Bioware still does not get what fans expect from DLC – Video Games Update
Bioware mentioned its plans, much to the disgust of core gamers, on how to monetise the players with Downloadable Content (DLC), Day One Passes and Micro-transactions through an online store.
Bioware stated at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) Europe Key Note that, contrary to all the hate on the internet, gamers actually want day one DLC and the developer believes that it can just give players the choice to get the DLC on the launch day or
get it later whenever they are done with the game.
This statement is completely opposite to the gamer reaction regarding the news that Mass Effect 3 will be getting a day one DLC which will include a bonus mission in which gamers can recruit a Prothean squad mate. Gamers were outraged at this revelation
and complained that such an important character should have already been included in the original game and should not come with an additional $15 price tag.
Fernando Melo, who is the Online Development Director at Bioware, believes the Online Pass to also be another form of day one DLC as it restricts gamers who have bought the used copy of the game from accessing the online multi-player features of the game
unless they are willing to shell out an extra $10 or $15 for the game’s specific online pass.
"If you have five DLC packs at $10 each, you can only ever earn a total of $50, Micro-transactions allow the potential for more player spending, and give gamers the ability of extra ‘choice’. Gamers are actually happier, as they are able to spend money when
they want. People may not want to pay upfront. They may be happier to pay when they are 'in the moment’," stated Melo.
This pretty much sums up the current business strategy Bioware is opting for right now. The only problem here is that it doesn’t go well with the role playing games with long epic story lines that Bioware is famous for. Since gamers who are not willing to
shell out the extra cash for the DLC will not be getting the complete experience and might end up not enjoying the game at all because many important bits are held back for DLC.
Bioware has been getting a lot of hate from gamers after this Key Note and it’s likely that these unethical greedy business practices just might have cost Bioware a large chunk of its fan-base.
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