All aboard the official DLC hate train

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

The use and abuse of DLC by certain publishers to gauge players for extra cash, even after paying full price for a game, has been a constant headache. And one has to wonder how further the madness will go?

bf3 All aboard the official DLC hate train

I remember my first “OMG, WTF is with this DLC BS?!?!” moment; when Ridge Racer 6 came out, which was a launch title for the Xbox 360, the console that ushered in the era of downloadable to augment one’s game. Which sounds great on paper, till one realized that all these extra cars were actually already on the disc and I had just paid extra money to unlock those features… in a game that I already paid $60 for.

And let us not forget the gold armor debacle from Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Anyhow, since then, it’s been a constant source of annoyance, especially when retailers got involved. Some might recall me getting all pissed about how different places from which one pre-ordered Mortal Kombat would offer different bonus DLC, which was enough to make me want to write off the game entirely. Which didn’t happen in the end, plus all the extras would be combined then offered at a relatively cheap price later down the road. Guess enough time had passed in which I didn’t mind, even though I perhaps should have.

Though the source of my annoyance was simply alternate costumes, which means little the grand scheme of the actual game. And pales in comparison with the latest DLC-related drama: EA recently announced that the upcoming (and very much awaited) Battlefield 3 would have a pre-order bonus, the Physical Warfare pack. First off, unless one pre-order from whatever specific retailer (which will be Gamestop, everyone knows this already), they will have to pay extra on day one for an extra map (Back to Karkand). Which is completely absurd to begin with, to force those who didn’t want (or can’t) shop at X store to get something on day that they already paid $60 bucks for.

But the real icing on the cake is how that pre-order bonus supposedly includes weapons and ammo that is not included in the DLC that one can pay for otherwise. So seriously, if you don’t shop at Gamestop, you really are screwed. Hence why, over on Reddit, calls for a boycott has gone into action. Which has included a rundown of everyone’s email addresses of those involved, so folks can directly register a complaint.

The response thus far? Well, tons of game media outlets have picked up on the initiative, and even other game makers have passed along their two cents. As from those that are causing everyone such aggravation, there’s this canned EA customer support response, plus a Q&A on the Battlefield blog from the game’s developers…

Q: Will Physical Warfare Pack imbalance the game?
A: The three exclusive items in the Physical Warfare Pack were specifically chosen not to be overpowered or imbalance or break the game in any way.

Q: Why do I want the Physical Warfare Pack?
A: Owning these items will give you a more varied arsenal, but it will not give you a significant advantage on the battlefield.

Q: Why do you offer pre-order bonus items?
A: Because we believe in rewarding our core fanbase with special offers — such as giving them the Back to Karkand expansion pack at no extra charge.

Will EA blink? They got in similar hot water once before with Bad Company 2… considering how hard they’ve worked to fix their once horrible reputation, as the company that worked its employees to death in order to pump out Madden sequels, would be a shame to see them lose it all.

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