Does Upcoming DLC Put You Off New Games?

[Vivi-gamer]

Hi,

I wanted to discuss something which has botheredme within the gaming industry for a while now and it is theimplementation of DLC in games - In particular narrative focused DLC.

I find myself very hesitant to buy game on Day Onerelease, the main reason is because I fear investing into a gameexperience which is incomplete. Not just because of patches whichenhance the experience (that's a whole different topic...) butbecause often nowadays a game will release then 2-6 months down theline story DLC will emerge.

The problem I have with this is if I have beatenthe game, i will have already moved onto the next experience. Askingme to go back to the game I've beaten again for more - well, I'm justnot in the same mindset as I would be with the initial experience.Final Fantasy XV was notorious for this and I still haven't playedthe DLC Episodes to this day! Truth be told, I haven't even playedthe Shenmue 3Story DLC either - waiting for my next playthrough! Idon't like to go back to Story DLC as it feels soulless to me -Unless I am replaying the game whole, which is usually 2-5 years later.

This does create anxiety whenever I see gamesannounced now. Other than the thrill of the new trailer and releasedetails the next piece of information I seek is DLCinformation. Does the game have a Season Pass? Multiple Editions,what does that includes? Is it minor aesthetic crap or proper storycontent?! So the first thing I will do is look up the game on thePlaystation Store and look over the Upcoming Editions:


What an eyesore! More often than not there will be 2-3 versions of the same game with different offerings of content (and prices...). The Playstation Store then does offer a breakdown of the versions content:


Usually it's a lot of digital Junk that I wouldnever use let alone pay £30+ extra for but if I see the word SeasonPass or any indication of Story DLC I have to hold back - Unless itis within my top 5 favourites game franchises and a must play. Theproblem is it does put me off playing A LOT of modern games!

I was interested in the Sea of Stars GBA styledJRPG released on PS+ this month. But I have already heard aconfirmation of upcoming Story DLC. I have also heard that the game has planned for a physical release early next year. Logic wouldindicate that the DLC would be included with this release but thereis no confirmation - Also it could be included in the box with acode, an industry practice I despise as a game collector! So, I havedecided to wait on the game despite wanting to play it. I've also hadthe same problem with Lost Judgment with it's Saito Scenario DLC andcountless other examples. I bought Final Fantasy XVI with confidencefrom the game director stating that game was complete and had noplans for DLC, yet upon completing the game there are obvious gapsfor DLC, Which has since been announced in production...

I just find the industry very troubling, I lovegaming and all its possibilities but its business practices arebecoming tiresome and miss the day when you could buy a game atlaunch with confidence. I'm just wondering if anyone else is alsobothered to such a degree?

 

[Sonoshee]

I have issues with Story DLC that is ripped from the game before launch then released a few months later because of greedy. publishers.
Honestly, I've lost count of how many companies both big and small that have done this.
Funnily enough though, Capcom - of all companies - have done really well recently with their DLC's. Resident Evil is a great example. The RE:Village Winters Expansion and Separate Ways for RE4 were both fantastic DLC's that were developed post launch and released for excellent prices. Separate Ways is about the same length as the RE3 remake and released for like, £8 I think; and it's fucking MARVELLOUS!
Capcom are showing that it can be done. I've learned my lesson enough times from Season Passes and have been well and truly burned out on them.
I'm happy to just wait it out nowadays and see if the DLC is worth it when it releases and then pay the asking price if I know it's going to be worth it. Screw paying months in advance for something that will be extremely mediocre and/or last 40 minutes tops (looking at you, Saints Row 2022 DLC!)

 

[Seaman]

It would depend on the quality of the DLC. For some it adds replay value to the original game release but others feels like pure and simple greed. DLCs adding new quests, plot or characters gets my sympathies to some extent*. Not saying the same about those adding outfits, items and minor features overall. The original game should contain a few extras or unlockables though, I can't stand when its intentionally devoided of any replay value clearly aiming for DLC.
Personally I believe the low quality DLC is the usual category and that we're at a greed peak in videogame market which will impact in some way or another and the trend will rebalance so starting the cycle again.

*There's seem to exist a generational gap in this aspect, because those who had memories to compare lean to dislike most DLC and demand that content included in the original release. On the other hand, new generations who even were born into DLC well implemented has no problem even rejoyce at dumping money at some bracelet, sword or things like that.

 

[Vivi-gamer]

The Resident Evil Franchises has seems to offersubstantial DLC content - Loved the Not a Hero section with RE7However, with Village the DLC content was re-released in the GOLDEdition as a code rather than the data being on disc - Which wasn'tthe case with RE7! I did manage to snag it cheap through an onlinecode, me and a friend are playing through the series and arecurrently up to RE8, so I will play that portion soon enough. Had Inot been replaying the RE Series as I am though, I would probablymissed out on the DLC all together.

Part of it being so off putting is the greedelement - with some 'top-tier' Playstation games launching at £70,for the experience to be incomplete isn't acceptable. Then I haveseen many Ultimate Editions on the PS Store go over the £100+ markwith is insane for one damn game! I have bought DLC digitally on theoccasion but long down the line and when it is heavily reduced!

During the PS4 era there wa a delightful littlephase were we good smaller releases, not quite DLC but not full onscale projects either. Ones that come to mind are Wolfenstein: TheOld Blood, Dishonered: Death of the Outsider, inFamous: First Light &Uncharted: Lost Legacy. These games offered a decent 6-10 hourexperience and were sold at budget price, I feel very content withthese small-scale games and would much rather this then 1-2 hoursscale projects.

