How Xbox DLC Is Screwing Up

Ryan Rigney of Cinemablend.com's game blog tells why he thinks that much of the content on Xbox Live Marketplace is overpriced or presented in an undesirable way. Will these trends continue?

[king dong]

a blog wrote espeially for hits off of n4g.

if it's overpriced and you dont want it, then dont buy it. but if it's overpriced and you want it, then ask mommie and daddie for more allowance money! or ask if you wash the cars or cut the grass.

[RKRigney]

An accusation of immaturity from a guy named "King Dong" is pretty ironic. Also, try learning basic spelling and grammar.

[king dong]

my bad, i didn't put the "c" in especially, and didn't put "can" when i said ask if you can wash the cars.

anyway rigney, my obviously mature and educated prof of english...do you even know who king dong was/is? are you old enough to know?

thought not, try again kiddie.

edit: lol i just saw, it's your article. man get your stupid fanboy blogs off of here. it's not news, just more rubbish for the sony fanboys, more rubbish to generate hits and more rubbish designed to continue this pathetic nerd war.

go outside and see the real world. when you old enough to get a job and earn some real money, you wont need to feel butthurt about spending you entire weeks allowance(thats what you americans call it) on an 8 bucks arcade game...

[RKRigney]

I'm not sure why you keep insisting that I'm a child because I'm concerned about the impact that gaming is starting to have on my wallet. Most average adults are living on a budget these days; money management isn't just for kids living off "allowance."

I'm pretty sure that most people on N4G are trying to be a little more wise and selective with their gaming dollars. That doesn't make them children.

[king dong]

i shouldn't have jumped on you and i apologise.

i know people are being more careful with their cash. but you've got to face reality. a developer and publisher still have to pay their employees, they cant work for nothing. if they make something like an arcade game or a map pack, people have to get paid for it.

although, i'm not talking about EA price gouging.

[RKRigney]

And yeah, I have no idea how Valve survives while providing so much extra content for free. I almost wish they'd let me pay $5 for it so I felt less guilty ;D

[Blaze929]

One thing i can say about Xbox Live Marketplace is how MS or "whoever" makes themes and gamerpics an expense, especially themes. I think themes should be free and if not, make it free for those who at least own the game. It makes no sense having to pay for something NO ONE ELSE will see. Its just a theme.

As for the DLC, if its published my Microsoft its likely a set price from microsoft as well as a agreement with the developers. Halo 2 used to offer a bunch of maps at a good price but now its only three freaking maps for $10 each time. But for non-microsoft published games got no one to blame but the publisher for that title. Like Stranglehold, the content was like 1200 microsoft points for NO reason at all.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

I completely agree that developers and publishers need to get paid for their work, that is why I don't pirate their games (although this is now extremely easy on both the Wii and Xbox 360). However, if they could justify selling a game for $60 at launch and within 90-180 days reduce the cost to $40, then selling a an extra outfit (or three) for $10 is ridiculous relative to the work they put into the outfit vs. the actual game. Pricing is completely out of hand when I can get a great game for the price of 6 six outfits. Reasonably priced DLC is what consumers are looking for, not necessarily free content. Although it is amazing that Valve is able to release a DLC for free!!! Too bad I didn't like L4D, otherwise I would support them.

What I really don't understand is how they (publishers/developers) can still sell these DLCs and make money? Who are the idiots buying all this content?

[Bnet343]

1. This isn't only Xbox but PSN as well. Look at PAIN DLC for a perfect example of nickel and diming.
2. Microsoft doesn't set the prices, the publishers do, unless Microsoft is the publisher
3. I like oreos

[outlawlife]

im not sure why this blog is singling out xbox when he discussing multiplatform DLC like burnout

90% of the prices on xbox live are determined by the publisher despite what anyone says

MS suggests a price that the content should be sold at, the publisher proposes their price and they usually are in agreement

family game night and burnout pardise are both published by EA, they are notorious for ripping gamers on DLC

i'm not one to defend all of microsoft's practices but i've published things on xbox live and i know how it is, the prices are not all microsoft

[RKRigney]

...but that's why the title of the title of the article is NOT "How Microsoft Is Screwing Up DLC." I actually do not own a PS3, so I can't really speak for the prices on that console. I'm sure that the same sort of thing happens there (especially with multiplatform games like Burnout Paradise) but the fact that I didn't make the article a 30 pager by acknowledging EVERYONE who is messing up with DLC doesn't mean that I'm excluding them from my criticism.

