kali o. wrote:Maybe I'm wrong, but DLC and special editions should be about extra stuff, not getting access to shit that was originally part of the full game. Smells like a lazy cash grab to me.
Oh fuck yeah, it is. They actually have the content finished and available for launch and cut it out to charge you later for it. It's a really, really irritating trend and is a good 'ol "fuck you" to the customers. A full scenario in L4D2 released 4 or 5 months later for $5 I can understand (The Passing will be $10 which is a little steep, but I'll likely bend on that one). But when you specifically hold back stuff already included on disc to goose the players? Completely unacceptable. Sadly, this is becoming an increasing trend in downloadable games as well. Mega Man 9 had DLC right away, as did Bubble Bobble Plus. Content they held back to goose you on.
But really, we're (well, not me specifically, but gamers in general) to blame for this. We're the ones who stand up and say "it's only $4 or $5, less than a latte" and like sheep pay it. So the companies figure if they charge little enough (ie. under $10) they can almost get away with murder. Vote with your money, don't buy it regardless of price. Actually have principles and stick to them and the companies won't continue to goose you.
There is another side to this, however. If they hold content back that's already on the disc but give you a free code to download it with a new copy of the game, it ain't so bad. That's what Bioware did with Dragon Age's Stone Prisoner add-on. What they're basically saying is "buy used and you will miss out". They don't make money on used so this is an incentive to not do what I do and wait to get a used copy at 40% of the new price. You can still grab it for $15 as DLC available Day 1 but that only matters if you didn't get the game new. That I don't really blame them for and they're not really goosing their customers, their punishing the opportunists who don't give them anything anyways.