Downloadable Content and it's disheartening following

[davygee]

I totally get the whole thing with downloadable content, it's great in certain respects.  Getting game demo's, beta's, free add-ons for games and updates....but it's getting carried away.

Why oh why is most content these days costing us money and it's not cheap!?

Okay, firstly we have LittleBigPlanet; the game came out in October last year and has sold a very respectful 2.16m sales worldwide.  And yes there has been some free content for the game, the odd costume etc, but why every week or so, we are seeing new costumes and level packs that costs money, $2 for one costume, $6 for a costume pack, mini packs at $3.

This is a regular occurrence and seems to be happening every other week with the odd free costume once evry couple of months.  Yeah, it's great getting loads of different costumes and levels etc, but should it really be costing money?

Killzone 2 is another; the game is only out 2 months, yet they are about to release some level pack at $6...come on, does no-one these days release additional downloadable content for nothing.

Just look at what Criterion did with Burnout Paradise last year...I loast count of the add ons they gave for nothing and it's only recently that they are charging for new content.

On top of this, the ability to download new content has made us all addicted to it to the extent that we feel let down when there isn't any.  Aren't we due a new update from PD for GT5P?  What happened to the crash physics, extra tracks, extra cars?  And then there's Motorstorm Pacific Rift, where is the add on content?  It's like 6 months since launch and there is no extra content for us that we were promised.

To sum it all up anyway, I love downloadable content for game updates and demo's, but reserve judgement on paying for games and updates.  I always want something tangible for my money and paying $2, $5, $10 or even $20 for content or games just doesn't seem right to me...give me a disc and game box anyday.

In the end it just looks like a cheap way for games developers and publishers to make extra bucks for mostly extras that really either should have been in the game first and foremost or should be free.