Would free DLC encourage you to buy paid DLC?

[thethird0611]

So I was browsing the Xbox Live Marketplace looking at all the content, sales, and extra DLC. I started to kick myself because of how many games I really enjoy have DLC, and I cant afford it (college student/hourly job). Kinda pissed me off to that there was so much 'paid' DLC, and barely any free. (Im not talking big packs, but something to make the players happy)

Then I happened upon a banner with the new Mass Effect 3 multiplayer DLC, and found that it was free! (Hadnt played multiplayer in a while). This little expansion actually had me wanting to start the multiplayer again. I then thought back to when I bought the From Ashes DLC, and now im actually really happy I bought it because of the free DLC that they are giving out.

So the main question is, would you buy more DLC if companies released free DLC? Would it also make you want to replay the game more often?

(Also, I like the ME3 multiplayer, so pretend its one of the games you like that released DLC)

 

[The_Lost_King]

Nope. I haven't bought ashes and don't really plan on it. Now I am going to go play me3 thanks.(wish I hadn't loaned me1 to my friend)

 

[AD-Stu]

Not really - for me, any given DLC pack is either worth the asking price or it's not.

With Mass Effect 2, for example, I obviously enjoyed the free stuff, I bought the paid stuff that seemed worth the asking price (LotSB, Arrival, etc) and didn't get the stuff that wasn't worth it (buying the presale-exclusive armor packs, alternative appearances, etc). I'll be approaching ME3 and any other game the same way.

 

[ImPeruvianGuy]

Its is highly unlikely to encourage me to buy their game, because, the free DLC is likely a small item sample as a skin color, weapons, or new characters. Paid DLC are usually worth the prize like adding a new mission or level towards the single player campaign.

 

[Solo-Wing]

You know what annoys me? DLC that is free on one Platform but costs money on another. THAT is the true annoyance that happens with DLC (Looking at you Left 4 Dead!)

 

[Dryk]

You know what annoys me? DLC that is free on one Platform but costs money on another. THAT is the true annoyance that happens with DLC (Looking at you Left 4 Dead!)

We refuse to suffer for the sins of Microsoft

 

[Kodlak]

The free DLC doesn't sway me to pay for more. For example, I got the Resurgance DLC but I've not bought From The Ashes and don't plan to pay for the new DLC coming out soon either.

The only time I will buy DLC is if I truly enjoy the game and the DLC is worth the money spent and isn't just a couple of extra characters (looking at you FFXIII-2).

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

I really don't like DLC in general. I absolutely dislike the direction that it has been taken, wherein stuff is simply removed from the game and sold separately.

Yes, I know Escapists, THAT'S A HUGE SWEEPING GENERALIZATION AND THOSE ARE ALWAYS TERRIBLE!

Anyway, there have been some cases where DLC has been implemented properly in that, it content was created after release and the content is similar to an expansion on the game, nice, but not at all necessary. This kind of DLC is usually appreciated and happily paid for by those that want a bit more content out of that particular game.

Nowadays there are studios who announce DLC months in advance and have giddy smiles on their faces like they're doing us a favor by announcing it.

THIS SHIT USED TO JUST COME WITH THE GAME. What happened?

*Old man voice*
In my day the game you bought was the game you got!

I am a hypocrite though and have bought DLC such as From Ashes for ME3. It's not that I feel regret about purchasing it because I genuinely found the character an interesting addition, but I'm frustrated that this character was part of the DLC. He seems somewhat of an important addition to the crew all things considered. Also, the mission attached to it was absolute garbage in comparison to the standards of other ME missions.

So I'm just a terrible person for being a hypocrite.

OH CRAP, OT: No, free DLC would not "encourage" me to buy paid DLC. ALl it would do would be to encourage me to download free DLC.

P.S Good job on not including a poll for this thread.

 

[Dodgeboyuk]

i am typicaly an anti DLC person and often i feel that its not worth the extra cash they ask for.
Often i read the descriptions and think its not worth my money.

I like free DLC and DLC bundles that are on sale but i just dont like some of the full price to content ratio it makes it sound like they did a little work then get paid extra for twiddling their thumbs
It can be insulting if they want to charge £3-4 ($4.6-$6.2) for a single building and a trait in tropico 4(but i was happy to nab the game and dlc on the steam sale a while back)

I am normally more tempted if i make a good saving on the main game price and will sometimes put these savings into DLC steam is good for this with its free weekends and midweek madnesses

 

[Shoggoth2588]

No way in Hell. I'll gladly take the freebie but, if I don't already want to pay for something I'll ignore it. Same principle as the food-court principle: fill up on samples so you don't have to pay for an actual meal...or maybe that was just me because I'm poor...

