely no reason for me to be charged $2 or more for something like new costumes for a character, or $10 for 4 multiplayer maps as Rocket Edge mentioned. I find actual expansions are more often than not priced appropriately, but costumes, levels, and additional characters are priced ridiculously high relative to the cost of a game more often than not.

Honestly, the best way to get companies to stop taking advantage of people with DLC is to just not buy it. Since buying the PS3, the only DLC I paid for was the Metal Gear Solid pack for Little Big Planet and I thought it was worth what I paid. I've never gotten anything else that wasn't free though because most of it isn't worth it. If enough people voted with their dollar then companies would probably take notice.

[KentaRawr!]

I hate when the additional content is planned before the game is even released. For example, in the new version of Cave Story, the developers plan to make a boss rush mode available as downloadable content. How silly is that?

[Formalhaut]

Ha, thats nothing compared to The Sims 3 (Which I own).

The Base game costs around 35 - 40 pounds.

Its first expansion pack, would cost around 30 pounds, or so sources say.

Im sorry but thats nearly the same price as the damn Base Game itself!

And don't get me started about paying real money to buy virtual chairs and curtains in the Store.

[Bolivar]

It's just an example of how console-only gamers are more easily exploited than PC gamers or hybrids. Costumes and additional levels are things people make on their own in the PC world for free and you patch it, it's done. It is a little crazy what can go on in consoles.

It all depends. The MGS expansion for Little Big Planet Vivi22 brought up was definitely worth it and I'm glad I bought it. Also got Pixel Junk Monsters Encore, except it's so damn challenging it's like I'm not able to access the levels I paid for!!! ...bad joke. I also typically got the Metal Gear Online expansions because they introduced and facilitated weekly tournaments that really got an active community, some of my best PSN friends were met there.

[Del Murder]

Usually I don't mind paying for an expansion to FFXI because usually that comes with a ton of new content and is worth the money. Lately they've been shipping out these mini-expansions for $10 that really don't add all that much except a new piece of exceptional equipment. Not sure how I feel about that, though I did buy both of them. :P

For other games it sounds like this is getting out of hand. $10 for new maps, $2 for a costume? Kind of silly. I bought Mega Man 9 for Wii download and I was surprised at all the additional stuff you have to buy to play. Luckily the standard game is good enough for me. I also want to get the FFIV sequel but I notice that I need to spend around $35 to access all the scenarios.

[Markus. D]

Content, definetly.

[Yeargdribble]

I think DLC is good for the industry. It's a definite necessary evil. We can all be greedy bastards as consumers, but let's look at the reality. Games cost far more to make now than they once did yet the price has barely increased. Something's got to give.

We can either pay $100 straight up or we can pay $40-60 and then buy DLC. Overall sales would drop drastically if the price tags were $100 (which is roughly how much FFXIII is selling for in Japan). It's a better strategy to have a bare bones version that more people will buy and some will be content with while the company can nickel and dime the remaining costs with DLC.

I'm not even bothered if a game comes out with DLC already existing at launch. Would it be nice for it to be included? Sure. Do I have some right to it? Not really. Game devs have to make ends meet too and if this is putting bread on their table it means I'll have more games to enjoy in the future.

I only start to get upset when the cost:content ratio is terrible or you can tell a company is literally trying to screw customers. I haven't felt this way about many things. I'm fine with $2 for horse armor or some outfit because I can choose to just not buy it. The Sims 3, however, reeked of crap to me.

It had less content than when TS2 was released (without expansions). They made it harder for people to make custom content and their downloadable furniture has ridiculous prices.

[Jiro]

New game prices are, on average, $109.95 here. I'm not going to pay anything extra for DLC unless it's fucking good content.

[Madame Adequate]

Making a blanket statement abiout DLC is a bit like making a blanket statement about games themselves. Sometimes it's a good thing which is clearly worth the money - The Lost and Damned. Sometimes it's a blatant and total ripoff which deserves scorn and derision. Soul Caliber IV's Vader/Yoda shenanigans for example. Whether DLC is worthwhile depends on the game itself and whether the addition is justified as something worked on later, like map packs for Halo or Gears of War.

[Quindiana Jones]

When I first got on Live, I went purchase crazy. Must've spent buckets.

But now I'm not an idiot. :)

[Jiro]

When I first got on Live, I went purchase crazy. Must've spent buckets.

But now I'm not an idiot. :)

It was only by pure stupidity (derr you don't have any points) that I didn't spend a crap load of money on DLC. Lucky for me :)

[Shattered Dreamer]

Making a blanket statement abiout DLC is a bit like making a blanket statement about games themselves. Sometimes it's a good thing which is clearly worth the money - The Lost and Damned. Sometimes it's a blatant and total ripoff which deserves scorn and derision. Soul Caliber IV's Vader/Yoda shenanigans for example. Whether DLC is worthwhile depends on the game itself and whether the addition is justified as something worked on later, like map packs for Halo or Gears of War.

