DLC: Hero or Villain?

Since DLC became a norm with consoles, many complaints have being made against it. People complain about pricing, content, form of distribution and the existence of DLC themselves. Let´s analyze each one with care.

Since DLC is something relatively recently, companies are still struggling to find how to price each piece of content. Is that new skin worth a buck? A dime? They don't know it. Yet. See, as DLC become older and older, companies will see how much is price against demand. If demand is high, prices usually goes higher. If low, they usually drop. It's how the Market works. If many people find a piece of DLC overpriced and don't fork the money, price goes down. If people pay for it, up the price go. In the end, the ones making the price is the people buying the DLC.

Now content. Many complain that many DLC have content that must be in the game anyway. Since I don't make and sell the games, it is not up to me to decide what should go on the released game and what should be sold separately. I agree that on-disc DLC is a dick move, as the companies doing this aren't having any extra cost here. No servers neither ISP costs here. DLC on-disc is stupid and looks like it is becoming less common.

But about what the DLC do. The best ones adds more gameplay time, either by extending the single-player or adding more content to the multiplayer. The acceptable ones are usually aesthetic, changing nothing of the game but adding some customization and flavor to it. They are usually cheap. Some can add weapons or perks for the multiplayer. If they give the guys with money any advantage in the game, they are awful. If they add variety to the game, they are ok. The bad ones are the overpriced, useless ones. They change nothing to the game and are asks too much. And the awful ones..

You knew it would appear here.

Now distribution. It come on-line. And how about people who don't have a internet connection? Well... Yep, they are fucked. And that is something I think the companies need to change. Make it possible to download it from PC, even for consoles. Create a tool where we can at least create an account on their services and save DLC (and patches, since we are talking about it) to their hard-drive. It must not be that difficulty.

Last, let's talk about their existence. Many people accuses DLC to be an unfair strategy where the companies hold content hostage. That they didn't existed before, therefore making unacceptable to exist now. Here is the thing, companies have the right to sell their products for the price and method they wish. it is their product anyway. Consumers have the right to not buy a product that they consider unworthy the asked price or by a method they don't like. It is a prerogative of both.

I don't think DLC is bad. Some are pretty great, like the Vietnam expansion in Bad Company 2. Lot's of content for a reasonable price. Others, like the infamous Horse Armor are just stupid. It is the consumer who decides if DLC is worth its price or its existence. If you dislike the practice, don't give your money to the companies. You don't need that Batman cartoon skin to live. No, you don't. Believe me.

I know it is damn cool. But you don't need it anyway.