The Good, The Bad, And Its DLC
Gaming is expensive, possibly one of the most expensive hobbies aside from yacht racing and collecting…yachts. The average price of games – games being an integral part to gaming in case you didn't know – will cost varying amounts that rarely stroll from a £40/$60 price point. Of course, this only applies to those who stay up to date with the latest and greatest games, but I'd like to think that the majority of gamers do exactly that. So why is it that, in this day and age of expensive retail releases, game companies decide to either cut content or make new content to later sell to the very people who bought the game in the beginning?
Well, the simple answer – I'm sure you've all guessed, is the money and some may have answered 'because it keeps the consumer playing the game'. Well, I happen to agree with both statements, but what I want to know is how much downloadable content (DLC) is worth and do I really need it?
Do I need a set of horse armour in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion? No.
Do i need twelve new characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds? Apparently, I do.
Now some may argue that the latest addition to MvC3 is not DLC, it is in fact a retail disc with far too much content to classify as 'downloadable'. While this may be true to a certain degree, the nature of it is the same, it is adding content to an already existing game and in the process, excluding those with the original title from playing with those who have the additional content. I don't mind DLC when it adds to a game, it makes it more interesting or simply gives players a new outfit for their characters, but creating DLC that excludes other players, forcing them to buy it too if they want to stay in the loop with the community? That is unreasonable.
But what is reasonable? Giving the player the choice to charge for their own so-called DLC? That's what Blizzard are experimenting with in the form of the Auction House in their upcoming game, Diablo III. In this eBay-style system, players can buy and sell items that have been earned in the game, either by using the in-game currency or with real money and credit that comes out of real-world bank accounts. Primarily, as a consumer, players can buy a virtual sword with real money as priced by the player selling it. Obviously Blizzard will be making a cut out of the profits of any transaction and even listing an item to sell comes with a charge. Just like eBay, but with virtual items.
Is there a right or wrong way of providing extra content for an addition price? No, not really, but consumers must have the choice to buy or not to buy. Consumers should never be penalized for not purchasing the latest content for a game they just wish to enjoy for what it was when they bought it. Sure it's nice to have options, but 'No' should be one of those options and that decision should be respected by the companies that create it. To bring Marvel vs. Capcom 3 back into the spotlight, new characters, new stages and a patch should be optional, not recquired. Now as a fan and a consumer of the first MvC3, I feel cheated out of my money because I could've waited to buy the 'DLC', but instead, if I want to keep up with the competitive community, I have to shell out more money than necessary.
Now I don't want to come off saying that all DLC is bad. Yes, it has become a problem nowadays where companies will cut content only to sell it at an additional price later, but DLC can be a good thing, prolonging the life of any game that players may hold dear is certainly a welcoming thought, as well as the knowledge that some developers really do care about their properties enough that they want to expand them without waiting to release a fully-fledged sequel. It's unfortunate that there are two sides to what can be a beneficial mainstay to all online platforms, however, companies need to make money, and customers need to spend money, it's what keeps the industry alive.
However, what consumers need to remember is that sometimes it isn't worth the horse armour, sometimes it isn't worth buying a whole new game to keep playing the one you had. DLC is optional and you have the right to say 'No.'
