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Old Games: Should Downloadable Content Be Free?

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OXCGN looks at free downloadable content for older games and the future of digital distribution and consoles:

"I would love to see sales figures for downloadable content for games that were released 1-3 years ago. Some of this content hasn't ever changed in price and competes with new release games' downloadable maps and features.

In a world where everything, including the retail games themselves, depreciates does this make any sense?

No it doesn't.

But of course those in charge are certainly not obligated to lower prices or, even better, make the added content for older games free. But it would be both logical and, well, nice."
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oxcgn.com
BadCircuit - contributor
Published: 123 days 1 hour ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360
 
 

Showing: 1 - 13 of 13 Comments
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BadCircuit - 123 days 6 hours ago
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I save and spend mostly on new games not downloadable stuff, because I don't have a lot of cash. But I'd keep and play more of my games if I was going to get free stuff a few years later instead of trade them away like now.
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Godem - 123 days 6 hours ago
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its nice to have free stuff, but I think a more logical thing would be to just let them depreciate in value over the coarse of time to eventually end up being around $1 or something.
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BadCircuit - 123 days 6 hours ago
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Too much effort for them I bet!
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XboxOZ360 - 123 days 6 hours ago
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Excellent article, as always, and makes some very valid points about older games being offered for free after a certain period.

It would certainly boost my thoughts around a publisher and developer if they did such things, and would most likely have a positive effect on me supporting them with newer games that required payment.
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allegionary - 122 days 23 hours ago
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I doubt they would offer older games, but their content they should!
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ZombieAutopsy - 123 days 6 hours ago
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Free...maybe depending on what it is, Fallout 3 Dlc is well worth the money but Map packs that contain 4 maps isnt really worth 10$ to me (I still buy them but thats not the point). I do think that after maybe a year after the DLC is released it should get a price cut and eventually maybe even become free or very close to it.
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allegionary - 122 days 22 hours ago
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Sure with Fallout and some of the Oblivion stuff it was big and worth some cash, but how many are downloading it now?

On the other subject I really hope they don't make the next round of consoles digital download only. No competition on prices would suck and games would never get cheaper, not just the DLC.
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gaminoz - 123 days 5 hours ago
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Free DLC for old games makes sense.

The PSP GO situation as described hopefully will not be what happens if future consoles are DLC only. The PC with Steam makes more sense: depreciation = prices lower with time. I know a lot of people who get PC versions of games because of Steam, but consoles seem to keep prices the same for DLC regardless of time.
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XboxOZ360 - 123 days 1 hour ago
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If companies (publishers) want to retain gamers for long periods, then they do need to look at ways of giving them something back, especially if the publisher still wants to move older titles of existing franchises.

It would help new gamers look at the earlier iterations, and thu shave them more likely to purchase further disc-based goods when they are released.

It has to be a two way street, gamers do need to support publishers if the want a continual flow of good quality games, and publishers need to help those gamers acquire earlier titles and become more engrossed in their product line/s.
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darkmurder - 122 days 23 hours ago
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In my opinion no as the dev's still need income coming in from the games sold as just releasing free DLC won't spur as many sales as are generated from those who already have the game.
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allegionary - 122 days 22 hours ago
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Well it wouldn't be free to begin with, and tell me do you download any old 2 year content for $?
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kraze07 - 122 days 22 hours ago
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Yes DLC for older games should be free. Hell, DLC for all games should be free.
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cornfedgamer - 122 days 19 hours ago
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It does make sense.
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