Free Dragon Age DLC: IF You Purchase The Game New

I feel there are plenty of developers out there who are taking advantage of DLC. Certain features that are typically expected to be available on the disc. EA and Capcom are definitely guilty of this in my book.

Though, I'm usually against used game sales. Once I started working for a software company where piracy is an issue (although different from used sales), this subject tend to hit too close to home.

Look at it this way. Is DLC available on day one of purchase? Then it was probably cut from the game for 2 reasons.

1. Still had bugs and simply was not ready. OR
2. Publisher is trying to get more money off the title by charging for 'extra' content.

Some developers are actually making good use of this; See Epic Games' Unreal Tournament 3.

If EA were to use this method from this point forward, I would have less hate for them.

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I know I will get some thumbs down for this but this game doesn't look all that great. I watched a gameplay video of it and the game just doesn't do anything for me.

Sounds like a good idea to get people to preorder and not buy the game used.

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Last edited by vicious54 on 8/13/2009 11:47:45 AM

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same here, I will just simply skip this game; on the other hand, will hop onto Demon's Souls, grab it tight and will not let it go. lol

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Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 8/13/2009 1:27:00 PM

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I'm tired of the used games are bad for the industry debate.

You don't see people knocking the reselling of records, CDs, DVDs, or books in the second-hand market. The record companies, book publishers, or film companies or recording artists, writers, or movie studios don't receive a dime from used sales either. But I don't hear you screaming about that. Why? This, too, takes rightly earned money out of the pockets of these parties.

It is just simply accepted.

I believe most of the vehemence on this topic, by the readers of this site, as well as other sites, stems from GameStop and its used game practices. Get over it folks.

I rarely see people attack used book stores like The Strand. Hell, even libraries cut into book sales and DVD sales by loaning out free copies. No one complains about this. Why? Because it's free. But it, too, takes money out of the writers' and publishers' pockets.

As for me, I never sell any of my games because I want to keep my collection whole. I, however, hope the used game market continues to flourish and thrive, both at GameStop and Ebay (and other places), because it is a great way for me to stretch my gaming dollar and buy games I would never otherwise consider. It is also a great way to build up a sizable collection.

The ironic thing is that most of those screaming the loudest have probably pirated a favorite song or a game before, ironic isn't it?

As for my opinion on this DLC phase we're in, it is my opinion, without a doubt, that a majority of publishers are withholding levels, scenarios, and other content from the final version to realease at another date.

Whether or not this means they are releasing games earlier because they don't need to hold the game back for that last third of the game since they now have a few extra months to polish that content up as DLC, I don't know. But it is an easy way to milk the consumer.

Hell, look at Fallout 3. If you buy all five DLCs, you would spend $110 on the complete game. What PS3 owner in their right mind is going to pay that when they can wait a few months for the GOTY edition and get all five DLCs for $50-$60?

A decade ago, all of this content would have shipped on the disc.

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Can't argue with that. The stifling of the PC game market continues... My gaming is geared more to older titles and less to recent ones. Even Starcraft 2 and CnC4 have little of my interest. This "cutting room floor" DLC milkjob and DrM anti-resell cluster grope is only getting worse. I an interested to see how bad this gets on the console games in the coming years.

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Here here! I agree 100% with your post.

For some reason some people seem to think that game developers & publishers are some poor schmucks begging for coins on street corners, and not the multi-billion dollar industry it has grown to be in the last few years.

And somehow, game companies are apparently the only market that deserves to be supported by your hard-earned dollars by buying it brand new, preferably as expensive as possible - so don't DARE to wait for a sale, for then you're not supporting the precious game developers!!

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@Ovirsman

Fully agree. I want to add something though, when I feel like supporting some devel (like Sony's first/second party) I buy the game new. However pre-owned is a definitely option if it saves me a chunk of money and/or I dont want my money go to certain developer/publisher.

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Last edited by raztad on 8/13/2009 6:38:51 PM

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Me too. I'm selective with my new purchases, normally Sony exclusives.

I bought R2, K2, LBP, Infamous, and SFIV new because I wanted Sony to get the sales, even though it killed me to see them used a few weeks later at GameStop because there was either a B2G1 sale on or because I had a 25% off coupon (on top of my 10% Edge discount).

If I had waited I probably could have bought each of those games used for $35... $140 used versus $240 new.

The next new games I buy are probably GT5, Uncharted 2, GoWIII, and Heavy Rain.

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What really perks my ears about this article is the Mass Effect 2-compatible DLC.

Does this mean that the PS3 version of the DLC wont feature this cross-compatibility, or does it point to the imminent release of a PS3 version of the game? eh?

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I noticed that too in the earlier reports on the premium preorder incentives.

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"...As a result, gamers are starting to slam EA and Bioware, because it does seem somewhat greedy." -- There is no doubt about it. Screw all the greedy ass.

"..Is this just another example of game makers taking advantage of DLC, and therefore, taking advantage of the gamers, too?" -- Surely, I am so pissed about this trend of practices, therefore I bought none of add-on, never want to pay any extra for some sort of pack online.

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Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 8/13/2009 1:24:22 PM

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Buying games from EA seems to always have some sort of trap attached these days.

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I think this is brilliant. You're still getting the game if you buy it second hand you just don't get the Bioware "gift" of a little extra content for having bought new.

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we'll never know. we can only speculate.

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EA' did this with NBA Live 2009's Live365 feature. the game came with a code to activate the feature. If u brought it pre-owned, u could have update the rosters unless u downloaded it from PSN or XBLA for $20.

I think Gears2 did something similar with the multiplayer maps.

Good ideas to promote buying new. I see no problem here. But I know that all these incentives for Dragon Age won't apply for the PS3 version. Its a PC game 1st, console game 2nd.

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Last edited by King James on 8/13/2009 3:46:31 PM

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Haven't been hyped about this game, but lets hope they release enough DLC codes for everyone.

I'm more hyped about Demons Souls Can't wait. I think Dragon age is a rental or a wait till the price goes down.

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