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Stop complaining about DLC pricing. Don't like it? Don't buy it.
Downloadable content (DLC) is a hot topic that everyone seems to have an opinion about. The latest stir has been over Resident Evil 5, as many have claimed that the download simply unlocked content that was already on the disk itself. Gamers seem to find it unfair that Capcom would charge for something that is already in the retail build of the game.
At first glance, this line of thinking seems very logical. After all, why are we paying for work that has already been done? We just forked over 60 dollars to Capcom for their game. Why do we have to pay an extra five for an extra mode that seems to be on the disk in the first place?
To quell some of the uproar, Capcom actually came out with a statement saying the content was not on the disk. They claimed that most of the assets were in place, but the code for the extra mode was completely and fully in the content that was for sale via the paid download. People who tempered their argument with the idea that DLC should only cost money if it is something extra that the developer did outside of the retail version of the game lost footing for their argument.
So the question must be posed. If content is already on the disk, should companies be able to charge more money for it? Though I know this won’t be the most popular opinion around, I believe companies have a right to charge for additional content, even if it ships on the retail version of the disk. I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out.
If you can play a game from start to finish without having to purchase any additional content, the game company has done its job. Most of the time, the extras that are available for download aren’t required, and are therefore only downloaded at the consumer’s discretion. Examples of this are extra costumes, characters, weapons, or bonus levels. No one needs to purchase these items, and the honest truth is most gamers won’t get that much out of these extras beyond what the game itself had to offer. Sometimes larger, more expansive items are available for download. The Shivering Isle pack for Oblivion comes to mind. And once again, it can be said that you really do not need to download this to appreciate Oblivion (just ask yourself if you’ve seen everything there is to see in Oblivion – if you have, the perhaps the Shivering Isle is for you, but most people haven’t seen a fraction of what this game offers). Because these additions are not required, and they are additional for the game, it costs money to make them. These companies deserve money in return.
On a different take of the same idea, game companies regularly release limited editions of their games. These games can cost anywhere from $10 to $30 dollars (and sometimes more) over the cost of the game by itself. These limited edition games generally come with trinkets and collectables to put on your desk or throw in a drawer, but they also usually come with additional game content. Why aren’t people complaining about these limited edition games in the same way they are complaining about DLC? It’s the same principle – we, as consumers, pay more money for additional content. There’s no difference. In fact, most of the time, the additional content that comes with these limited edition games has to be downloaded (genreally, with a key that comes with the game).
The bottom line is, if you do not like the price, do not buy the content. Companies do not have to offer these extras, and we as gamers are not entitled to them. We got what we paid for, which is a complete game that can be played from start to finish without any additional extras. Don’t want to support Sagat wearing Chun-Li’s Street Fighter Alpha pants? I wholeheartedly understand. And you don’t have to.
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