So over the past week or so there have been a lot of rantings and ravings and over all complaints about the issue of DLC in the gaming industry. So quick lesson here.
DLC stands for DownLoadable Content in which a consumer has the option to purchase more content for a game that they may happen to like playing. This content doesn't affect the overall experience but could be and is usually a vehicle for one just to expand the nature of the game they are playing. Like everything else in a money driven economy - You don't have to buy it if you don't want it. For a bit more on the sordid history of this topic click here.
Mass Effect 3 (dropping next week BTW) has a collectors edition and inside this soon to be monument of a game is DLC called 'From Ashes" in which you go back to Eden Prime and pick up a Prothean team member. Now this extra piece of content is also available for everyone to purchase separately from the main game for an extra $10.00. So even if you didn't pre-order the CE or can get your hands on it next week you can still get one of the main draws - which is the DLC.
So there are two sides to this issue. Ya ready?
Side normal - You don't have to buy this content. As it doesn't affect the main story. Yes there's some spoilers there. Yes it costs money. However if you don't want it then don't give Bioware/EA/digital content your money.
Side "Butt-hurt dweller" - How dare they release information about a game that I want to play so bad before it even gets here! How dare that tell me that they want money for their work! How dare they try to expand upon something I like enough to spend money on! I'm gonna say I'm boycotting this product but I'm a butt hurt dweller and can't not know what happens in this game!
In fairness a "Butt-hurt dweller" is really just worried about the integrity of the story and that they aren't being ripped off by being forced to purchase more content to actually get the full version of the story. I've been hearing a lot of the above opinion and it saddens me that people are judging everything before they've truly spent any money.
My real point of view on this is that it's wonderful to have the option to get the content that typically wouldn't be available except within a collectors edition. If you want it - you can have it! Now I don't need to truly pull my hair out looking for a collectors copy just because I don't wanna miss anything. If I'm a consumer I feel like I should always have the option but that I should always have the ability to say that "I'll keep my money for something else that looks like its worth my time and money".
