[PIGMI] DLC and Launch Content

[Matthew Dyet]

So I'd be interested to hear what other developers here think of this, since
I think it's an interesting topic.

 

Mass Effect 3 launches next month, and it's recently been revealed that
there will be launch day DLC that you can purchase (or that you get for free
with the collectors) and its content is pretty important to the games
universe. Not necessarily important just to the story of Mass Effect 3, but
to the story of the Mass Effect universe as a whole.

 

One of the arguments I've seen made (you can see the video I am referring to
here: http://youtu.be/Ri0vrJ-y2zM ) is that any game content that is
complete before the game is released should not be made into DLC, as that
then means the final product of the game is no longer complete. It seems to
assume that making a game is like making a pie, and for any launch day DLC
you are taking a slice of that pie out and selling it separately. Do you see
it like that, or do you see it more like launch day DLC being more like a
smaller pie you make and sell alongside the bigger one?

 

The Mass Effect 3 release day DLC is interesting, because it IS important,
but I am not sure it is important to the central storyline in ME3 so much as
it is important to the Mass Effect universe overall. But because it was
developed in tandem with the game, should it be required content for the
game to be 'complete'? Is removing it and making it DLC at launch
detrimental to the game and leave the core game an incomplete product?

 

I'd personally argue no, but I'm purposefully keeping this as neutral as
possible to start a discussion - not make a statement. I'm more interested
in hearing what everybody else on the PIGMI list thinks. Is the customer
obligated to receive any content you have available when the game is done,
or is it up to the discretion of the developer as to where, when and how a
player gets new content?

 

Cheers,

-Matthew Dyet

Ph: 0466 726 206

Em: mattdyet at iinet.net.au

Web: http://twitter.com/#!/Diomades

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