I was up late last night and as per my routine, decided to hop on Xbox and chat with a few good friends over a game of Payday 2. The conversation turned to the current state of the game industry, and how downloadable content (DLC) seems to be infecting everything. From retailer exclusive pre-order bonuses to day one season passes, it seems game publishers are sending the message that they are not making enough money just selling games anymore.
This thought comes, of course, after I finish the extra content for Batman: Arkham Knight. No major spoilers for plot her, but to break it down the Harley Quinn and Red Hood sections are little more than 3 rooms full of enemies to take out and a repetitive boss fight. The Batgirl DLC, A Matter of Family, has a bit more substance but relies on the same repetitive mechanics and a tiny map. This is not what I paid 40 extra dollars for. Think about it. 40 dollars is the cost of 2/3 of a full game. So what should you and I, as consumers, expect? 2/3 of a full game. And in this instance and many, the industry has failed to deliver that.
I used to rely on what I call the pizza analogy to explain this. When you order a pizza you still expect the full pizza experience. That’s crust, sauce, and cheese. Toppings, like DLC, cost extra. They add something more to your experience but are ultimately unnecessary and since they cost the people extra to provide them, you’re going to pay extra to consume them. Makes sense right? Well, not anymore. With Ubisoft gearing up it’s newest releases with so-called Gold Editions, the pizza analogy no longer applies. Paying that initial 60 bucks or so for a game is like getting just the crust. That’s it. If you want sauce, cheese, or anything else at all, you’re going to pay extra for it. The pizza isn’t delivered as a full pizza just like video games are being delivered as full experiences. To drive this point home, think about what the Gold Editions for Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, The Division, and Rainbow Six: Siege actually are. They are games sold with day one season passes thrown in. You don’t know what the DLC will include and you don’t know if it will be worth the money. But Ubisoft is finding a way to take your money before they’ve earned it, by tricking you into thinking you’re getting something exclusive and special because it has the words “Gold” and “Edition” on the front with a grayscale version of the box art.
Isn’t it about time we asked for better? Gamers are not just frothing at the mouth fanatics waiting to get their hands on the latest titles. We are consumers, and we’re smart consumers that want what we pay for.
