Online gaming consoles have become the norm, paving the way for downloadable content great and small. But how much are you prepared to pay for more vehicles, weapons and available quests? There’s more to today’s videogame blockbusters than meets the eye, or indeed your bank card. What you receive in the box, or upon downloading the main game onto the console hard drive, is rarely the complete experience any more. Faster rides, cooler companions, entire continents and additional gameplay modes are being reserved for online purchase and they’re not always cheap. After spending the best part of £50 for a new game, the most passionate gamers might expect to own all they need to get the most out of the thing. Before games consoles ventured online, this is how it always was. The latest ‘Resident Evil’, ‘Gran Turismo’ or ‘Street Fighter’ would offer up new content unlocked by playing the game skilfully or simply for perseverance. Dedication brought its own rewards. Realising there’s more to enjoy from your favourite game that’s a mere click away and a few minutes to download is exciting. But which would you prefer; to know that you already own and paid for all you’ll ever need to be entertained, or that sooner or later there will be at least one add-on to pay for? It may seem like I’m making a case for the former, but genuinely I’m no longer certain. This past Christmas I spent approximately £13 on extras for games that I already own, in one case to tackle new multiplayer maps with my mates, and in the other to extend a favourite adventure. I also quite fancied changing the look of my in-game associates, so shelled out for that too. As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed getting more from my games, I couldn’t decide whether I felt treated or cheated. And this is why I’m throwing out the question to other gamers today. Here are some examples of recent add-on content for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 games via their respective PlayStation Store and Xbox LIVE Marketplace online services. You decide whether they’re worth it, and it would be great to have you come back with your thoughts. Xbox360 ‘Halo Reach’, Noble Map Pack, 800 Microsoft Points (approx £7) Three multiplayer maps suited to different types of game mode because of their complexity and size. ‘Fable 3’, Understone quest, 400 Microsoft Points (approx £3.50) This is a new realm to free from tyranny then add to your kingdom. The mission takes about an hour. ‘Fable 3’ Dog breed pack, 240 Microsoft Points (approx £2) Change the appearance of your devoted friend to Doberman, Alsatian or Poodle (pink or white). PlayStation 3 ‘Red Dead Redemption’, Liars and Cheats, £7.99 New multiplayer mode; hunting grounds; rifle; poker and dice games; horse races and rival gangs. ‘Skate 3’, San Van Party Pack, £5.10 A new area to skate featuring ‘Marraffa Skate Park’ for party play with ledges, stairs and handrails. Buzz! Quiz TV’, The '80s Quiz, £3.99 Hundreds more questions based on trivia relating to life in the 1980s, when everyone wore white. http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/blog/article/21156/online-extrastreated-or-cheated.html
EA has perfected the art of holding back content that was made before release and releasing it as DLC.. but thats EA.
personally i would easily pay a shed loads for dlc e.g if ... IF that is yen and yang comes to consoles im defo buying and would gladly buy for high price ...... yes they are sorta cheating the consumers and sucking even more money but tbh its your decision to buy it ....... if less people bought it then less dlc will come out .. but thats not the case .... sooo :/
look at dlc for dragon age 2..... i mean stuff like awakening or undead nightmare is justifiable but others are just no. bioware/ea is the worst offenders with their downloadable characters ...its just fail.
yeah thats why i aint buying any DLc for NFS, EA have like 3 DLc packs out already. jokers. bungie are kings of DLC though, half the time its free too.
