The Problem With Xbox Live DLC

Added 11/18/2008 by Justin McBride

Ah, microtransactions…the bane of my online existence. The word itself has gone from at least sounding innocent enough to what is quickly becoming one of the dirtiest words in gaming’s vocabulary.

I haven’t always hated microtransactions. Prior to some recent experiences which have all but killed them in my eyes, I thought rather highly of them. Perhaps I was a bit naïve in that respect. I used to think that developers would use them to extend the life of their games for several months after their release.  Back then, I was mostly right. The microtransactions of a few years ago weren’t what they are now. Let’s use Project Gotham Racing 2 on the original Xbox as an example. This title alone had a couple of downloadable packs that added more vehicles and tracks for five dollars. Now, I’ve never had a problem with content like this and I still don’t to this day because I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.

The straw that finally broke the camel’s back was when Capcom released Mega Man 9 to the Xbox Live Arcade. There’s nothing wrong with the game itself but Capcom’s handling of its microtransactions is utterly deplorable. To further augment the core game, Capcom has seen fit to add five downloadable add-ons to the Xbox Live Marketplace in a span of less than a month.  These range from the ability to play as Proto Man to extra difficulty levels. All are the same size (108 KB), indicating they are nothing more than patches. What could this mean? To put it simply, Capcom is forcing you to pay extra to access content that’s already in the game. Well, at least the price is right…right? Nope, sorry. If you were to buy each of these add on packs, you’d be paying an added eight dollars (640 MS points) on top of what the game costs bringing you to a grand total of $18 (1440 MS points). I can’t be the only person that thinks there is something seriously wrong with this.

In addition, Namco-Bandai has finally decided to release the Darth Vader character, previously exclusive to Playstation 3, to owners of Soul Calibur IV on the Xbox 360. Obviously, since I’m talking about it, they weren’t generous enough to release it for free. So, how much does the privilege to enact epic Yoda versus Darth Vader lightsaber duels cost? Five dollars. Five dollars for one character? This does not sound like a very desirable deal. If there were perhaps a few more characters added, maybe some new weapons, then the package would have been appealing.  Five dollars is just too much to ask.

I understand full well that development costs have risen with the new generation of consoles and that developers have to find new ways to eke a few more dollars out of their games after launch if they wish to make a profit. Making money in this highly competitive industry isn’t quite as easy as it used to be. Time and time again, games such as Psychonauts have proven that even spectacular games can be overlooked and cast aside in favor of the latest Grand Theft Auto or Halo.  I do understand that developers may need microtransactions to make ends meet. The primary issue is that the aforementioned examples are the wrong way to do so.

I applaud developers that take time to develop meaningful expansions to their games after release to keep their fans coming back. Turn 10 is a perfect example of a developer that gets microtransactions right. Their handling of the Forza Motorsport 2 DLC has been excellent thus far. Turn 10 has released a steady stream of content for their fans that feel like proper expansions of the core game, instead of something that feels as if it was taken out of the game just so they could charge you for it later. I’ve never frowned at paying for the Forza 2 DLC because the content is worth it in my eyes, something I rarely see in DLC these days.

Many people may say that $5 (or less in many cases) is a small price to pay for extra content for a game and I agree. My gripe isn’t with the price itself; it’s what we, the gamers, receive for that price. I don’t like paying for content that’s already in the game, I don’t want to pay for one character in a game and I certainly don’t enjoy feeling like I’ve been ripped off. The crux of the problem is the gaming community at large still eats this stuff up, blind to how badly they’re getting screwed. Because of this, all of the sordid trends I mentioned will continue (and will likely escalate) until we start speaking with our wallets.

Look at the Battlefield: Bad Company DLC weapon debacle for a great example. When EA revealed its plans to charge for individual weapons that were then exclusive to the “Gold Edition” of the game, gamers balked en masse, some even threatened boycotts of the game and EA as a whole. So, what became of all of this? EA quickly dropped their earlier plans to appease the gaming community. This isn’t rocket science, people. Here we have clear evidence that developers do listen to complaints -- all you have to do is express your distaste.

I’m not meaning to start some sort of gamers’ revolt here. What I’m trying to do is reach out to developers and show them that people are not happy with this. If microtransactions like these are allowed to continue and grow, I predict a slow and agonizing death of the videogame industry as we know it. Perhaps many of you are thinking my prediction is melodramatic and a gross exaggeration.  But ask yourselves this, “Do we really want current standards for DLC to stay as they are?”   

Developers, when you’re marketing your games and crafting your DLC, keep in mind that you’re not just selling a product to your consumers; you’re building a relationship with them. Don’t be so quick to sully that relationship.