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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Do you buy DLC for gamepass games?

AkimboCurly on 05 April 2021

Do you buy DLC for timed gamepass titles? 

It's often been said that one of the channels for game pass profitability is driving the sales of Downloadable Content. 

For my part, I think the timed titles somewhat undermine the integrity of this aspect the service. Longer games or games that you might want to buy DLC for are mired by a sense that you might not get to finish them or be able to hold onto your purchased content. 

One might reasonably think that it's better to have games on there for a short while than not at all, which in isolation is completely true, but has the dynamic effect of creating an uncertain market for players. This is especially important on PC where there are cheaper competing ecosystems for your DLC needs. 

The solution to this has to be a much more robust discount for games as they leave gamepass, and a bigger discount on DLC while still on gamepass. You can either be expensive, or ephemeral, not both! I suspect that removing the uncertainty for players will be enough to pay for the larger discounts. 

Examples/cases in point for those interested: 

Spoiler!

Generally speaking I've spent more time playing games, and have also been buying more DLC for said games. But this is only true of the games I know are there to stay. For instance, I've bought Forza Horizon 4 content, Sunset Overdrive, expansions for Battlefield Hardline (only recently discovered that the reviews were pretty unfair to it), The Outer Worlds etc. 

But last year I downloaded Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and enjoyed the Skyrim-esque gameplay. Bought one of the DLC stories for it. Then it leaves gamepass never to be seen again. Hmmm. Now here I am, tempted by the new Vikings expansion for Crusader Kings III on game pass for PC. It's been on gamepass for 6 months now, which either means it's here to stay, or that it's leaving soon. Great? It's no secret that the Xbox/Windows Store is more expensive than Steam, and I don't want to be led into a trap whereby I either lose my DLC and move to Steam or keep digging into a more expensive store. 

(By the way, KC:Deliverance is currently 70% off on the xbox store. £10.49 for the game and all DLC. It's a gem and you should play it). The 20% gamepass discount is irrelevant in the world of cdkeys websites and ebay, and serves only to delay sales and take players away from your game.



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AkimboCurly on 05 April 2021
VersusEvil said:

Yes, I bought both content passes for Minecraft Dungeons, the expansion pass for Outer Worlds and I bought a Forza Horizon 4 ultimate upgrade code for £20. I would have for Sunset Overdrive too but the complete edition was like £9 at the time or something, it was cheaper to buy that than the DLC separate/expansion pass. I'll never purchase a standard edition game for £70 even if its a game I really want, so if I get said game through Game Pass then dropping £10-£20 on DLC for it is fine by me, I have Game Pass Ultimate until April 2024 anyway so its not as if it runs out anytime soon.

Would you buy DLC for a timed third party game pass game though? A game which you can't know how long it will be on the service for? Like Desperados III or Injustice 2 or packs for Assetto Corsa?



ice on 05 April 2021

Yes, and while I get your points, I think we need to remember Gamepass is a $10-$15 service. So I think a Year (which is typical for GP deals) is a reasonable amount of time to be able to play and download DLC for. And the Gamepass/Gold discounts for the game/DLC are already pretty decent (for consoles, can't speak on PC). And with MS throwing reward points at me, I honestly Rarely have to use "real" money for DLC. They give a Month Heads up too, so I personally never felt this uncertainty. You definitely gotta prioritize the longer games in the service, while the indies and shorter games can easily be done in the 1 month notice. But hey, I'm all for bigger discounts.



Shiken on 05 April 2021
AkimboCurly said:
VersusEvil said:

Yes, I bought both content passes for Minecraft Dungeons, the expansion pass for Outer Worlds and I bought a Forza Horizon 4 ultimate upgrade code for £20. I would have for Sunset Overdrive too but the complete edition was like £9 at the time or something, it was cheaper to buy that than the DLC separate/expansion pass. I'll never purchase a standard edition game for £70 even if its a game I really want, so if I get said game through Game Pass then dropping £10-£20 on DLC for it is fine by me, I have Game Pass Ultimate until April 2024 anyway so its not as if it runs out anytime soon.

