You have to love bad DLC, especially when it's as shameless as this. Not only is the upcoming downloadable content for BlazBlue available on Xbox Live before the game's even out, the stuff you can pre-emptively purchase is nothing but stuff already on the disc, and that can be unlocked by playing the main game.
80 Microsoft Points apiece, gullible gamers can pick up "Unlimited" variant forms of characters. Customers are warned before buying that they can unlock the content simply by playing the game, but who wants to PLAY the videogames they just bought? Only a total moron would do that, right?
This kind of DLC is my favorite, as I love the idea of people paying even more money to effectively reduce the value of their games. It's an incredibly lazy, stupid and crap idea for downlodable content, but the fact that real gamers are obviously buying this garbage only justifies such shoddy little schemes. If Arc System Works had any class, it would release a list of names of the people who are buying this nonsense, so sane and sensible people know to avoid the drooling bloody lunatics.
It's kind of sad that developers and publishers have systematically set about ruining the idea of DLC for everybody, but it's the way of business, I guess. I'm just impressed at the sheer gall on display with this one.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
57 comments | showing # 1 to 50
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
7:00 PM on 06.27.2009
| 
Before you had to finish the game to unlock those, but where is the fun in that?
If I could pay $1 to have Baek unlocked as soon as I start playing Tekken 6, instead of having to beat the game with 8 other characters I don't give two shits about just to play as the character I like, I'd probably do it.
Can you tell I hate unlocking characters in games?
I'm all for Digital Distribution and all that nonsense, but it's just another excuse to charge people out the ass for shit that should already be included in the game.
To each their own though, I suppose.
Eric, you mentioned how you would gladly pay for a character if it meant you wouldn't have to spend the time to unlock him. If enough people felt the same way, what's to stop a company from locking more characters for a quick profit?
P.S. I think character locking is bogus too. It shouldn't be there in the first place. All the characters should be unlocked (except unbalanced boss characters. They are okay to have to work for since they aren't part of the main game). Companies mainly lock characters so that the average consumer doesn't think the game will get boring too quickly (not everyone that buys fighting games actually plans to up their skills. Some just see it as something to do till the next big game comes along). It gives them something to do.
This is really weird coming from Aksys games: they risk alienating a ton of fans.
@Gen
I understand your frustration, but you know what you used to do? Hit L2, R2, R2, R1, R1 triangle, then Kazuyka would yell "fight!", and you'd get Baek. Now, you have to pay for them.
What's next, paying for a save system? Paying to access leaderboards? Micro-transactions IN games we love, like Fallout 3 (pay $1.50 for this gun). Oh wait, that's already happening!
DLC threatens to reduce the value of a FIGHTING GAME, a genre whose value can only be found in its competitive multiplayer, by allowing you to opt out of the single player for a price?
This is probably the only kind of DLC I can actually make an argument for being a good idea. Unlocking content for a competitive multiplayer game by grinding the singleplayer is one of the most ridiculous ideas ever in the industry. Even Capcom is starting to realize how stupid unlocks are, see MvC2 on XBLA/PSN. I still don't like the idea of spending money for content already on the disk, but that's a whole lot less evil than having to grind out singleplayer to get to play the real multiplayer game.
It's not like they're DLC-only characters, this is literally adding an option for those who want it, and taking away nothing. You have no case for complaining.
It's cheap, it's completely optional, and you can still have the content without paying for it by putting in a little effort.
Honestly, I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that would have payed a buck to unlock Seth in SFIV so they didn't have to beat the game with every other character to get him.
I did it the hard way, but I understand that there are people out there that buy a fighting game and want to see everything it has to offer without putting in hours of completely MINDLESS and BORING play. Sure it's easy, but beating the computer OVER AND OVER on easy is far from fun.
What is with people being so angry at others for doing whatever they hell they want with their property?
Guess its more of that GAMING IS SERIOUS BUSINESS bullshit. I'm sure the people that buy this are weeping over some random internet folk thinking less of them.
You completely missed the point. We're saying that these used to be cheatcodes when we were younger. Cheatcodes were also optional, yes, but they were FREE.
I'm telling you, characters like Bison/Seth/True Ogre/Justice were all unlockable via cheatcodes you would input at the title screen. Some games STILL have cheat codes (did you know Guitar Hero or Rock Band lets you input a code at the beginning, and unlock every song right away? Probably not).
Anyways, these codes can easily be put into the game, but instead, they're charging you to buy a cheatcode, when even developers like Activision are still putting them in their games, free of charge.
Don't.Ever.Defend.Activision.EVER.
Haha it's one thing they're doing right! The industry moves in cycles: wait 5 years, and they'll pull an EA and deliver some awesome original games, then maybe we'll be burning some other company at the stake.
Cheatcodes aren't the best answer anyway either. If you're playing a multiplayer title, you have to input them every single time you launch a game.
The absolute best solution is to avoid unlocks/cheatcodes altogether and give the gamer access to everything the game has to offer up front. Keep in mind that this is for competitive multiplayer titles, but that's what BlazBlue is.
Perfectly valid argument, but like I said, Activision could have opted for a "$2 complete song unlock", and they didn't. Guitar Hero is also arguably a competitive multiplayer title. I'm just say this is an admirable strategy, and should be emulated more often. They've done this for every Guitar Hero, from 1 through World Tour.
Additionally, like Fistful is getting at above, this is very suspect. Did they decide on this content after-the-fact? If so, why not just make all characters unlocked from the start, or even in online play only just to please the competitive, MP only crowd? (also suggested by Fistful, and others).
