Paying for content already on the disc, the EVIL side of the Xbox Live Marketplace!

We are actually paying for certain Xbox Live Content that we already own... The discovery that anything available for 108 KB is a "key" that unlocks content already on our game DVD. Check out the full listing of games that have this feature, in the article!

[power of Green]

I knew it!, i always thought something was fishy with small downloads, i first started buggin on trail Arcade games, you know!, when you download the full game with the trail restraint on it then i started wondering about the games and how some of the Dev's actual capabilities and resources.

[Dick Jones]

They know about this. Its bad enough we know they hold back content to sell later but to have the balls to actually put it on the disc you buy but can't use unless you pay more for a key. WOW Thats something I'd expect from Enron, maybe M$ is evil.

[The Snake]

How are you going to blame MS for this. The vast majority of these games are third party, with the biggest perpetrator being EA. Something tells me that EA will do this on the PS network as well.

[Dick Jones]

For one the games have to go through a Microsoft certification process. For two crap like this has to be discussed, documented and analyzed especially after hot coffee. Three Microsoft's own developer is a main culprit.

[xtopher]

it explains all!

[Juevani]

Interesting.. u know what ur name means in arabic?? zarba_5aswa = sh1t_balls, I swear..

[5asawi]

yeah thats bs, this time they charge for online contents that u've already paid for, next time they'll charge you for everytime u push on your controller, lol...

[DJ]

including the content that is put up. They're as much responsible as the companies that use these tactics. Hopefully Sony doesn't allow its developers to do the same.

[Funky Town_TX]

Dude you try your best to put down M$. Bottom line read about the game and the features BEFORE YOU BUY and make the choice. I have not purchased a game that was imcomplete in my vision. BTW DJ, will Sony charge the JAP gamers to make motorstorm (JAP version) complete. A racing game without online is PS1 era right.

[power of Green]

$800 for a full games isn't exactlly being a Saint either i'll take the disc scams anyday over Sony's posible future "GT" practices.

[MicroGamer]

I'm sure someone out there is working on a way to hack the content over a PC link possibly with a way to upload a hacked unlock codes from your PC to your 360 hard drive. Once the codes are had, all you really have to do is emulate the marketplace server on a PC and then redirect the 360 to your emulated marketplace IP address and then download the codes from the PC to unlock the content.

[Rooted_Dust]

Yeah, and then they'll cancel your account.

[MicroGamer]

Once the codes start getting spread around, you don't need an account anymore. If you're that worried about it, open a second account.

[Rooted_Dust]

I love how your trying to steal money away from your beloved MS. Would you pay for a second account? And pay 100 dollars a year for glorified Gamespy. PC wins again with free user generated content.

[BlackCountryBob]

That's a really terrible thing to do! I cant blame M$ as they ain't doing it, they just host marketplace but maybe it is time to put in place some restrictions on what developers can sell and how much they can charge because if they don't the whole micro transaction experiment will fail even though it is, at least in theory, a good idea!

[Funky Town_TX]

IF you don't buy they will not do it. Supply and demand ppl. DEV can push out incomplete games all they want, but we don't have to buy. Gamers have a voice. There are website that list game features and you can read and choose to buy. I never got DLC for oblivion. The game was reviewed in retail version with hours of gameplay so I got it. Who cares if they unlocked 100 hours of more play I was happy with the first 100 hours I payed $60 for. Rainbow six vegas is good as it is. If they unlock more content that I think is worthy then I will buy.

[Plasmana]

"We are actually paying for certain Xbox Live Content that we already own... "

That is a misleading bit of journalism intended to incite the masses! When you purchase a game, you don't BUY the content, you license it.

This is a future revenue strategy that I suspect more game companies are going to employ. MMO's paved the way. Games are getting very expensive to make.

Also, if you don't like it, don't pay for it!!! Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything here.

[calderra]

Good point, and sadly true. Mostly due to piracy and hacking concerns, the disc is not truly your physical property anymore. You're licensing the content, and the company was gracious enough to provide it on an optical disc for you. Wahoo.

[calderra]

And what companies did this? Mostly not EA (see below). It was the Japanese devs, oddly enough, that commited by far the most atrocities. Chromehouds alone costs 1800 points total and pretends it's new content.

Ridge Racer I don't mind so much- I figured the cars were obtainable in the game and that these were just speedy ways to have them from the start. Did someone really think a whole car was just 108KB? Ahwell, the downloads are still free, so that's not so much of an issue. Going on Live to download these free cars could be seen as a replacement for in-game quests. Instead of placing first in the B-Day Cup or whatever, you unlock them on Live. Works for me.