 

[SajuukKhar]

You know what is going to encourage people to buy DLC?

Making DLC THAT IS MORE THEN TWO WEAPONS AND AN ARMOR SET!

Seriously, like, despite what you may think about how Skyrim plays, the Dawnguard DLC is how DLC SHOULD be.

Was there DLC day 1? NOPE
Was there DLC on the disk? NOPE
Was there month 1 DLC? NOPE

Does the DLC actually have content worth its price tag? YES.

Activison charges what? 15 dollars for like 3 maps? Bethesda charged 20 dollars FOR AN ENTIRE EXPANSION?

I know what I am going to put my money on..... the thing with CONTENT.... you know devs.... the thing people WANT. More content... not rehashed maps from previous games.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

It depends on the game and the DLC. Theoretically though, yes. If a developer releases a great game and some great free DLC, chances are if they make a paid DLC, I'll buy it to show my support.

 

[Enverex]

I hate DLC with a passion, what I find even more annoying and quite frankly insulting is on games (such as Kinect Sports Season 2 or Your Shape) where you're browsing through the activities on the main menu, and it lists content there that you cannot play until you pay for it mixed in with the stuff you can use.

Thats nice. GET IT OFF MY SCREEN. If I haven't bought it then it shouldn't be clogging up my menu. The fact it's only a tiny, tiny bit of content, yet costs ~£5 doesn't make me want to buy it either.

 

[DanielBrown]

Nein. I'll only go near DLC if it's free or well worth the money. Unless it's enough to count as an expansion and doesn't cost more than £5 I won't buy it. Only DLC so far I haven't felt cheated by is the Borderlands ones. Last time I bought any was around three years ago with Dragon Age. Never felt so ripped off.
In general; fuck DLC.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Maybe they would build up some extra good will with that and I might be convinced to buy something later, but I usually step back once the DLC pumps come online and suddenly they try to hustle you from all angles.

Just make proper content and price it properly, then I will pay attention.

 

[Rainmaker77]

Not necessarily, I'll buy DLC if its worth it (I really enjoy the game, I think I'll actually use the DLC and if it's value for money) or if I support the developers/company if it doesn't entirely meet one of those criteria.

What free DLC does however (decent free DLC mind, not simply a free skin) is show that the developer is supporting the game and community, and will make me more likely to make a purchase that I might not entirely find meets my criteria. It may also bring me back to a game I haven't played in a while, and get me to purchase DLC that has been released since my last playthrough, or any discounted DLC.

 

[Blunderboy]

THIS SHIT USED TO JUST COME WITH THE GAME. What happened?

*Old man voice*
In my day the game you bought was the game you got!

Really? I seem to recall these things called Expansion Packs.

OT - While I like free stuff as much as the next guy, no. I'll judge each DLC on its own merits.

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

THIS SHIT USED TO JUST COME WITH THE GAME. What happened?

*Old man voice*
In my day the game you bought was the game you got!

Really? I seem to recall these things called Expansion Packs.

Well, I was mostly referring to the very poorly done DLC that seems as though it was ripped straight from the game, as opposed to being made afterwards as an expansion to the game. E.g Characters in fighting games, frivolous things like cosmetic skins in most games, oh and the crazy stuff that Capcom is trying to sell off as DLC in Dragon's Dogma.

I like Dragon's Dogma, but the DLC being released so far has been stuff that really should have just been included in the game, and seems as though it was just initially created for the game, but then ripped out to be sold as DLC.

As I admitted in my initial post

Anyway, there have been some cases where DLC has been implemented properly in that, it content was created after release and the content is similar to an expansion on the game, nice, but not at all necessary. This kind of DLC is usually appreciated and happily paid for by those that want a bit more content out of that particular game.

That word was not used accidentally. I know about expansion packs. The DLC that seems most akin to an expansion pack is (are?) the type of DLC that I approve of.

However, I don't remember there being nearly the amount of expansion packs in the past when compared to the amount of DLC being sold today in modern times. I feel like this was because usually, expansion packs had a lot of time and effort put into them as opposed to some of the really lazy DLC that's created and sold to consumers nowadays. There was never an "expansion pack" to add a character to a fighting game. >:3

This is a statement based on no evidence whatsoever:
When comparing the number of games with DLC to the number of games that got expansion packs, I believe that it's clear that the number of games that have DLC vastly outnumber the amount of games that have expansion packs.