I'm not calling people idiots because they purchase them (they're free to do whatever they please), like others might: I'm saying there's no way you can tell me that the Blazblue strategy is better for you, as a consumer, than Guitar Hero's. We may see the ultimate solution soon enough, like you suggested: Rock Band Beatles is shipping with 100% of it's songs unlocked.
I could understand if these were like true addional chracters to BlazBlue but I'll bet you it's just a ticket download.
Also, more fighting games need a "Unlock all chrara" DLC if only to swallow up a load of money from Gaming centers who can use it to get thier games ready in a modicum of the time.
You're not gonna pay someone else to watch a movie for you or read the last chapters of a book do you? Unlocking a character should be a reward. If a game is any good you should have plenty of gameplay even without unlocking everything. For instance Fallout 3. It took me a long time to get the platinum trophy. It was rewarding. But even if I didn't get that Trophy there was more than enough to see and do.
I don't even know if you can use those characters in multi-player. If it's only in single-player I rest my case. Do whatever the fuck you want, if you want to screw your game up that's fine by me. But if it ruins my online experience I will not be happy and never buy those games again.
If I'm playing against someone that has unlocked something very hard I will compliment him or her. It also makes me more determent to get it as well. Now with this bullshit happening I'm will constantly ask myself if they are really that good. But I guess you will know that after one round. I haven't payed attention to this game and I don't know what those 'Unlimited' variants actually do but I hope for the developers that it isn't some really cheap form. Because that would certainly be fucked up for the ones that refuse to buy that crap.
I vote for no unlockable DLC bullshit and no cheatcodes.
I would have payed money to get Seth OUT of SF4
Anyways, the people who buy this DLC should have their LIVE subscriptions suspended for 3 months for being tools. People who buy this DLC are just as stupid as the people who justify Mario Bros. Wii for having 'auto-play'
Capcom's alternate costumes for SF4 weren't unlockable via gameplay, were included on the disc, AND cost more. Here, Arc is offering a way to skip boring unlocks for those people that want to pay for it.
Bitching about this is like complaining that a game was console-exclusive and now no longer is. What's to complain about? It doesn't take anything away from you if you choose to ignore it.
If you're not going to buy them, then they will not affect *your* personal enjoyment of the game...so why would you care?
And btw...this is different than unlockable characters. At least, all of the characters come unlocked from the start...THESE unlockables are just souped-up versions of the same characters that are banned from ranked matches. If Tekken 6: BR ships with locked characters I will be pissed...
Unlocks in a fighting game are basically a "you can't actually play the game in its intended function until you do this set of requirements."
Again, I main Fei Long in SF4, so I lucked out regarding how to unlock him, but what about the people who want to play Gouken?
Having all the required characters is when a fighting game's value BEGINS, not when it ends, and unlocks are only a way to delay seeing that value. Arc is just giving players a way to opt out of the single player grind and get to the real meat of the game for a minimal price ($1 for your main).
A minimal price is $0 by giving people the option to use a cheat code in the game, or just having the characters all unlocked to begin with. This is what developers did for the last, what, two decades before the internet was as common in the average home as a microwave.
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
I'm totally with you with this type of DLC, but what if you want to get together with your friends the day the game comes out, and you realize that you can only play it for a much shorter time because there is so much content hidden away? I was overjoyed to see that Rock Band 2 had a temporary all-song unlock option in it so that we could mess around with all of the new songs the first night I bought it. After that night, I turned off the option and worked on unlocking them the regular way, which no one at a party would want to wait for me to do. In this case, having cheats unlock the full game is a really good option for those who want to use it. And if you don't? Fine, enjoy yourself. I like that option.
That being said, I can see why people would have a problem with it. It could be considered a bit of a slap in the face to work so hard to unlock a certain character, only to discover that every asshat online just paid a dollar to get him.
You don't play fighting games do you? You shouldn't be forced to jump through a bunch of artificial hoops just to play the character you want. Unlocking costumes, items, etc is fine, but the point of fighting games is multiplayer and you can't have a good time in multiplayer if you can't play the character you want to. No one cares about your "omg i worked so hard to unlock him!!!" No one is impressed. In a fighting game, the only way you win respect is by winning in competitive play.
Amp nailed it.
None of you guys are nailing it. The standard should be "all characters are unlocked for online/vs play" by default.
Your contention is "hardcore gamers who earn fighters shouldn't feel good about themselves". Ergo, you're siding with casuals, who just want everything without having to earn it: which is fine. Therefore, why not just have them be free anyways? If you want the game to be more casual, why not offer every character to people who, for instance, have dial up, and cannot sign up for Xbox Live? Why should they be left out because they don't have internet?
You guys are looking at this from a very narrow perspective: casual, hardcore - it doesn't matter. All of us as consumers are getting screwed in the end by charging for unlocks - period. "It's optional" - you know what else is optional? The developer optionally making them all available from the start: it's sleazy business.
I'm not "siding with casuals". I'm siding with allowing people to play the game as it's meant to be played. Some games, primarily single player games, ARE meant to have a work/reward system. Collect all the coins, unlock a fancy hat. Beat a level, unlock a new level. Fine, great. That's how the game is designed and the meat of the game is in that process.
The meat of a fighting game is in the fighting (against other people). My contention is not "hardcore gamers who earn fighters shouldn't feel good about themselves". My contention is that earning fighters is STUPID, in that it's completely beside the point. No one plays fighting games to unlock things and no one is impressed by someone who has unlocked things in a fighting game.
Having all the characters unlocked from the beginning is obviously and trivially the best option (thanks for the tip though). Having a code to unlock them is second best. Having them as free DLC is third, pay DLC fourth. The worst and dumbest approach is forcing players to unlock characters as the only means of getting them.