Anyway, to note- some devs note right on the content when things on the marketplace unlock content avaialble in the game. Thsi is especially true for NFS Carbon, where I think it's even noted on the download that these cars are already in-game. It's only put up for (quoting devs), people who don't have the time or ptience to unlock the cars normally, who still want the content anyway. If they wanna pay for it, I say let 'em. I think this is the same with Godfather- cearly ingame content you can choose to download if you're lazy.

So this issue isn't quite as bad as it's made out to be, but there's definately some evil stuff going on here.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

I have to say Chromehounds didn't bother me in the least. I knew the special weapons were available via the game, but they were in a special auction section that was hit or miss in terms of getting it on a timely basis. So you could buy said item and get more than one at no in game cost to you. and for some of those weapons/armor it was a worthwhile pick up.

[MissAubrey]

Its the devolpers not Microsofts or Marketplaces!

[Alymon]

Fault? Are you joking? Wake up people! All game companies, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo are all only interested in one thing... PROFIT.

It doesn't surprise me in the least that DLC would be stored on the disk.

It's not a Microsoft-only issue. Don't turn this into an "I hate Microsoft" party. Sony, Nintendo, EA, most developers and publishers are doing it. If they think they can make additional profit, they will do it.

Is it right? Sure it is. That's what business is about. You don't like it, don't buy the product. But as long as people are willing to pay the price for it, it will continue to occur.

[Alymon]

<accidental double post>

[xtopher]

this practice is beneficial to all!
Look at this way, if the content wasnt on the disc and you acutally have to download 20-100mb each time for the extra content, which would result:
1 waiting for your download to complete
2 needing extra storage space required on the hdd
2.1 it actually saves you from having to have a hdd, a memory card will suffice for many 108kb dls but not alot of 20mb dls!
3 possibly slowing down the xbl servers with all the dl's, requires extra bandwidth
So, basically the devs know theres extra space on the DVD (no blu ray needed) so they can put the locked content of the dvd. It saves you time and hdd space and money! It may look like you already own the content but you dontt, you would still have to buy it from the marketplace and actually dl it if it wasnt on the disc.

SO, please think before you go running your mouths off and cursing those that are actually looking out for you!

[RBlaze]

...that game information is already on the disc. its not a question of them making the dl faster for us, its that a dl shouldnt be needed, as we already own the content! if its just companies trying to make money then fine, make new things, and we'll buy them if we want. but it doesnt seem right to make a game, sell it, then make us pay extra for the stuff theyve already made, ie, that we already have!

[OC_MurphysLaw]

this special download content can be offered up to the consumer faster than normal add on content. Why you ask? Because it doesn't need to be certified for LIVE...as it already has been certified and therefore doesn't need that 1-2 week certification program MS has them all go through. This is a quick easy way for a dev to give a perk and/or offer up a pay for download fast and easy.

I remember Dead Rising being released and within 2 days I think they offered up a bunch of free keys to unlock costumes. I was like sweet! I was more than happy to download the free "key/code" to unlock the outfits and felt a level of happiness towards Capcom for offering up the content.

[Dick Jones]

I already pay 50 bones for Live every year. The content on it should be included. But some how I suppose Microsoft is just looking out for us by taking care of more and more of our money for us. Get Pinged for the system, get pinged for the game, get pinged for the live, and then get pinged for the content on live and the game you already bought all over again. Milk Milk Milk...Milk Milk Milk...Milk your Customers.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Welcome to business. This is no different then batteries not included or retail outlets charging more for warranty options and service you don’t need. This is business; gaming is not a nonprofit organization “it’s never free”. You are going to have companies like EA and Sega nickel and dime you. Oh DJ “Microsoft has direct control of all aspects of their service including the content that is put up. They're as much responsible as the companies that use these tactics. Hopefully Sony doesn't allow its developers to do the same.” Man what a dumb comment, if MS doesn’t allow some freedom for the DEVs the DEVs will leave (which is what you want isn’t it?) Bottom line (READ THE FINE PRINT BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I wonder what scams will come to that sinking ship that is PS3. Hopefully the PS4 wont be such an atrocity.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

This is totally obvious already...get over it. It's why everyone got PISSED at EA to begin with. They were selling "keys" to unlock stuff in the game that you could yourself unlock eventually. Everyone needs to relax...WE KNOW THIS ALREADY!!! This not new news. EA said as much, they were selling codes for those who didn't want to take the time to unlock the special stuff. NOBODY is paying for anything they already own in reality. You have the ability to unlock all this stuff yourself in the game by progressing through it. They just are giving you the opition to buy a "cheat" code. Do it if you like, or play the game through and unlock it for free yourself. There is nothing sinister or evil about this folks. Oh and is anyone really complaining about the "free" download keys? They give a key out free and someone actually is complaining? LOL...if you don't want the free one....just play the game and unlock it yourself then.

