The Extra Mile vs. the Extra Dollar

Downloadable content is the bane of value in the video game world. Since this current generation of consoles began there's been a slow but consistent shift in game development, one that is driving items that were once considered to be in-game unlockables to now be for purchase perks. Downloadable content is an add-on for a purchased video game and has grown to include game maps, costumes, props, skins, weapons, missions, and extra characters. More and more these items are being left out of the 'completed' product that hits retail shelves to be repackaged as an extra purchase later.

It didn't always used to be this way. Before Sony's and Microsoft's online infrastructures were in place, downloadable content (DLC) was packaged in game. It was a mark of a good developer if they included extra game modes and content on the disc or cartridge that was sold to consumers. If they did any less, it could have been considered laziness on their part. Now it is par for the course for DLC to be sold after a game's release date. This may be to combat used game sales or simply to get the developer an extra dollar. Occasionally companies will package DLC codes in new copies of the game, adding incentive to buy new. Now, DLC isn't necessarily a bad thing. But one can tell a lot about the game developer if you look at how they market their game compared to their downloadable content.

Players got their money's worth if they bought Red Dead
Redemption's "Undead Nightmare" DLC.

An example of good DLC handled correctly is Rockstar's "Undead Nightmare", which was an add on for the Red Dead Redemption video game. Undead Nightmare adds a significant amount of content to an already massive game, creating new missions, appearances, and enemies. It was almost an entirely different, but still enjoyable, experience that took the developer extra time and resources to create. It was an extra product, therefore it makes sense that it might cost extra.

A company that is milking the DLC cow for all it's worth is Activison, who own the Call of Duty series. Their most recent iteration of the hit series is Modern Warfare 3 (MW3), which encourages subscription to the multiplayer stat-tracking service ELITE. ELITE subscriptions cost the same price of the game and include automatic access to certain features, DLC maps, and new game types. Multiplayer is a significant portion of the game's experience, so ELITE has become a popular service. But when one compares the content provided in MW3's ELITE to another popular shooter, in this instance Bungie's Halo: Reach, it becomes clear that ELITE is an example of the developer choosing profit over value. Many of the services ELITE provides Bungie already gives to their players, such as stat-tracking and new game types. Reach also provides a map editor on the disc, allowing for infinite maps to be created. So while yes, Reach does have maps as DLC, they aren't the sole way players can obtain new content. Bungie granted players the tools to entertain themselves endlessly, whereas Activison wants players to pay them for such content.

DLC isn't going anywhere. So long as the internet exists, DLC will remain. Like it was in the days before the consoles were all connected, it will be up to the developers to show what they value more, the players or the profits. Good game developers will include more on disc, make their games more easy to purchase, and worry less about gouging the online communities for all their worth. It's the consumer's responsibility to make smart purchases and support the right game makers, lest nothing halt the course games are on.