Article: The DLC Debate
Oct 18
The Author
View all posts by carlosjuero (7 Articles)
It is pretty common knowledge now that Dragon Age: Origins will launch with downloadable content (DLC) available on Day 1. This snippet of information has caused some controversy across various forums, people don’t like the idea of a game launching with part of its content requiring additional money to use.
What I am going to attempt to do in this article is explain the facts behind the DLC, and show people what exactly is involved.
First off let us separate what the DLC packs are, and what the pre-order bonus pack items are. There are currently 3 DLC’s planned, and then there are pre-order ‘perks’ that come with various distribution deals of Dragon Age. The 3 DLC packs are:
The pre-order bonuses differ depending on where you pre-order your copy of Dragon Age from, they include such things as the Dalish Promise Ring, Formari Memory Band, Grimoire of the Frozen Wastes, and more. Again, these items are different depending on your purchase source.
Alot of the arguments about the DLC coming out on Day 1 revolve around the idea that BioWare/EA are releasing a game without all of the content and forcing users to pay for the rest of it. This isn’t the way it is though; The DLC are extra content that do not detract from the main story line/quest line if you do not have them – they are nifty little ‘cookies’ that can enhance the game, or not – your choice. The timing is also something that people are focusing on – but it seems that many forget that the game was set to be released in early October to start with, the release date was pushed back (for polishing I believe) and just happened to fall into line with a date that the DLC would be ready.
Now I can see some of you out there nodding your heads and forming the word ‘But…’ – well let me head you off. You will not have to pay extra for this DLC if you don’t want it (I covered that above) and pre-orders and new game purchases receive 2 to 3 of the DLC’s for FREE! Digital Collector Edition (CE) purchases get the best deal receiving all 3 DLC’s (plus any pre-order bonuses) when they purchase the game – ‘Wait, why do they get all the DLC free’ some may ask.. well, you can’t download a cloth map or tin case now can you?
Heres a small matrix of who gets what (basics for DLC only, not pre-order items):
(Disclaimer: Information is confirmed valid for PC game purchases – Console purchase should be the same but the author does not guarantee so. We won’t leave you in the dark though)
Physical Collectors Edition:
- Physical goodies like the cloth map and tin box
- DLC: The Stone Prisoner – a code card redeemable to download this DLC
- DLC: Blood Dragon Armor – a code card redeemable to download this DLC (*Note: This may actually end up being a code added to your account on game registration – details vary between various sources)
- Pre-order bonus item(s)
Digital Collectors Edition:
- DLC: The Stone Prisoner
- DLC: Wardens Keep
- DLC: Blood Dragon Armor (*Note: This may actually end up being a code added to your account on game registration – details vary between various sources)
- Pre-order bonus item(s)
(There is a great graph on this site detailing different Collectors Edition contents)
Normal Physical Purchase:
- DLC: The Stone Prisoner – a code card redeemable to download this DLC
- DLC: Blood Dragon Armor – a code card redeemable to download this DLC (*Note: This may actually end up being a code added to your account on game registration – details vary between various sources)
- Pre-order bonus item(s)
Normal Digital Download:
- DLC: The Stone Prisoner
- DLC: Blood Dragon Armor (*Note: This may actually end up being a code added to your account on game registration – details vary between various sources)
- Pre-order bonus item(s)
As you see, everyone who preorders/purchases the game is getting a majority of the content for free, add to that the fact that the Wardens Keep DLC will only be $7.00 – it isn’t such a bad thing after all now is it?
In closing I would like to urge those of you on the fence about this because of the DLC not to worry; it just happened that the timing for release and DLC release coincided with the pushed back date, and EA/BioWare are making good on it by letting most of it go for free to customers. It isn’t anything you need to play the game, your main game play will not be hindered if you don’t have these content packs – it is just a little extra to add some more fun to the game… because thats what games are all about right? Fun?
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26 comments
Comment by Omegakain on October 18, 2009 at 1:13 am
This was one of those issues that was quickly blown way out of proportion, im glad that theirs official word on it.
Comment by Vault on October 18, 2009 at 1:20 am
i love how they he says "Console purchase should be the same but the author does not guarantee so. We won’t leave you in the dark though"
we've been left in the dark about practically everything to do with the console versions!
