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Just last week, both Modern Warfare 3 and Skyrim were released. Both games had struck up similar deals with Microsoft, agreeing on 30-day exclusivity for DLC on the Xbox 360. Reading that announcement genuinely frustrated me. The developers had just been caught dead in their tracks! They were deliberately keeping content off the $60 disc so they could release multiple packs of DLC, which will most likely run for $10 a pop. Why would you do this to your die hard fans? Developers are cheating their fans out of full experiences in the interest of making more money than the initial payment.
Some may come to the defense of developers like Bethesda and Infinity Ward using the argument "DLC keeps the game fresh and keeps you returning." I understand that viewpoint 100%. On the other hand, people that feel the same as I do would say "if the game comes chocked full of quality content, you won't have to worry about the game going stale or losing it's sparkle." Nintendo has constantly been ridiculed for not jumping on the bandwagon with Sony and Microsoft and bringing paid DLC to the Wii. I support Nintendo 100%. On multiple accounts, Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, has stated that DLC will most likely never be coming to Nintendo systems because it goes against the company's policy of releasing complete games. That may sound like a bit of a diss towards Sony and Microsoft, but if you take a step back and think logically, that's what DLC does. Prevents the companies from releasing full games. If you bought Battlefield 3 on launch, can you really say that was the complete game you were purchasing? DICE, developers of Battlefield 3, had already confirmed future DLC packs before it was released. How can you not feel cheated, knowing you'll have to pay 30-50 more bucks to get the full game in its entirety?
I admit, I have paid for DLC in the past. I bought two packs of Bioshock 2 content. In my defense, this was about a month after I had purchased my PS3, so I was like a kid in a candy shop, eager to take advantage of all it's abilities. I don't regret purchasing them because they were an incredible addition to one of my favorite games, but I now feel frustration towards 2K Games (developers of Bioshock 2) because the developers probably had made that DLC before the game had released and just set it aside with intentions of releasing it in the future. I am here to go on record and say that I WILL NOT pay for additional content in my games. Microsoft and Sony should listen to and learn from Nintendo (for once), and not allow developers to cheat their consumers. If the content is not on the disc the second you buy it, that content will either be lost, or somehow incorporated into a future game. As much as I absolutely ADORE Skyrim and will most likely ADORE Battlefield 3 when I get it this holiday season, I just don't feel comfortable shelling out extra money for content that was deliberately taken off the disc to sell separately.
I imagine others may have similar or opposing feelings. I'd love to know what our readers think about my opinion towards DLC. Be sure to click "Comments" and let us know your thoughts!
Thanks for reading gamers! Stay classy my friends!
-Will