I remember a time when you bought a game and everything was on that disc and nothing more (Remember discs? It was like a coaster with information). Until the sequel or “if” you owned a PC then you get an expansion pack for Half Life but again, all on disc, no downloads. These were usually just additional missions that were loosely connected to the main game. Sometime later, the Xbox 360 came and so did small amounts of DLC. Extra costumes mostly and some map packs were introduced too. These felt like an actual addition rather than a part of the game that was cut out. Yet someone thought to combine the two together. A true example would be the Shivering Isles mission, a huge expansion for the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
Others followed and bigger DLCs came, that were near enough parts if not whole games. Developers could add in new levels, weapons and pretty much whole game segments via DLC. . . TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.
Now what do we have after so many years of this? Season Passes and Day one DLCs. What’s the problem with them you’re asking? It was cool a very long time ago, as this was a treat that really mattered when it was done and offered a true addition to the game. Back then, it felt like developers had worked on it as an extra and the game itself felt complete without it. Then came the time were it felt like developers would take content out of the existing game and sell it again on the side, claiming it to be an extra. Most of the time releasing details on the season passes before mentioning a release date for the game.
The biggest culprit is Watch Dogs, having released a Season pass for lots of additional content before the game is even out. They have showed us before the game’s release, new campaign missions and enough new modes to make the season pass look like a standalone game itself. Why are these not in the actual game if they are already made? This can be also classed as Day One DLC, when a developer/publisher shows us extra content before the game is out and becomes available on the release. That concept’s just plain wrong if you ask me and exploitation to an extreme level that’s abusing its fans’ trust.
Ubisoft is following that route of EA and Activision, making successful games and telling players if they want the awesome extra content, they have to pay. Ubisoft noticed that they were extremely successful and good at making games, so have decided to cash in and follow up with season passes, because they know they can get away with it. Like EA and Activision, who every year without fail release a season pass for their biggest selling games for additional content and get huge income for it. Because selling 26 million copies of Call of Duty isn’t enough for Activision.
EA only did it better and sold the Awakening DLC for Dead Space 3 which added an extra end to the original game. This was a pointless addition which made us confused as to what was the true end. To have played the game and get the ending which meant nothing, then reveal a whole other segment afterwards leading to a sequel? Why make us pay hard earn cash to buy a game then throw another ending for an additional price? Ubisoft did this themselves with 2008’s Prince of Persia by selling us an additional epilogue with the true ending at a price. Why? Do we watch films and then afterwards pay to see its true last ten minutes? There are extras on DVDs you pay for already with the film but they can be ignored like with Prometheus. Best to ignore that film anyway.
Season passes can be used if content is made as an extension could considered an addition as appose to being a major part of the game. That it doesn’t seem to be just parts of the game ripped out and placed on the side to be sold separately. But it wouldn’t be so annoying if the game itself is solid and worth the money originally. An addition should be something that’s enjoyable but not needed to enjoy the game itself or be more interesting than the game. So to have an additional story or game mode that seems more dynamic that the original game just dumbs down the whole experience. Like Mass Effect 3, were we get lots of additional missions which we’re told have no impact to the main game, yet they do as they relate to the main story and its characters. Should they have been in the actual game? Yes.
So why have DLCs and season passes become so big? The pre-owned market has finally done some damage to the game industry and now developers and publishers are trying to make some money back. A season pass is a guarantee that the developer will make a little money if you decided to buy your copy of Watch Dogs from the pre-owned section at Gamestop.
It’s fine to offer more, but don’t make something in your game and decide to sell it on the side. It could be one day you get half a campaign, then the season pass offers the other halve.
[divider]
That’ll Cost You Extra
What do you make of DLC? Love it, hate it, open your wallet to it every time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!