The Lost & Damned is an example of the type of DLC I don't mind paying for because it breaths new life into a game with a whole new story campaign. Map packs I would still begrudge paying for but I'm not much of an online gamer & wouldn't get the use of them!

[Deadwinter66950]

I don't mind having DLC but I don't always agree with it. For example take Halo 3, in order to continue to play ranked matches you need to have the new map packs which IMO is stupid. People have already dished out 60 to 70 buck for the game yet you have to pay more money for maps if you wanna play continue playing ranked matches. At less with games like Call of Duty buying the map packs are optional and doesn't restrict what you can do online.

[Momiji]

The region-free Mushihimesama Futari Xbox 360 port will have 2 DLC game modes, a theme, and possibly gamer pictures.

I plan on buying all of it.

Now in the case of DLC for stupid stuff that should have been in the game to begin with, it's pretty dumb.

[IXVI]

DLC I think should be paid for...but with a reasonable price. Like LBPs content. Usually it's 1.00 to 99 cents. For a pack, it's 5.00. I'd pay 5.00 for that...anyways, like Momiji said, if it's thing that should of been in the game to begin with, it isn't damn worth it..

[Deadwinter66950]

DLC I think should be paid for...but with a reasonable price. Like LBPs content. Usually it's 1.00 to 99 cents. For a pack, it's 5.00. I'd pay 5.00 for that...anyways, like Momiji said, if it's thing that should of been in the game to begin with, it isn't damn worth it..

Exactly. I think I heard something that the new Dragon Age: Origins was doing that. I might not have been that game but anyways on the day of its release its also going to have DLC which is suppose to have different side quests or whatever. The problem with this is, is that the people that buy this game not only will pay 60 bucks for it but also if they want this DLC they will have to fork out an extra 5 to 10 bucks for something that should have already been in the game to begin with.

[IXVI]

DLC I think should be paid for...but with a reasonable price. Like LBPs content. Usually it's 1.00 to 99 cents. For a pack, it's 5.00. I'd pay 5.00 for that...anyways, like Momiji said, if it's thing that should of been in the game to begin with, it isn't damn worth it..

Exactly. I think I heard something that the new Dragon Age: Origins was doing that. I might not have been that game but anyways on the day of its release its also going to have DLC which is suppose to have different side quests or whatever. The problem with this is, is that the people that buy this game not only will pay 60 bucks for it but also if they want this DLC they will have to fork out an extra 5 to 10 bucks for something that should have already been in the game to begin with.

I think the idea of purchasing side-quests is cool, don't get me wrong. But.................5-10 bucks for.....sidequests?...eh...that's ...that's just to much, what a smurfin' rip off..

[Deadwinter66950]

DLC I think should be paid for...but with a reasonable price. Like LBPs content. Usually it's 1.00 to 99 cents. For a pack, it's 5.00. I'd pay 5.00 for that...anyways, like Momiji said, if it's thing that should of been in the game to begin with, it isn't damn worth it..

Exactly. I think I heard something that the new Dragon Age: Origins was doing that. I might not have been that game but anyways on the day of its release its also going to have DLC which is suppose to have different side quests or whatever. The problem with this is, is that the people that buy this game not only will pay 60 bucks for it but also if they want this DLC they will have to fork out an extra 5 to 10 bucks for something that should have already been in the game to begin with.

I think the idea of purchasing side-quests is cool, don't get me wrong. But.................5-10 bucks for.....sidequests?...eh...that's ...that's just to much, what a smurfin' rip off..

Oh I don't have any problem with purchasing side quests either. I just don't get why they would release DLC like that so soon. I would think that it would be better for them to have waited for at less a couple month after its release because people I don't think would wanna go and do side quests when they still have an entire game to play. Something like that should have be released so it gives the player a reason to continue with the game down the road once they've completed it.

[IXVI]

DLC I think should be paid for...but with a reasonable price. Like LBPs content. Usually it's 1.00 to 99 cents. For a pack, it's 5.00. I'd pay 5.00 for that...anyways, like Momiji said, if it's thing that should of been in the game to begin with, it isn't damn worth it..

Exactly. I think I heard something that the new Dragon Age: Origins was doing that. I might not have been that game but anyways on the day of its release its also going to have DLC which is suppose to have different side quests or whatever. The problem with this is, is that the people that buy this game not only will pay 60 bucks for it but also if they want this DLC they will have to fork out an extra 5 to 10 bucks for something that should have already been in the game to begin with.

