4 ms·

Which is funny b/c I remember around 2008-2010ish, my 'has every game console but might play a PC game once in a while' friend went on a tirade about how Expans

Which is funny b/c I remember around 2008-2010ish, my 'has every game console but might play a PC game once in a while' friend went on a tirade about how Expansion packs for PC games were the reason DLC was so prevalent. [1] My response was that the Tie Fighter Expansion he was referenced was 20$, had -hours- of content (On top of extra replay value for existing missions) and while not 'half' of the game, was a far better value than DLC of that time. (Looking at you, AC2 extra missions) [1] - My date/timing might be off, but to frame, this was when.. -some- game (Might have been a Resident Evil 5 versus mode) had DLC that was primarily on disc based on the size of the download. I think modern 'Mission Packs' tend to be cash grabs, at least in the sense of they usually are a lot lower value than the core game.

Sakos 4y ago
I wasn't clear at all about what I meant, sorry. DLC is what the expansions of the 90s and early 00s turned into, imo. They realized they could make expansions smaller and smaller and smaller and still ask for a similar amount of money and effectively print money. The logical conclusion of that evolution is ridiculous crap like buying a $25 costume or modern Tekken asking you to buy individual characters.
- to11mtm 4y ago
  > They realized they could make expansions smaller and smaller and smaller and still ask for a similar amount of money and effectively print money. Oh I 100% agree, might have worded it too cynically/nihilistically. They get to make money on all ends as lazily as possible. i.e. in the late 90s, the publishing model meant that you had to pack everything together at once. You wanted to make sure an expansion was worth buying for as many people as possible. Now, Publishers have realized that two things: 1. The 'Casual' folks will possibly buy one or two DLC things, and the heavy separation of DLC content drives their analytics for future work. DLC that gets 'wacky' or does things that are a bit disparate from other DLC is a tell for this IMO. 2. The 'Hardcore' folks that are obsessed with a franchise will grit their teeth at the markup resulting from splitting things up.

Sakos 4y ago

I wasn't clear at all about what I meant, sorry. DLC is what the expansions of the 90s and early 00s turned into, imo. They realized they could make expansions smaller and smaller and smaller and still ask for a similar amount of money and effectively print money. The logical conclusion of that evolution is ridiculous crap like buying a $25 costume or modern Tekken asking you to buy individual characters.

to11mtm 4y ago
> They realized they could make expansions smaller and smaller and smaller and still ask for a similar amount of money and effectively print money. Oh I 100% agree, might have worded it too cynically/nihilistically. They get to make money on all ends as lazily as possible. i.e. in the late 90s, the publishing model meant that you had to pack everything together at once. You wanted to make sure an expansion was worth buying for as many people as possible. Now, Publishers have realized that two things: 1. The 'Casual' folks will possibly buy one or two DLC things, and the heavy separation of DLC content drives their analytics for future work. DLC that gets 'wacky' or does things that are a bit disparate from other DLC is a tell for this IMO. 2. The 'Hardcore' folks that are obsessed with a franchise will grit their teeth at the markup resulting from splitting things up.