Ben-DutkaDownloadable content is a big deal, and it gets more popular with every passing day.
According to a report from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), the percentage of gamers who download extra content is steadily rising. In fact, the number of PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners who have downloaded new stuff for their games has now exceeded the number who haven't.
EEDAR conducted a 2011 Deconstructing DLC survey, and found that 51% of participants bought at least some DLC in the previous year, which is up from 40% in 2010 and 34% in 2009. Now that it's 51%, EEDAR says this means around 20 million North American gamers have picked up add-ons in the past 12 months. The total revenue has hit $875 million this year, and this should all continue to grow due to higher broadband speeds and increased marketing.
Worldwide DLC revenues are closing in on $2 billion overall, so it's a lucrative piece of the industry these days. As for the 49% who haven't downloaded extra content, those gamers listed a variety of reasons for avoiding DLC. Privacy concerns were the most common reason, and other complaints included the inability to return DLC, the high cost of the content, and the inability to demo DLC. 24% also said there was enough free DLC to satisfy them.
So how do you feel about downloadable content, a new feature for this console generation?
I wouldn't say It's getting more popular. It's getting more necessary to buy DLC content that was supposed to be there from the beginning. There are very few games that received DLC as real extras at reasonable price.
I almost never buy DLC. It's never "necessary."
I have yet to buy any DLC. I just don't think it's necessary. Or, if I really want the content, I'll wait until the game is released as a game of the year edition and just get it then when the price is lower and it comes with all the stuff it should have come with in the first place. Perhaps it's because I'm on a tight budget, but I just really think picking up games and DLC when they are first released is just too expensive.
I would buy the Ben Dutka HOME dlc avatar.
Well did they take into consideration thatthis might also be because every developer has jumped on the DLC bandwagon. Most this DLC content should be in the game I cannot accept developers planning DLC before the game is released. Dues Ex, barely been out a month DLC, FFXIII-2 not even out till next year, they have DLC ready, even before the game is released.
I have only bought DLC Once and that was for Neir as I felt it had a lot to offer. But most DLC is not as expansive as a side quest or sub-story. There little items that should be in the game. Like XIII-2, I hear they are planning to put in extra monsters for your team as DLC…. WHY THE F*** is that not in the game anyway! Companies have to DLC and just exploited it, but of course, if they release it, people will buy it…
I rarely buy DLC myself because I never found any of it neccessary either most of the time it seems like a cash grab by developers
For me there are three kinds of 'DLC'. There is the DLC that is actually new content. There is the DLC that is simply an unlock code for something already on the disc. Then there is the DLC that is kind of a game shortcut, something like the timesaver unlock on Burnout Paradise that let's you immediately unlock the entire garage of cars instead of unlocking them through play, or the various tickets for WKC2 that let you boost the amount of XP, items or gold you get during play.
Then there is the online pass which might technically qualify as DLC, but is quite different to the rest.
I have no problem with new content, and the timesaver style of DLC ticket is purely at the gamer's discretion. That DLC where the content is already on the disc seems like a total rip off to me. The solution is quite simple of course, don't charge extra for stuff that's on the disc already – unless you're selling me a way to unlock something early that I can unlock through play alone. Then I have the option to obtain the thing through play, or by purchasing it.
Too often DLC is announced by game makers prior to the launch of the game, and it seems like the DLC was developed along side the game being released, in which case, it should be part of the game – and free. If DLC comes later and is new content that is developed after the game goes gold and launches, I have less of an issue. It's new, and extra, so I see no reason why the dev should not charge for it.
So, I'll pay for extra scenarios that have to be downloaded, extra characters or skins that are downloaded, or even tickets to boost in-game performance. But I hate paying for something that is already on the disc, but that I cannot get without the DLC code and is simply being unlocked.
the thing i hate more than DLC is 'store exclusive' content. buy from best buy and be robin! buy here and get catwoman! seriously, the f*ck? what if i want to play both? i need to buy two copies of a game? lame lame lame.
DLC is definitely seeing more attention. The reason for this is the same reason I buy DLC, to expand the gaming experience of a game I like.
Anybody who was a fan of Uncharted 2 MP purchased the DLC they had to offer. The maps were great. Same thing goes for any other title. It's simply to expand the experience. Take a look at Dante's Inferno, people buy the new dlc to expand the story.
DLC isn't necessary like many of you have said. Yet for fans of certain titles it's almost a must. The only DLC I just refused to by was for Heavy Rain and I only held back b/c I found out the other dlc portions were canceled.
And yet ND just gave the PSN store away, with everything U2 being free earlier this month , all the 25 or so avatars & bundles, MP modes, golden guns, DLC, chapters 1-4 of their digital comic book called Eye of the Indra(Sp??), etc, etc.
"Now that's what I call, really thanking your fan base"
BTW, The only 1 time I ever bought DLC to add to the game was "The Midnight Show" for The Saboteur. And they only charged $2.99 back then.
Last edited by BikerSaint on 10/19/2011 7:52:23 PM
I will purchase DLC for these two reasons.
First off, if I love the game I usually find myself wanting to continue the experience.
Secondly, I look at supporting the developer behind the game I play.
I really only buy DLC if its story-based. There are very few games I've ever bought multiplayer DLC for, and half of that measly amount of multiplayer DLC I've bought felt like a ripoff. Especially when its announced before the game releases (in which case, it should be in the game on release, or offered for free).
The DLC I really hate though is the kind that's already on the disc (or added to the disc discretely). Take the Bad Company 2 Onslaught Mode for instance. A couple weeks before that released, there was a gigantic 4GB patch that took forever to download. Then when you bought the mode a few weeks later, it was an 8KB download (obviously an unlock code). That really p*ssed me off.
And then there's all this preorder DLC, with different stores offering different pieces of DLC, and you have to wait months after the game's released before they put it on PSN. All that content should be in the game; I don't care if it helps promote the stores, it takes content away from the consumer, and I'd much rather have the K-Mart system anyways (they give you a bunch of money towards another game if you preorder new games there).
And as far as online passes are concerned, I get the general idea for why they're making them, but its truly an unfair system.
So yeah, if I had to give the award for worst new thing of the generation, it'd probably go to DLC. I mean, its practically a dev "screw the customer over" system that's being heavily abused. Too bad so many people are buying into it.
Down Loadable Crap!!
Avoid!!