We’ve all been there haven’t we? Browsing our favourite digital store whilst on the hunt for our next gaming adventure, before spotting that Deluxe Edition, Complete Edition or even the typical Season Pass that we just can’t say no to – only to find several weeks or months later that there’s some new DLC on the horizon that simply isn’t included in our supposed ‘complete version’, and that we’ll need to stump up further cash if we wish to get in on the true complete experience.
For me personally this has been an issue that has reared its ugly head on several occasions over the years. A good example can usually be found with the yearly Forza releases, with multiple car packs or expansions arriving long after the content that’s given to owners of the pricey Ultimate Edition has dried up. Is this extra content bundled in for those early buyers though? No. Instead those wanting to get in on the extra action with their favourite games are faced with further costs on top of the base game, many of which can take the price well into triple figures for a single game.
It’s not just Forza though and a quick look on the Microsoft Store can see many different examples of this: Call of Duty Black Ops 3 and the failure to include the Zombie Chronicles DLC for free to owners of the Deluxe Edition; Destiny with the Rise of Iron expansion not included in the Expansion Pass, and even, Hitman with the recent Game of the Year Upgrade Pack that asks for an extra purchase for the latest content even if you’re one of the owners of The Complete First Season.
Is It acceptable though? Should we get everything the game has to offer with a one-time payment of the supposed ‘best version’ of a game, or should we just accept further costs as a thing of the future and disregard the meaning of a complete or deluxe edition?
Whilst the overall answer will depend on the individual, it’s fair to say that not every developer and publisher is of the same opinion, with some still keen to give players the full experience with their initial purchase. As recently as April 2017, the release of Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 was found to be bundling every sale with a copy of the Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 Season Pass for no extra cost, in a bid to ensure every player got to experience every piece of content that’s set to release for the game.
This wasn’t the only case either and just weeks later we had the surprising news that EA would be continuing the trend they started with Titanfall 2, by once again scrapping the Season Pass for the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront 2 with hopes of keeping their player base together as one. It certainly wasn’t something we’d expected with EA in charge of one of the most profitable licenses on the planet, but it was definitely something which gathered wide-spread praise from consumers and a decision that shined light on the continuing trend that has bestowed gaming purchases for many years.
Of course with the rise in popularity of online gaming over the past few years, it’s fair to point to microtransactions as another possible cause for the extra expense, and with many gamers willing to shell out the extra cash on some virtual currency or a typical head start in their favourite games, it’s not hard to see why extra purchases are proving such a constant tradition in games at present. But whilst microtransactions can prove to be a problem of their own, charging players for those is something entirely different to charging players for content after they’ve already purchased the ‘premium’ version of a game. The additional charges haven’t stopped me from personally buying into the extra content, but there are many gamers out there who simply refuse to bother with anything extra that doesn’t arrive at launch.
So, what are your thoughts on the matter? Is EA’s latest practice the slow start of an incoming trend or will we be forever tied to extra purchases for the full experience despite buying into the most expensive versions of a particular game?
Let us know in the comments below or via our usual social channels.
I think that while the publishers see a chance to get more money for their product they will continue to do so. I think it is a bit on the shady side that if you’ve stumped up for the premium edition or added the extra cost season pass and you don’t get all the content.