RIP DLC

Disclaimer: I haven’t lost my mind. This is an attack on game add-ons, not my beloved arcade games. I thought the title was self-explanatory but apparently not. Arcade games are and always will be one of my favourite things in the gaming world. So, without further ado, let’s get to the blog!

Once upon a time, it feels like such a long time ago, games came in complete packages. There wasn’t any option to add stuff in later. If you didn’t get it in the game you had to hope you could use it in the sequel. Then came Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. First we had a smattering of increased difficulties with no added achievements. A great example of this is Kameo: Elements of Power. It was a launch title and therefore got given a few fun downloads for people who had maxed it. Just little items for those who really wanted to master the game, in a time when retail releases had a bit more breathing room. They didn’t cost much and they were fun, but that was unfortunately only the beginning.

Then came the wonders of the “omg! you actually bought that?!” era. A time where every games developer was rubbing their hands with glee after it was discovered that we would buy anything. With a huge amount of (obviously overly wealthy) gamers snatching up Oblivion‘s horse armour (a pointless reskin DLC that over five years later, we are STILL buying!), it appeared that there was nothing we wouldn’t buy.  Cue piles of character skins, “legendary” weapons and other pointless items that us gamers would shell out for. Still, that wasn’t essentially a problem, just a laughable piece of social commentary.

Then came EA‘s domination and lust for, not only wonderful games, but also the maximum profit that could be squeezed from them. Just think of the Mass Effect franchise as a lemon juiced till it’s dry. Just a waxen skin, with a few hanging pips left. Not a drop of juice to spare. Next to it, the equally pitiful sight of the Assassin’s Creed orange. But it wasn’t just EA who made this mangled fruit bowl – they just utilised it on such a scale that those living in Alaska couldn’t help but notice. The point however, was clear. Why make a game complete, when you can sell two thirds of a game at full price and then portion out the rest for more money? It’s obvious business sense, but ludicrously enraging for the common gamer. Suddenly, the marketplace is filled with additional levels, modes and characters… all conveniently ready to go within a week of the game’s release. Are we to honestly believe these items were whipped up that quickly? Not a chance. They just wanted to see if we’d pay for it… and we did.

Downloadable content should give you something new and special. Undead Nightmare, the main DLC for Rockstar‘s Red Dead Redemption is a perfect example of this. The game takes place on the same terrain but everything is reskinned. The zombie hordes require completely new strategies compared to the old gunslinger and it feels like something new. Gone are the days when I thought I should buy all the DLC to complete the story (yes, I’m talking to you, Alan Wake). The story should be complete on its own. Don’t we deserve the maximum bang for our buck?! Anything else added to the game should be different – not just a way to buy more achievements or sell us the level they took out. DLC has stopped adding to games and become a blight on the gaming world. I, for one, am tired of forking over my money because a game is incomplete without it. As far as I’m concerned, DLC is dead. RIP DLC; I can only hope you rise like the phoenix, more wonderful than ever.