Preorder DLC

Opinions on this?

Its becoming almost the norm now. I'm trying to be neutral to avoid this being seen as a complaint thread, but I want to know what other people think about it.

Fine by me as long as the content isn't exclusive, but overall I could do without it (I don't generally pre-order anyway).

Well its usually it is exclusive content.

Battlefield 3 just announced Preorder DLC that is exclusive....in a multiplayer competitive game.

Hate it hate it hate it.

Dumbo

As long as its something that's either purely cosmetic (say, mounts in World Of Warcraft) or it comes out latter for everyone I'm fine with it.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

I never play DLC anyways, so . . .

That's Feo . . . He's a disgusting, mysoginistic, paedophilic asshat who moonlights as a shitty writer—Something Awful

It's...like only giving a completed game to those who pre-ordered...

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

I'm definitely not a fan of of it. It seems like whatever is being split up as preorder bonuses among X number of stores could have simply been integrated into the actual game at the time of its release, but wasn't just to fetch a few extra bucks. It's a pretty stingy business transaction if you ask me.

"Oh no, Sanji's Chronic Simprosis!" - Kou The Mad

If it's merely cosmetic and just a cool little thing, I'm fine with it. If it's something that can have an effect on a multiplayer game then it's a bit shady.

The cosmetic rewards (i.e. And Your Reward Is Clothes) are okay, they essentially replace feelies for the digital era. The non-cosmetic ones... case-by-case basis, because all those "get extra exp!" thingamabobs a lot of MP-oriented games do are, essentially, abhorrent pandering =)

Videogames do not make you a worse person... Than you already are.

No, feelies are physical things. Alternate costumes would be unlockable content otherwise. Actual feelies as a preorder gift I'm fine with, but Preorder DLC takes away stuff you would have gotten otherwise :( Not that I expect this to change though.

Dumbo

I like it because it's a not-especially-harmful way to encourage people to buy the games new as opposed to used. Better than DRM and such. It's protecting their interests while not really harming their customers.

edited 24th May '11 5:38:27 AM by Clarste

Yes but it's one thing to give additional content to players who buy it new instead of used and another thing to lock out whole dlc content from players who didn't preorder it.

Personally I'm against preorder dlc- preorder dlc was part of the reason I preordered DA 2 and I massively regretted that purchase. If you want to avoid used sales then just make the content available for new owners- but don't make it unavailable unless you preordered the game without the opportunity to see if it was any good based on reviews and community responses.

I think it's specifically to drive up preorders, isn't it? Otherwise they could just put a code in each copy. Although I guess launch sales are important.....do pre-orders tell publishers how much stock they need to produce, or such?

Dumbo

I know Gamestop doesn't ship new games to stores without pre-orders. So I'd imagine they're very important for determining how much stock to buy.

I think DiRT 3 has the right idea: Pre-ordering on Steam gives you a free copy of the second game.

"Hipsters: the most dangerous gang in the US." - Pacific Mackerel

Same as all DLC: Shit.

This really bugs me, especially when the pre-order DLC is already on the disc, like in Mortal Kombat.

I've got two guns pointed west and a broken compass.

Not a fan, or of DLC in general. Single player games should not be pay-as-you-play, especially when the shelf price is a ripoff anyway.

They also punish you for being a smart customer who waits before buying.

Also if they only are made from Gamestop, or whatever, it reeks of Monopoly "Hey want the cool thing? Better buy it here and not anywhere else!"

Depends on the stuff. For example: Fallout New Vegas has four seperate preorder sets that was dependant on where you preorder. The catch is, though they each gave you a unique weapon and armor and a few pick me ups it was all irrelevant after your first hour or so of play due to the stuff getting outclassed.

Even so, I still wish they would release preorder bonuses alongside some ultimate edition or something. It ain't right that I permanently miss out on an item because I didn't get the game within a certain timeframe.

#IceBearForPresident

I dislike it. There are precious few games that I have sufficient faith in to actually pre-order. I want to see reviews and actual gameplay before I lay out money on something. Preorder DLC exists to encourage the opposite, to lay out money for an unproven game and secure some profit even if the game winds up utterly blowing.

"Tyyr's a necessary evil. " Spirit

I heard the Canteen was pretty useful.

Dumbo

I don't mind little preorder DLC if it's done the Mass Effect 2 way (OK, so it's buy new vs. used, but still.) where you get a little bonus, it's like a little 'thank you' from the developers.

I don't really care about the MK example, it's klassic costumes and they all look crap.

I do mind if they start going to EA Online Pass route, i.e. locking out all of the online features to people who don't buy new.

Curse the ill fortune that led you to me.

ALL DLC, pre-order or not, is either:

1) if an essential part of the game, something that should have been included in the initial purchase

2) if it isn't essential, then it doesn't add anything to the game other than filler and not worth the money

Preorder DLC also has a nasty habit of being some overpowered piece of equipment that is just lying around in your inventory when you start the game, rather than meaningful new content. See: FNV, ME 2, Divinity 2.

I don't have a problem with free DLC though, but I liked it better when they called it 'patches'.

Incredibly poorly made. It had a little text box pop up every few minutes telling you you took a sip. It's not manually filed and used, and the text box pops up event during the ending.

edited 25th May '11 6:54:06 AM by Mammalsauce