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MechAssault Debuts Paid Xbox Live Content

Posted by simoniker on from the money-for-something dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for pointing out that Xbox action title MechAssault has debuted new downloadable Xbox Live content, in the form of "two new multiplayer game types and three new multiplayer maps", but "the new game content and maps will set you back $4.99... the first time that Microsoft has charged... for new, downloadable [MechAssault] content." Elsewhere, EuroGamer has debuted an editorial on this move, suggesting that "if you think about it, premium content could pose a serious threat", seeing many good facets to this kind of add-on, but also worrying that "greedy corporations" might "lock up certain elements of a game and open them up 'for free!' at a later date in an act of faux-generosity", and arguing Microsoft could make it "...an absolute that downloadable content should only ever be content developed post-release."

6 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Someone has to pay by DaveCBio · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you want additional content then it has to be paid for somehow. Sometimes companies give it away in hopes that it will drive sales and sometimes they add enough to make it a full blown expansion. This gives them the option to do soemthing in between. Anything that provides an extra revenue stream is a good thing.

  2. Who cares if it is downloaded or unlocked? by EvlG · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I don't understand why users complain about content being unlocked rather than downloaded. If you paid $50 for the game and were happy about it before, who cares if the content that is added on is unlocked? What's the big deal?

    It seems to me like much the same argument as someone saying "but this Athlon XP really can run as a 3200+ instead of a 2500+. AMD sucks for only selling it as a 2500+".

  3. because you already paid once! by mabhatter654 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You've already paid once up to $50 for the game! I'd expect the disc to be jam packed full. I don't want to pay to use something I already bought...I'm not a revenue stream AFTER I buy the game! Otherwise, the $50 games will just become "demos" for all the cool stuff you can "unlock" later...see the problem here.

    1. Re:because you already paid once! by GigsVT · · Score: 2, Insightful

      People will stop buying them then.

      I wonder though, is it illegal to "unlock" part of a game with a crack? I think the companies would have a hard time saying you did something illegal.

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  4. Welcome to capitalism! by kreyg · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Where stuff that costs money to make costs money to obtain, and you're free to not pay for things you don't want!

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    sig fault
  5. Re:MechAssult lacks any decent multiplayer modes.. by iocat · · Score: 2, Insightful
    It sounds a *lot* like a mini expansion pack kind of deal. But what's the big deal?

    I bought MechAssault when it came out, understanding what I was gonna get, based on reviews and the back of the box. I also knew there'd be a CTF and new maps released a couple of months later. All that happened. I was happy. I got what I paid for.

    Why should I care that MS is now charging for additional content? It's not like they're charging me for stuff I was expecting for free.

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