Let's Talk - DLC, Micro-Transactions & Pay-Per-Play

My stance on corporate greed is probably well known amongst the online gaming community by now. The money gouging, and money grubbing practices that have become commonplace have all but sapped out the fun that the gaming industry was once known for, and I've said so myself several times over. While a majority of these money making schemes are inexcusable forms of bullshittery there are some things that I wouldn't mind forking over my hard earned cash for. The DLC that actually rewards the gamer for their gamble on digital only items would be a prime example of such a noteworthy DLC practice. I for one bought every single piece of costume DLC made available for "Soul Calibur V", and ended up investing more money in the game than I initially sunk into it. The DLC for that game was too good to pass up.

Soul Calibur V's DLC offerings were the epitome of what good downloadable content is. It greatly accented the costume creation mode that was already very much in place, and gave the gamer means to artistically express themselves, and share their creations with other online SCV gamers. Namco really hit the nail on the head with that DLC, and for a short while gained my utmost  respect in return. Sadly though as times change, so do certain things in the world of gaming. The DLC practice that once shown a glimmer of promise turned into a greedy money filled cesspool for all the developers to bathe themselves in. Instead of offering gamers noteworthy additions to already good gaming experiences they more, or less decided to start charging dLC fees for single use items, and services. DLC as we knew it took a heads first dive down into the bottomless pit.

Recently I've shared with you facts about Namco's free-to-play venture known as "Tekken Revolution", and the bad turn the franchise has taken as a result of the company's actions, and lack thereof. While I agree that money has to be made in order for more games to be developed I think the route Namco took was definitely the wrong one. They could have easily offered us a DLC costume mode similar to the previous TTT2's (Tekken Tag Tournament 2) customization mode, but instead they chose to offer gamers the option to buy already made costumes that were the worst combinations anyone could have thought up. If they really wanted to impress they could have made a costume creation mode similar to SCV's (Soul Calibur V), but again they chose to push things like single use tokens, coins, and tickets which basically allowed the gamer to extend their play time for a short while.

Another thing that has caught my attention recently is that MMORPGs are slowly, but surely making their way onto consoles. In fact last year Square Enix released a revamped version of "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn". The downside to this particular business venture was that it required a monthly subscription fee to Square Enix's service in order to be able to enjoy the game. With that being said I have no issues with paying for such a service if credit cards are out of the picture, and if the service is going for a fair price. Online security is not exactly secure when it comes to console transactions. Sony's PSN accounts have been compromised several times due to their lack of proper surveillance, and reporting options. Asking a player to submit credit card info to such an account as that of PSN is simply not a wise business decision. Keep in mind though that there are other ways around this sort of credit card based transaction system should the developer choose to implement it.

The transaction system I speak of would be the same as you going to the store to buy a pre-paid PSN, or XBL card. The only thing Square Enix would need to do is make some pre-paid card subscriptions for such services as those offered in "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn". Not only would it give gamers a more friendly way to go about enjoying the game, but it would also help them to avoid any future data breaches of their console accounts. Why Square Enix didn't think of this is beyond me. I only hope that the "Elder Scrolls Online" developers think of implementing such a transaction system before releasing their game title for console consumers.

In the end it's common sense folks. While I do think on a more genius level than most folks out there in respects to industry goings on I think this sort of out-of-the-box thinking should be mandatory for any development team member. All you have to do is take the time to listen to the online gaming community, interact with them on a regular basis, and don't think you know all there is to know when it comes to gaming (or whatever industry you might be working in). I can guarantee you that there are plenty of people out there with noteworthy ideas just like my own who could make the gaming industry golden again. You just have to open your ears, and listen. I think I'll close on that note. I hope developers read this article, and learn from it. I'd more than anything like the gaming industry to be great again, and get itself out of the greedy cesspool that it's currently thriving in. I truly hope that day comes soon, or it may be too late for that much needed resurrection.

Your Last Samurai,
Brad (OtakuDante)