The point of the article was not to claim that Microsoft is forcing DLC to be priced the way it is; it was to simply point out a disturbing trend in the online space. I'm sure you've seen it yourself.

Off-topic, what have you published on Live?

[outlawlife]

on topic: i'm in aggreement that some content prices are getting out of hand, but the article unfairly paints the problem to be an xbox live problem when the very same content sells for the same price via psn or in some cases PC

off topic: i occasionally do work for a company that provides digital content(ie themes, gamerpics) for xbox live and psn

[cyguration]

it's tough to tell these days. Everyone is looking to rip gamers off especially Microsoft and EA. Together they're the ultimate wallet-raping duo!

[RKRigney]

Madden as a $60 disk-based product is a rip-off if you buy it two years in a row. It's embarrassing.

[outlawlife]

the people who spend their lives making those madden games would probably disagree with you

[kickaski]

Working on the same damn game every year as fast as possible really sucks for the developer. i'm sure they'd prefer less frequency or something

[JD_Shadow]

I think the way Microsoft is using DLC as a weapon in the console war is screwed up and is kind of screwing around with gamers and punishing them for picking one console's version of a game over the other.

Don't know too much about the pricing, though.

[RKRigney]

I can't think of anything besides the GTAIV stuff that has been like you described. That was kind of weird though.

[JD_Shadow]

Fallout 3 and Tomb Raider: Underworld comes to mind.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Yes, but the Mirrors Edge exclusive time trial maps for PSN are OK?

MS isn't the only offender and I see no problems with having exclusive DLC for a product on one platform. I guess I might be an exception since I own both systems and can have it all.

This article seems to be directing this at Microsoft when the examples you use are for titles not from MS. The examples you use are EA and they are priced the same across all console platforms.

It could always be better but this is the reality and the only thing you can do as a consumer is not buy it. Nobody is forcing you to purchase any of this stuff and you can vote with your wallet.

If you think it's going to get better you are in for a surprise. Pay DLC is on the rise. Heck, even PSN which has always given away themes for free now has a "Premium" section and I've noticed the free themes are less and less and now its "wallpaper" that is free and themes costs $$.

This is an industry change however and not solely Microsoft.

[HBK619]

To be fair it was one single map GEC, and one thing too, it was 100% FREE!

So you fail on that point, as all that other exclusive DLC is payed for content.

Also Sony have offered premium Themes for a while now(I'd even say since inception), and once again you can get any other theme 100% free, it is as simple as a google search and you can find some that are just as professional as the Premium themes(Ps3-themes.com is probably the definitive, it is a great site and you will find anything if you search for it), there are still enough free themes from the PS Store to download too, do you really need that many anyway?

[lowcarb]

I believe you can download your own theme to 360 for free if you want from any usb device. Correct me if i'm wrong but i think it's possible.

[ropelli90]

You can use your own wallpaper but you can't actually use a theme from a usb device, so only one picture in the background. At least that's how it was before NXE.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

HBK: I fail at nothing because that is not my point. It's not about what's free and what costs it's about the content being exclusive on one platform or not. Darkpower's point was about not being able to play the content on another platform and one map or 10 maps I can't play it if I bought the 360 version of Mirrors Edge.

No, PSN did not offer premium themes until last year. When the PS3 launched they had no pay for themes and everything was free.

You do have a point that you can download free themes and that is excellent. PSN has a bunch of free themes available as well and you don't even need to go to the web. XBL also has a section for free themes.

I see the "pay for" content increasing for all platforms as we move forward. They got a taste of the money it generates and they won't go back now.

[HBK619]

But you didn't see the point of Darkpower, he was saying how Microsoft are using DLC as a selling point, by buying DLC exclusivity, I actually believe the exclusive map for the PS3 was an EA doing because of some unknown reason, PS3 did not buy it, and really they didn't use it as a weapon to say "Buy the PS3 version as it is the definitive version, etc. etc."

Buying exclusive DLC is a fair dogs act, and companies letting them do it is even worse, as they should NEVER exclude the people who buy their games.

No, I am 100% sure that the premium themes were available when themes came in, they have been available as free and payed for since then.

[OmarJA]

How ya like ur DLCs xbots ?...