Would you buy DLC for a timed third party game pass game though? A game which you can't know how long it will be on the service for? Like Desperados III or Injustice 2 or packs for Assetto Corsa?

All gamepass games are 20% off to buy digitally if you decide to keep it.  I would buy the DLC, play with the intent of finishing before it is ever removed...but if I don't I still get to buy the game for less than if I had not been subbed to gamepass.

So as long as I am willing to buy the game at the discounted price, it is a winning scenario no matter how you look at it.  The way I see it, if you are not willing to buy the game at a discount in the first place then there is no reason to spend money on the DLC anyway.



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Pemalite on 05 April 2021
AkimboCurly said:

Do you buy DLC for timed gamepass titles? 

It's often been said that one of the channels for game pass profitability is driving the sales of Downloadable Content. 

For my part, I think the timed titles somewhat undermine the integrity of this aspect the service. Longer games or games that you might want to buy DLC for are mired by a sense that you might not get to finish them or be able to hold onto your purchased content. 

One might reasonably think that it's better to have games on there for a short while than not at all, which in isolation is completely true, but has the dynamic effect of creating an uncertain market for players. This is especially important on PC where there are cheaper competing ecosystems for your DLC needs. 

The solution to this has to be a much more robust discount for games as they leave gamepass, and a bigger discount on DLC while still on gamepass. You can either be expensive, or ephemeral, not both! I suspect that removing the uncertainty for players will be enough to pay for the larger discounts. 

Examples/cases in point for those interested: 

Spoiler!

Generally speaking I've spent more time playing games, and have also been buying more DLC for said games. But this is only true of the games I know are there to stay. For instance, I've bought Forza Horizon 4 content, Sunset Overdrive, expansions for Battlefield Hardline (only recently discovered that the reviews were pretty unfair to it), The Outer Worlds etc. 

But last year I downloaded Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and enjoyed the Skyrim-esque gameplay. Bought one of the DLC stories for it. Then it leaves gamepass never to be seen again. Hmmm. Now here I am, tempted by the new Vikings expansion for Crusader Kings III on game pass for PC. It's been on gamepass for 6 months now, which either means it's here to stay, or that it's leaving soon. Great? It's no secret that the Xbox/Windows Store is more expensive than Steam, and I don't want to be led into a trap whereby I either lose my DLC and move to Steam or keep digging into a more expensive store. 

(By the way, KC:Deliverance is currently 70% off on the xbox store. £10.49 for the game and all DLC. It's a gem and you should play it). The 20% gamepass discount is irrelevant in the world of cdkeys websites and ebay, and serves only to delay sales and take players away from your game.

Once the game leaves gamepass you still actually own the DLC content, you just can't play it, but the DLC purchase is tied to your account forever.
So if you get the game free with Games with Gold or purchase it on disk or whatever, that DLC will automagically transfer over.



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DonFerrari on 05 April 2021

I don`t buy it for PS+ or purchased titles so I probably wouldn`t for GP as well.



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Jizz_Beard_thePirate on 05 April 2021

Nah, especially since if you have gamepass Ultimate, you can get the Ultimate Editions of certain games included.



                  

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KiigelHeart on 06 April 2021

Yeah I do if it's a good game. Bought all story dlc for Metro: Exodus for example and it doesn't bother me at all that I don't own the game anymore. Forza Horizon 4 expansions, Minecraft Dungeons dlc etc.

edit. I agree with you Kingdom Come truly is a gem. If you didn't play all the dlc yet you should, especially Woman's Lot.



smroadkill15 on 06 April 2021

I haven't, but I would if the DLC is something I really want to play. There is a good chance I'll get the Doom Eternal expansions at some point. I would have bought the Gears 5 Hivebuster expansion, but it was included with Game Pass Ultimate. 



Moseskyle83 on 06 April 2021

Yes I have for a game me and my friends can’t believe want never advertised or if it was we never saw it but the game in question was Remnent from the ashes. ooo wow what a game n was so glad to support the developers by buying the add ons