DLC is the norm in gaming now, it’s happened fast
and there doesn’t seem to be any going back. In our latest Podcast,
Dylan, Kevin and Yousif discussed the pros and cons of this new trend.
After some reflection, Yousif decided to expand on his thoughts and
arguements.
While I was sitting on the fence listening to both arguments my
opinion slowly formed on the topic at hand. Now, DLC is in theory a
good idea if implemented correctly, my issue is with how companies are
implementing it now.
Downloaded content allows games to remain fresh and add bonus
features to a game, a great new way for developers to update their
titles, something that before this generation had remained exclusive to
the PC community. Even to the PC community this is relatively new, with
larger updates being released as separate expansions, only with the
growth of Steam has PC gaming really begun to get expansions through
Digital distribution. This system had proved effective and made its way
to the newer console’s with the arrival of hard drives and full
internet support.
Unfortunately
with this all being new to the console market, Sony, Microsoft and the
developers seem to be taking us all for a ride, and the ride costs you
an arm and a leg. Whereas expansions used to exist to provide you with
content worthy of a separate release, DLC for the consoles seems to be
awarded price tags for the most mediocre add-ons. Extra maps for
multiplayer, a new gun, costume or even sticker seems to now have a
monetary value, yes people want these items, but previously these would
have been for free.
Some huge offenders exist in the market today like, Street Fighter 4
charging you for a bonus costume, and not even a small amount, $4 for
each of the 5 packs! Whatever happened to unlockable costumes in
gaming? Little Big Planet is a dubious offender, while all the user
created levels can be accessed for free and some costumes being
available on PSN again free of charge, the majority of costumes will
set you back less than a dollar. A fair price some would say
considering the amount you get for free anyway and now you can pick and
choose the content you wish to add on top, however sticker pack also
cost money, something I just simply cannot comprehend. The Mgs4 pack on
the other hand makes sense, an expansion if you will at a reasonable
price, so LBP has some things right.
FPS and TPS seem to suffer from this ludicrous exploitation the
most, bonus maps and weaponry seems to cost a small fortune, something
you are almost forced to buy to continue to interact with the
community. Killzone 2, Gears of War and Halo 3 are all major offenders
of charging for a very small amount of content, perhaps if Gears of war
would include the missing level added to the PC version; some incentive
would exist to fork out your hard earned cash. Some people reading this
are already getting riled from this paragraph thinking ‘but this added
content is worth the price I paid and developers spent time making it,
they should charge money’, my response to this is Valve.
Team Fortress 2 is possibly the best supported FPS on the market
today for bonus content, not the 360 or PS3 version mind you. On the
PC, we have seen several new maps, new modes, achievements, voices,
hats (hmm) and weaponry added to the game since its release and they
still are not done. All of this content on the PC version has been as
it should be, FREE. Small updates over a large period of time have
produced some of the most enjoyable game play I have ever had in an
arena FPS and the game was cheap to start with. Valve has also been
busy updating their other titles like L4D with new modes and more
promised before the upcoming sequel. With all this added content you
have to wonder if the new features would have required you to dig into
your pockets had they been exclusive to the consoles, my gut feeling
says yes.
The
sad tragedy is that when the TF2 class updates finally finish the
content added would well be worth some cash, if it was all released at
once I would most definitely be tempted for all they offer. By no means
am I suggesting DLC is a bad idea, nor am I suggesting all of it should
be free, some great examples exist on the market today of content well
worth picking up. Fallout 3 has produced quality (if bug ridden)
expansions to the game over the year, with quality and content worth
the price of admission. Mass Effect has only released one of its 3(?)
promised bonus missions and while costing a bit too much for the
content given, the quality level was high and enjoyable. The best
example is GTA4’s Lost and the Damned expansion, giving players a whole
new story and character to enjoy, giving a fine example of how DLC
should be used.
Some of this comes from the audience of the console market being new
to the whole DLC concept and big companies taking advantage of their
naivety. My anger comes from this, I have enjoyed quality content from
top developers for years through the PC format and now I see people
forking out for content that by all rights should be given for free.
Capcom even had the audacity to charge people for the multiplayer mode
on Resident Evil 5, something that was already on the disc at purchase!
Unfortunately this is not going to go away in a hurry with people
wanting the content offered and having the classic gamer lack of
patience, only if we stopped buying the content that is being over
priced will we get reasonable responses from the industry.
Perhaps one day something will happen to change this, but the
chances remain that by the next generation of consoles even all PC
games will have suffered the fate of added charges. So for now we will
still have to pay £3.19 for an extra difficulty setting on Valkira
Chronicles, I weep for gaming.
por FILIP_FB Qua Dez 05, 2012 11:20 am