You guys really break my heart :(

[NegativeCreep427]

After all, DLC exclusivity is what is going to win this generation for Microsoft. Why would they spend $50,000,000+ on something like DLC if it wasn't so decisive...

:\ (My eyes are rolling to the back of my head!)

[HBK619]

It's becoming an all too often occurrence nowadays.

Just before I say anything more, maybe to please those who will see this as a direct inflammatory article it would have been better to have a title of 'How devs are screwing up DLC'? Just for those who don't read the article/blog will instantly take it as an attack.

Anyway, back on subject, as I said it is becoming all to often the occurrence of either useless or overpriced DLC, useless comes to mind when you get Street Fighter IV DLC(Which was actually an unlock key) coming out days after the retail release of the game for COSTUMES, yes COSTUMES, ok now I can take it if it is costumes made weeks/months after release outside of the initial development of the game, but if it is on the disc and you are forcing people to pay for an unlock to them, well then you are just doing dirty business deeds.

So far this gen Capcom and EA have been the main exploiters of this DLC trap that many a gamer is falling into, EA through sheer useless DLC(Not usually that poorly priced), for example Skate 2 came out with a 'finish the game' type DLC so that you could unlock everything without lifting so much as a finger on the game, useless? HELL YEAH!

Capcom are now IMO taking the mantle from EA though in the fact that not only are they kings of the useless DLC, but they are also over-pricing and once again keeping content from the retail disc, RE5 is the one that has been in the news about their recent DLC being on the disc, now whether or not the content is on the disc for me is besides the point, it is the fact that they kept this content from us who pay full price for their game just to make us pay extra for something we should've already had.

And(Sorry to drag this on) on Capcom again, they just released this brand new and great looking game called Flock onto the PSN/XBL, 'great' you say, well not so much when you see the price, for a game that is fairly small in it's design and small in it's actual length, they are charging almost 1/4 of retail price for this game(Now me being in Australia I can only give the AU price of the game, which is $23.95), now for a PSN/XBL game(Besides the proper retail games sold on the PSN: GT5:P, Warhawk etc.) THAT is a rip-off, sorry, but it is, I was really looking forward to this game and was hoping it would be a gem like Flower was(A game which I gave a perfect 10/10 to, you can see my review on this site too, in the User Reviews section), one that for a minimal price of $12.95AU(1/10th of RRP in AU), and what I got was one of the most amazing experiences ever, I was thinking this would be a great little time-waster to go along with the miriad of other cheap, but great titles I have already bought from the PS Store(NHL 3 on 3, Super Stardust, Crash Commando, Flower, Noby Noby Boy, Burn Zombie Burn), but no, instead they charge double what the game should really be worth, and I'm sorry, but that is BULLSH*T!

Sorry for such a long post, guess I have been keeping hold of things for a little too long. :)

[Bnet343]

Wall of text scares me. Go blog this dude.

[HBK619]

Oh, but then I would have to have it as my own rant that most likely nobody would read. :(

It's not that bad, and it is paragraphed for easier reading, just read 1 paragraph per hour if you want?

:)

[lowcarb]

The real question is how do we as gamers send a message that we are not got to be nickled and dime? To bad theres not a law that protects us from from this stuff.

[HBK619]

I know what you mean LC, I guess the only thing we can really do is not buy it, and hope that the smarter gamers out there don't so that companies can stop rorting us like this.

The biggest issue at the moment is companies thinking they can get away with it, if something can be done to show that it won't be accepted then we would have some sort of win through that I guess.

For the record though, there have been PLENTY of people who have refused to by the RE5 DLC due to the circumstances, so hopefully Capcom will get the message sooner rather than later.

[Cajun Chicken]

One of my worst complaints with this is by far the case of Bomberman Live and Worms on XBLA. Where you were stuck with one theme of level and had to buy the rest seperatly, same with Lumines.
Heck, I'm shocked with a similar case on the Wii with Space Invaders Get Even, and the Hasbro thing is a right con.
I'd be honest, XBLA isn't that bad, just best off getting the ports like RezHD and Duke.

[Bnet343]

No I'm saying you can leave this comment, but also to blog it since it's a pretty big read anyway. Just a suggestion that's all. :)

[ropelli90]

Currently I'm buying only Rock band songs but I would love to buy some Halo maps and Burnout cars aswell, too bad they are too expensive for me. I have now finnished my studies in upper secondary school and I wasn't able to get a job before my military service in July.