Your thoughts about DLC

[vato_loco]

Hey there, Escapists.

Here's something that's probably been discussed before, but lately it's been getting a little out of hand so I wanted you to share your thoughts on this.

What are your thoughts on the DLC that companies have brought out lately? I'm a huge anti-fan of DLC, to the point that I think this is the last console generation that I'll play if thigs keep going this way. See, I believe that if you pay 60 bucks for a game, then you're entitled to play the entire game. If the developer feels that there should be more of the game, then by all means, release an expansion and charge it as such, don't pretend it's a full game (I'm looking at you, Dead Rising 2).

Lately, DLC has been doing something that I consider should never be done: add to the story in a significant way. Mass Effect 2 did this with their latest DLC, Deus Ex has done it with their first DLC, Castlevania Lords of Shadow did it as well, and so on. I already paid you for the game, so why are you making me pay more to see what's next? Mass Effect 3 was meant to have its ending in a DLC instead of in the disk, and fans got so (rightly) outraged that Bioware backed out.

Another thing that annoys me is the fact that some content is ALREADY on the disc you bought, but if you want it, you damn well have to pay extra. A prime example is Freddy Krueger for Mortal Kombat. The download size is roughly 60Kb, meaning that he was already on the disk.

What I'm trying to get at is: I fear that if we keep buying their overpriced DLCs, then the companies will keep pushing the envelope like Bioware did with Mass Effect 3. Isn't it wise to, you know, take a stand against this?

So, your thoughts?

 

[Arkvoodle]

I've never really seen the need for it; usually the game by itself is enough for me.

What I am getting sick of though is a problem from the other end of the spectrum, where crappy minimal add-on content is somehow stretched out into full-price games.

 

[Kirky]

I just consider DLC to be a more convenient form of expansion pack. As long as a piece of DLC is well-made, fairly priced and substantial, I have absolutely no problem with it. In particular, I feel that the way Bethesda/Obsidian have handled DLC for the Fallout games, and BioWare with quality content like Lair of the Shadow Broker and Kasumi: Stolen Memory, is a great example of how to do DLC right, and other developers should strive to offer content of a similar quality.

The concept of an expansion pack is well over a decade old; honestly, if you don't like it, it's a little late to protest.

I don't see how it's unfair for a company to produce extra content for an already complete game, and then charge for it. Mass Effect 2 is a completely satisfying experience without any DLC; the DLC merely makes an already great game better, by adding extra content that was produced after the game was released.

Complaining about it is like complaining about a game having sequels; how dare a developer charge for a continuation of this game that I already own?

 

[Nimcha]

I'm not too keen on the day 1 DLC and Collector's Edition stuff... it does feel a little bit as if you're paying for something you feel you should've gotten for with the first purchase. That's not always true, but it does feel a little iffy to me.

Other than that, it's just the same as expansion packs. For example when the Arrival DLC for ME2 came out it made me replay through the whole game again and I had a blast. I can only see that as a good thing

 

[Irridium]

For the most part, I don't mind it.

But when you advertise a character as integral to the story and has a relationship with the protagonist much like Master Chief/Arbiter from Halo 2 complete with the character-swapping, then right before release you reveal "oh yeah, it's DLC and not important at all", it just feels like a massive "fuck you".

Of course I'm talking about Catwoman, who was hyped to hell and back by Rocksteady, then revealed to be not that important right before the game comes out.

Just feels like a nice "fuck you" to me.