Comment by @JusticePie on October 18, 2009 at 6:23 am
I understand the need to release the game at several retailers, but like I said before, it's ridiculous the way they're making us choose who to purchase from. Granted these items (excluding the CE items) will probably be swapped out later in the game, it would be nice to have them all from the very beginning. The only slots that are doubled are the ring slots, but some rings it seems are only for specific races, so maybe they will eventually release 'The Wicked Oath' and other items to all customers at a later date.
Comment by Omegakain on October 18, 2009 at 7:16 am
its the downside of having to mass distribute a game, every company has to give an incentive to buy from them as well. i think you will be right tho, eventually i think we will be able to obtain the other items we lack.
Comment by oxygenx on October 18, 2009 at 9:14 am
too bad there is no collectors edition for consoles here in germany.
Comment by YuCheng on October 18, 2009 at 5:35 pm
This is show
STEAM Digital Deluxe Edition not have “Making of documentary”.
(Bonus DVD not in digitial, STEAAM WAB not have Making of documentary,
just only soundtrack and Wallpapers.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/901037/
)
It is true??
I want Making of documentary.
So I should buy physical.
Comment by TheBeerPeople on October 18, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I honestly dont mind DLC in the game. it will just had that extra replay ability into the game for the cost of a kids meal at Burger King or something like that. But im not planning on downloading any DLC (even the free ones) until im done with my first playthrough. and if im lucky, they will have some DLC pack discounted so i can get that instead of buying a few at a time.
(and didnt they move the game back from mid october due to “logistic issues”…not that it matters since it was delayed none the less)
Comment by Omegakain on October 18, 2009 at 4:07 pm
i can agree with you on that point, except i will go ahead and download the dlc that comes free with the game just on the off chance that the code stops working for whatever reason. but im looking forward to the stuff in the wardens keep, but still cheers on your understanding.
Comment by Ryan Hollingsworth on October 18, 2009 at 4:14 pm
DLC is great for adding additional gameplay to an already great game, despite what game it may be… The only thing I think I'd like to see that I haven't seen already suggested, is the option to possibly purchase the bonus items like Bregan's helmet, if the gamer so chooses. Personally, I probably wouldn't, but the option would be nice– although it would make it less "special" for those who pre-oredered.
Comment by CaK on October 18, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I'm pretty sure that all the bonus item from the pre-orders will be available for everyone once the game is out for a while …
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 18, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Considering DLC's are "extra" and "optional" I don't even see what the fuss is about. Sure it might grate someone to pay for those extra pieces off eyecandy and goodies those DLC's will bring. But like the author off the article says, your game won't be hampered by not having them.
Comment by Omegakain on October 18, 2009 at 4:41 pm
you have hit the heart of the matter. many felt like it was things that had been removed :( which obviously is not the case.
Comment by Ryan Hollingsworth on October 18, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Unfortunately, people aren't always as intelligent as we'd like them to be…
I can see the viewpoint of the fan saying they're taking away content to get "extra money;" however, I believe that taking away anything from the story would not be in accordance to Bioware's foundations as a developer. "Story based gaming" implies that story is the fore-focus of the company, and it's their awesome story telling that keeps me invested in their products :)
Comment by Omegakain on October 18, 2009 at 5:19 pm
True and as they have stated and shown, they haven't removed anything, they just had more time to create. and by giving away the stone prisoner to anyone who purchases a new copy, they are effectively giving back the only piece of content that at any point in development had ties to the main storyline. and now i think ill back over to the forums, this could be a interesting discussion and more :) i invite all of you to join me their as well :)
Comment by Daranir on October 18, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Any word on the DLC/bonus content situation in the UK, specifically whether /all/ new copies of the game get the Blood Dragon Armor and The Stone Prisoner?
None of the retail sites (amazon.co.uk, play.com, game.co.uk etc) list these as being included in the normal retail version.
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 18, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Have you tried the EA store?
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 18, 2009 at 6:30 pm
On second thought you probably want a physical copy. But if you don't mind the digital copy, which includes basically everything extra that can be downloaded. EA store is probably the easiest way to go.
Comment by Daranir on October 18, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Even the EA store’s version of the normal edition doesn’t mention BDA and TSP. UK gamers are already being ripped off with content being missing from the Digital Deluxe Edition thanks to EA’s collusion with GAME – this makes me worry that things may be even worse than I feared.
