The issue of downloadable content being sold on the same day as the videogame it’s attached to has been a thorny and contentious one for quite some time. Mass Effect 3 may be where the controversy came to a head, with many customers raging at EA’s DLC practices. However, developer BioWare thinks the anger is overblown — claiming many fans want the content.
“Contrary to what you might hear on the internet, fans do want more content. They tend to say, ‘I want it now,'” said BioWare’s Fernando Melo at GDC Europe. “The problem with day one content and the challenge around it is that the right answer for now is different for every player. There is no single right time, there is no single now. It’s subjective, and it’s unique to every player.”
Melo said that a large number of players never finish BioWare games, so having the DLC available at launch provides flexibility for the user.
“In that case, you’re making it available on their time. They choose when to pick that up. It’s not based on us. It’s not based on some first-party release schedule. It’s there, if they want it they can pick it up day one. If they don’t, they can wait until they’ve finished their game.”
I’ve always liked the concept of DLC, but I really do think the market has been saturated to a ridiculous degree with the amount of content being held back, especially when it’s stuff that used to be free, like cheats. In any case, the DLC debate will likely continue to rage, no matter who wants the content at launch.
BioWare Explains Day One Downloadable Content [IGN]
