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New Left 4 Dead DLC Coming Next Month
Valve said yesterday that they're working on a new campaign for Left 4 Dead, and they plan to release it in September. It's called Crash Course, and while it will be free for owners of the PC version, Xbox 360 users will need to purchase it. The new campaign "bridges the gap between the end of the 'No Mercy' campaign and the beginning of 'Death Toll' in the original game, expanding the game universe with new locations, new dialogue from the original cast, and an explosive finale." Crash Course isn't as long as the other campaigns, a deliberate decision by Valve to enable players to finish a Versus-mode game in about 30 minutes. A preview of the new content on Destructoid notes, "Since we've got a shorter campaign, much more has been packed into a smaller space. Lucky players who know where to look can upgrade to second-tier weaponry almost straight away. However, they'll have their work cut out for them, because there's a chance to get swamped by the horde right from the very beginning."
Consoles cost money to develop for. That is how they make their profits. The hardware is sold at a minimal profit at most, and often break even or a loss. Money is made on game sales. Each copy sold pays a licensing fee. Now I don't know all the details for DLC licensing, but I do know it has to at least be certified, which isn't free. That's also why console titles tend to cost more. For the developers and publishers to make the same amount per copy sold, they must charge more per unit.
The basic rule of game systems is that consoles are cheaper to buy, but the content is more expensive. Games cost more each, and additional content is often for pay, if available at all. PCs cost more to buy, and often have upgrade costs, but the content is less expensive. Not only do games cost less, but even if the developer doesn't offer additional content, users often do.