Again...this is not evil or sinister. Just get over it already...old news at best.

[Boink]

I like this, the biggest reason halo 2 became so annoying was because the content (maps) were DL'd to the hard disk, and were modded.

if this prevents that, then they can go freaking crazy for all I care. If I want the content, I pay for it, regardless of it's its on the disk or downloaded.

[FFVIIFan]

If I pay for the disk, I want what is on the disk. I shouldn't have to pay extra for it. Now if the developers create something latter and charge for that, I'll pay for it if I'm interested, but to withold data on the disk that I just spent 60 dollars on is BS.

[power of Green]

Are you saying Games in some cases are worth more than $60 to begain with and we finish paying for the games that's worth lets say, $80 bucks, something to think about.

[xtopher]

im saying that if they were going to charge for the content already and can fit it on the disc then why the hell not. It saves so many other resources.
Whats the difference if its on the disc or your hdd? If you were gonna pay for it either way, then putting it on the disc actually saves you space.
True, we only have a 20g hdd which sucks but it seems to be enough for me and im sure many others. For those with cores that bought 64 mb mem cards, dl a 108kb key is alot easier then a bunch of 20mb addons. MS could release a larger hdd, but that wouldnt solve the time/bandwidth issue mentioned earlier. Plus, you now have to buy another hdd.

It makes sense to put it on the disc!

[FFVIIFan]

I get what you're saying, but you're missing the point. If it is already on there, then it should be available to begin with. I'm not buying "pieces" of the data on the disc. I'm buying the entire disc so I want all the data on it.

[xtopher]

I understand the consumer mentality of this subject, but I also know the corporations mentality as well. But, since consumers are not in control then theres not much we can do except voice a opinion. I see where the devs are coming from, but it is stupid to charge for content thats already been made before the games release. The intention of xblm dl's was for additional media that is created after the game is released imo.

Theyre out to get as much as they can from you and are doing it well i assume. But how much has ms given back? Free dl all over the place, texas hold em was free and they have great promotions from time to time.

[badkolo]

Its one thing paying for extra levels but its another to pay for themes and packs, simply put we could easily make these themes and packs ourselves, any idiot here can make pics using photshop or paint shop pro and make our own cool pics and our own themes, there should be no reason for it, but extra levels thats something that takes time and is easy to see why we pay extra. but pictures that we can cut and paste and raster deform add effects to ourselves, i think that retarted,If i wanted a cod3 pic i could go online find one cut it out add my own design and then throw it to the 360, that would be nice .

I hate the excuse that MS wont allow us to do that or even use our own pic for a gamertag becuase we might use bad pics like porn etc,, well that wouldnt happen if right before you add the pic in the 360 options it clearly says that your account will be terminated if any bad pics are used, its that simple, p[eople wont use bad pics just to kill there own account and lose 50 bucks.

[FFVIIFan]

This has the potential to get out of control. The data is on the disc. Let's say it's the best weapon in the game for an RPG. So you buy the game for 60, but if you want the weapon, another dollar. Take it a step further. You buy an RPG for 60, but you only get one character, and its a 2 dollars for each other. Hell, they could start charging to unlock levels; entire chuncks of the story and game. Sure it doesn't seem like a lot when its a cheat code or one secret car, but this is princible. I don't care if it frees of the broadband, no live service has been bad to the point where I said "Mother F'n people downloading maps and skins!!!!". No, whatever happend to beating the game on ultra hard, or doing something special to unlock the cheats. Now they want us to pay for that too. We need to voice this now and not let it get out of control.

[AzaziL]

yea, that's some bs that some stuff in the game must be purchased to be able to use it. it's not a bad thing though if it's possible to unlock the item without having to buy it because i know there are some games where ppl including myself would shell out an additional 5 bucks to get a head start. but to lock out content and not allow it to be used unless someone pays for it, that's really low, might as well release the games for $70 with everything included.

[Daewoodrow]

So hold on, when they sell you the extra content via download that's ok, but when they enable it on the disk that's bad? Either way you still pay the same for it. If you weren't going to get it anyway, why does it matter? Most of the time they only sell you cool optional extras anyway. If they sold you a piece of the game, I would flat out complain, but it doesn't bother me if they charge something for the odd costume or something. That's life.