I have heard... and i don't agree with it... that there is a new policywhereby our wholly owned studios will create additional game contentwell before the retail title hits shelves in and effort to extend thesales life of the game.
I agree on some level. I think charging for code that was ship-ready by launch is absurd. I also think it's going to become an industry trend, regardless of how much code is ready to roll by the street date.
I think it's a pretty logical decision, financially and from a developer's perspective to delay certain content and release it at timed intervals. It holds interest in a title that otherwise would be eclipsed by newer and "better" software. Nobody would have noticed if Infinity Ward had pulled a few maps from Call of Duty 4, and had done a map-a-month deal, as opposed to one large (relatively disappointing) map pack. Logistically it would be a pain, I'm sure. I can't say the effect it would have financially. You most likely know far more than I about how Sony and Microsoft handle their DLC licensing, but it's unarguable that it would hold a userbase, and that sort of thing certainly carries weight in publisher's sequel-heavy core franchises.
Even if the content is made available for free,if it's ready to go at the time of release then it should be includedin the box. I suspect that some stuff will be made available fornothing... like this and the Cagney update for Burnout, and thenadditional stuff will cost the end consumer. I can't see all DLC beingcost free, even if the developments costs were tied up with the retailrelease.
No, probably not. Profit margin will still be profit margin, and at the end of the day, it's a business.
I think that's going to become a larger issue this year than last, because as I said before, I think it's an industry trend, and nobody likes to be cheated out of something, even if it's something they didn't have in the first place.
Bottom line, it's their choice to release
extra content, separate and aside from the full title, at a cost determined by them. What will piss me off is when we start to see titles getting stripped of major features (maps, weapons and extras notwithstanding) to scalp their userbase a month after launch, and I can see that happening quite easily with this sort of business model.