I think the idea of purchasing side-quests is cool, don't get me wrong. But.................5-10 bucks for.....sidequests?...eh...that's ...that's just to much, what a smurfin' rip off..

Oh I don't have any problem with purchasing side quests either. I just don't get why they would release DLC like that so soon. I would think that it would be better for them to have waited for at less a couple month after its release because people I don't think would wanna go and do side quests when they still have an entire game to play. Something like that should have be released so it gives the player a reason to continue with the game down the road once they've completed it.

OH...well, that is pretty early....either they're the ZOG or they're expecting people to want these side quests immediately

[Iceglow]

I hate when the additional content is planned before the game is even released. For example, in the new version of Cave Story, the developers plan to make a boss rush mode available as downloadable content. How silly is that?

The issue I have with immediate on game release DLC is that generally the item you're downloading is nothing other than a code. The code is there to merely unlock data already on the disc. Some games developers like Capcom try to be smart and release it a few weeks afterwards like Versus mode in Resident Evil 5. Charging for anything clearly (heres looking at you Soul Calibur and Street Fighter.. Oh snap! Capcom again?) on the disc is wrong imho because it's basically telling the customer that they have to pay twice for it which is ripping people off. "I'm sorry sir you may well have paid 40 quid for that game but for you to play it you're going to need to pay us another 5 quid before we let you do that" Sorry what? Same reason I tend to disagree with pay 2 play pc mmo's like WoW or the new Aizon or whatever it's called. If the data is on the disc it should be available from the start charging extra for codes to unlock the data feels a lot like extortion. Heck going back to the extra costumes things give the true addicts to the game who want everything the option of stupidly hard challenges to unlock the costumes (survive 300 rounds in survival mode as X character to unlock new costume) and give the lazy but must have everything guys the option of DLC there. Heck another wrong practise with DLC I think is the games where downloading DLC is a must to achieve achievements/trophies (Guitar Hero World Tour, heres looking at you) placing achievements/trophies something which does become quite addictive for most people to chase that requires them to spend extra money on your DLC is basically drug dealing in digital form.



Making a blanket statement abiout DLC is a bit like making a blanket statement about games themselves. Sometimes it's a good thing which is clearly worth the money - The Lost and Damned. Sometimes it's a blatant and total ripoff which deserves scorn and derision. Soul Caliber IV's Vader/Yoda shenanigans for example. Whether DLC is worthwhile depends on the game itself and whether the addition is justified as something worked on later, like map packs for Halo or Gears of War.

Sure thing Milf here has pretty much hit the nail on the head. DLC is all about being worth it to the customer. A customer might find DLC options for Yoda/Vader in SC IV worth it most won't. The core mature gamer will find themselves more interested in the things which truly add in to their game in terms of content. TLAD, Ballad of Gay Tony, Knothole Island, See the Future, Broken Steel to name but a few DLC packs of real substantial worth in each of the above packs there are new challenges to face, new levels to explore and even new characters to control and discover the story line of. I'm also noting a consistent pattern in the developers who made them and the games they're for. GTA IV (Rockstar North), Fable 2 (Lionhead) and Fallout 3 (Bethesda) 3 main studios committed to bringing gamers the best they possibly can. I purposely left out the many other DLC expansions for Fallout 3, since most do not actually add as much to the game as Broken Steel, Broken Steel physically continues the storyline past what many felt was a disappointing ending and leaves it in a more satisfactory place.

On the note about Halo 3 map packs and Gears of war map packs ect. Map packs are all about the customers habits. I know a guy who loves Halo 3 but hates playing anything other than the co-op mode online. He's just not a competitive person in that regards he's completed the storyline so many times now but he still likes playing it. He'll probably find himself hooked on ODST's firefight mode when he finally gets round to buying himself a copy of it. For him the idea of having actually paid for the map packs is ridiculous I might convince him to come on for like 3 games before he gets fraustrated, bored and otherwise disenchanted with online versus mode in the game. For me I doubt in all honesty I would have been able to wait for ODST to come with all the versus maps on it if I had known ages ago they were comming for sure with it. I love playing Halo 3 online against other people I couldn't just settle for one playlist either especially since all DLC map packs is a requirement of what undoubtedly is my favourite playlist Big Team Social. Was the 20 quid I paid for points to get my DLC worth it? To me? Totally without question.

Though the debate about DLC pales beside the discussion to be had about the recent XBL dashboard update which now has Avatar items which on average reach prices of 4.50 each item. Would you pay around 6.00 to dress your Avatar as a Halo 3 Marine? What games apart from Avatar golf and Guitar Hero 5 and 1 vs 100 actually use the avatar system. Imho the debate on DLC needs shelving we need to have a discussion on Avatars and how useless/useful we think they are.