I think a big part of it for me is the collectoraspect too. I want to buy a game in confidence and have access to allit's content and be done with it. But of course games are treatedmore as an on going service and a one and done experience now to keepbrand presence active. This is why I cannot even touch fighting gamesnow as it is Season Pass after Season pass yet games like Tekken 7never offered basic modes like Survival or Time Attack Mode.

I would happily wait 6 months to a year for a Complete Edition but as I have mentioned whenever that concept arises the information regarding whether that extra content is on disc or code is left a mystery. I can't tell you the amount of times I have watched unboxing videos at release just to see if there is a code ina box - I can't pre-order with confidence. I had a recent issue with Sonic Origins Plus, the original release wasn't on disc yet the Plus release still had the content on a code - I'm still in utter disbelief over this!

 

[hyo_razuki]

I've long since stopped buying games on day one since I don't pay full price for games unless I'm a massive Fan of the franchise or super hyped for the release.

Agree with you 100%. Mostly you're better off waiting for a year or two after release and then buy a "Complete Edition " or buy both the basic game and necessary dlcs at reduced prices.

I also buy used games sometimes. We should be taking advantage of it while physical games are still a thing.

The only way we can give the finger to greedy publishers is by not playing the game by their rules.

 

[red]

to be honest, unless it's story-gameplay dlc, i'm not interested.

i have in the past re-bought games when they are on sale or cheap for the Dlc like witcher 3 but that's rare.

having said all that, the resident evil ada wong dlc looks interesting but that means re buying the game again

 

[Nathanial Essex]

The DLC that I am totally against is locking day-1 characters behind some pre-order bonus or something. I first noticed it with Capcom when they release Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and hade Jill Valentine as a pre-order bonus (if my memory serves me correctly). First time I refused to buy a game out of principle. Hated that Mortal Kombat 11 had the same thing with Shao Khan. Appreciate it may get a few more pre-orders in, but I struggle to see how that would make a significant impact to overall revenue when all is said and done.

Nowadays, I seldom look forward to DLC. As the OP mentioned, by the time it has been released, I've already moved on or forgot the controls. My preference is actually for a game to release (especially single player story games) and not bother with DLC. Horizon Forbidden for example. I purchased the DLC but found myself just rushing through it as I already experienced the main story and it just felt like something tacked on. I also had forgot a lot of the controls, combos, upgrade settings and more.

Best game experience in a long time has to be God of War as it goes against so many tropes in modern gaming. Complete and engaging story. When I put the controller down, I'm not thinking about DLC etc. Just let me move on. Even Cyberpunk, love the game when I played it (waited until the PS5 version was released) and purchased the DLC as soon as it was released. Have yet to really play it. Launched the game and realised I have pretty much forgotten how to play.

 

[Vivi-gamer]

When it comes to fighting games I have simply accepted that I will not be gettign the mat Launch and most likely 2+ yeasr ahead. Just look at the prices for the upcoming Tekken 8!

That's reaching over £100+ And need I remind you this will only included Season Pass 1, the previous game had 4!

Even lookin at todays headlines, I have seen Alan Wake II is planned to have substantial DLC, so that is a game which is now on hold:

That is enough to put me off a game for months! This keeps happening to just how much DLC content is released now.

 

[spud1897]

When it comes to fighting games I have simply accepted that I will not be gettign the mat Launch and most likely 2+ yeasr ahead. Just look at the prices for the upcoming Tekken 8!
View attachment 18919
That's reaching over £100+ And need I remind you this will only included Season Pass 1, the previous game had 4!

Even lookin at todays headlines, I have seen Alan Wake II is planned to have substantial DLC, so that is a game which is now on hold:
View attachment 18920
That is enough to put me off a game for months! This keeps happening to just how much DLC content is released now.

Glad I saw this about Alan Wake.

I'll hold off until they are both available and buy it all in one hit/cheaper bundle.

 

[Telekill]

If the dev/pub start talking about DLC in production before a game is even released, I'll be waiting for a complete edition or a significant price drop. I've found I learned this the quickest with fighting games charging $5 per DLC fighter during the PS3 days. I couldn't believe they were charging that much for a single character and so many of them. I stopped buying fighting games day one. I learned the lesson so well with Mortal Kombat that with the 11th game, I waited for a complete edition, and a significant price drop, only buying the game last December for $30 with almost all content. Some outfits were still locked beyond the preorder walls, unattainable even if I wanted to spend extra money on them.

 

[Vivi-gamer]

Mortal Kombat is an interesting one:
Mortal Kombat (9) on PS3/360 got a Komplete Edition with all DLC on disc.
Mortal Kombat X got an XL Edition with all DLC on disc.
....

So when it came to Mortal Kombat 11, I held out too, they had a track record of delivering Complete Editions so I had faith. Yet with MK11 Ultimate, the PS5 version had the DLC on Code... (I've heard the PS4 version may be different but then it is the PS4 version of the game, not sure if it has a PS5 Upgrade WITH the DLC or not - Even if so, PS5 Upgrades use the PS4 disc to download the content so it's not a futureproof system). So, you really can't trust whether a Complete Edition will do the right thing or not.

I read last week the Horizon II game on PS5 will release a Complete Edition soon - I doubt it will have the VR Game but hoping a collection containing the original game and the Burning Shores which is currently available only via digital stores.