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 18, 2009 at 7:02 pm
You should probably give the EA store a poke, because the digital deluxe edition should contain all DLC's plus the armor. I pre-ordered my digital copy from the Norwegian section off the EA store. And it listed up everything that should follow it.
Comment by Daranir on October 18, 2009 at 9:47 pm
The UK DDE does include the Stone Prisoner and the Blood Dragon Armor, it’s the normal download version (and the normal physical versions) that don’t mention them, when they’re supposed to be included in /all/ new copies.
The issue with the UK DDE is that it doesn’t include Bergens Honour, Grimoire of the Frozen Wastes and Final Reason, which the US DDE (don’t know about other regions) does include because they’re exclusive to GAME’s physical Collector’s Edition. So rather than GAME making their edition better, they’ve colluded with EA to reduce the value of the DDE other retailers can sell in the UK. Which is absolutely unacceptable to me, so GAME will not be seeing any more of my money.
So if I’m not buying the CE from GAME, and I don’t want to buy a de-valued DDE (even if those 3 missing items are relatively minor), then I’m left with the normal edition (and probably paying a few pounds for Warden’s Keep). But if even that’s missing content that it should have (The Stone Prisoner and the Blood Dragon Armor), then I won’t be buying the game at all.
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 19, 2009 at 12:00 am
I don’t see how you can think the DDE being devalued considering you get extra items and an exta DLC to compensate for the things you miss out on from the physical CE.
Comment by Daranir on October 19, 2009 at 12:06 am
It’s devalued compared to the DDE in the US, with those three items removed in order to make GAME’s CE better value in comparison.
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 18, 2009 at 10:40 pm
The DDE I ordered from the Norwegian EA store contains:
Memory Band
Band Of Fire
The ME2 Armor
Warden's Keep
Stone Prisoner & Bergen's Honour
Grimmoire Of The Frozen Waste & Final Reason
DAO Backgrounds and music.
And I don't see any logic explaination why the UK EA store shouldn't offer the same. Especially not since the US and more regions off the EA store does offer them with the purchase of a DDE version off the game. I'd still advise to have a chat with the people at the UK EA store, and/or reading more carefully on the product info on the DDE.
Comment by budrojr on October 19, 2009 at 12:23 am
"…it just happened that the timing for release and DLC release coincided with the pushed back date…"
This is supposed to make me feel better about it? DLC was still planned, created, and then foolishly announced before the game was published, and people justifiably believe that it could've and should've made it into the game proper.
Regardless of who is "right" about this issue, the company is now having to defend themselves to a public that feels somewhat betrayed/milked. Their strategy should've been to delay the announcement and release of the DLC for a couple of weeks or so, and then spring it on people. If no one had known about this scheduling snafu, no one would've been angry. People might've instead formed the opinion that the company was working day and night to bring them the best content and most fun for the best price. Bad decisions were made, and now this is basically a PR issue.
There are lessons to be learned all around.
Comment by Nils Jørgen on October 19, 2009 at 1:21 am
The whole discussion/argument/issue/problem or whatever you wanna call it, is completely pointless to be perfectly honest.
The reasons why have been stated several times both by the original author, me and others. Sometimes I wonder if the world banned normal hobbies when I wasn't looking.
Comment by Phantom6612 on October 22, 2009 at 11:18 pm
I have to agree with budrojr. It really is a matter of bad timing and perception. If they announced and released the DLC after the game, perhaps a month or two later, it would have looked a lot better, and there would be fewer people irritated.
Its also a matter of people wanting to save money where they can. Depending on the version, people are spending around $50 – $65 for Dragon Age already. Yes, they have the option of not buying the extra content. But that goes back to the image of getting an "unfinished" game or Bioware holding back content that could have easily been put onto the game if the first place. So, to some people, they now have to spend even more to fix this "unfinished" game.
Do I completely agree with that point of view? No. Do I agree with the day one content? No.
As I said, its a matter of perception. And day one content doesn't look good. It'll cause a bit of an "uproar" at the moment, which PR may try to handle. But over time people may forget.
I know I'll probably end up getting the content at some point anyway. Possibly even before my first play-through. Because its Bioware, I have decent faith that it will be pretty good stuff.