News

Pachter decries on-disc DLC as "just plain greed"
Posted: 29.05.2012 05:20 by JonahFalcon Comments: 10
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter has weighed in on the subject of on-disc downloadable content, calling it "just plain greed" on the part of the publishers, and even went as far as to say that cracking DLC on discs is as close to "legal piracy" users can get since the content is on the discs they purchased.

Pachter made these statements in his regular Pach-Attack GameTrailers series.

According to the analyst, "Yeah, it's just plain greed.The answer is that simple. I think that DLC has been so successful that publishers are trying to get a jumpstart and if you put it on the disc it allows them to unlock it when they feel like it."

He then stated that DLC in the past was genuine expansions to gameplay that occurred long after a game's launch, but Red Dead Redemption changed all of that.

"A few years ago, we didn't see DLC for typically six months after a game launch and I think it was Red Dead Redemption," he recalled, "But Take-Two kind of pioneered and launched DLC like a month after the original title and it was super successful, now you're seeing a lot more guys do it.

"Some guys get it right, some guys take a long time to get it out, putting it on the disc allows the publisher to determine the optimal moment to launch it. All DLC is great, games are getting shorter, DLC is keeping people engaged, it's a profit deal. I don't think it makes much difference how it's delivered."

Pachter went on to to say that he wasn't sure cracking on-disc DLC codes was stealing. "The stuff on the disc, some gamers feel entitled to because they bought the disc, so they should have a right to anything that's on the disc," he pondered. "And that's a dicey one, you actually do own the disc and I think, theoretically, if you could crack the code on the DLC you probably would be allowed to access it without paying. And I'm not even sure that's stealing because you did, in fact, buy the disc. That's about as close as you can get to legal piracy."

Pachter concluded by wondering when and if players would start "pushing back," which many have already started when Capcom's community manager Christian Svensson stated that Capcom would start "re-evaluating" its policy on on-disc DLC thanks to user feedback.
Source: CVG

Comments

By danfreeman (SI Core) on May 29, 2012
danfreeman
Agreed with a lot of things he`s saying,but there are a few things i must disagree with:
-cracking the dlc on disc is completely fair since when you`ve bought the disc you`re entitled to everything on it
-"All DLC is great" no it isn`t,a lot is just greed
-"games are getting shorter"unfortunately that`s true but this of course depends on the company that makes them(see bethesda`s Skyrim)
-"DLC is keeping people engaged"only for a little while and let`s be honest mods are what really extend a game`s lifespan,again see bethesda`s the elder scrolls series among others and of course they don`t cost money which is a huge plus
-"it's a profit deal"sometimes i wish it wasn`t the case,that way not everyone will use it
-"I don't think it makes much difference how it's delivered"that contradicts with what you said earlier,and yes it makes all the difference when you get 3 maps for CoD or a flat out expansion for another game at the same price
By nocutius (SI Elite) on May 29, 2012
nocutius
Yes, on-disc DLC IS just plain greed.

There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for it, if it's on the disc it's part of the game. They should at least pretend it was developed after and release it separately in a week or so. Putting it on the disc is basically an insult, like we're to stupid to notice that the content was cut from the game to sell for extra money.
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on May 29, 2012
FoolWolf
I think you both sum it up nicely - my problem with well made DLC's is that they tend to come out late - cost fairly much and have something to do with the game in the middle or extending the adventure already taking place - when you perhaps are already done with the game.... Deus Ex HR for instance...

The DLC on disc is plain greed - and so are most of the DLC's we see out there. There are some that are nice - but mostly they are just to ensure pre-orders and tying up people for the launches...
By danfreeman (SI Core) on May 29, 2012
danfreeman
@FoolWolf i know what you mean,a lot of dlc comes out 2 or 4 weeks after the game comes out and by then i finish it and uninstall it,and i`m not gonna reinstall it just for 1 extra mission.
By JonahFalcon (SI Elite) on May 29, 2012
JonahFalcon
"cracking the dlc on disc is completely fair since when you`ve bought the disc you`re entitled to everything on it"

Nope. According to the EULA, you don't actually own the game at all.
By danfreeman (SI Core) on May 29, 2012
danfreeman
Yes,we only buy the permission to play the game,of course no one cares about their retarded EULAs.
By djole381 (SI Elite) on May 29, 2012
djole381
@JonahFalcon
You actually believe anyone reads the EULA? Even though EULA says I don't own a game, I OWN everything on a game disc I PAYED for and if I want to crack it, that's my own business.
By JonahFalcon (SI Elite) on May 29, 2012
JonahFalcon
@djole: Do you actually think it matters if you read the EULA? You already agreed to it. A lot of times, the game even asks you if you agree to it and won't let you play til you sign off on it.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on May 30, 2012
herodotus
As far as EULA's go, watch the "Southpark" episode on Apple's EULA's - that's them in a a nutshell. It is how it is, and Publishers have spied a Golden Egg that gamers will continuously pay for, knowing full well they are being ripped off - yet still paying.
Gamers are idiots, and until we get our collective heads together and say "no" with our wallets Publishers will continue to take advantage when and wherever they can. A smarter buying public will change current practice, not simply making comments on the obvious. Unfortunately, gamers increasingly are accepting of everything instead of being the protagonists in enforcing change.
@Jonah
No, we no longer own our gamers and we have Valve (Steamworks), EA, Ubisoft and others like it to thank for that. Direct2Drive, now Gamefly are open about it and you now rent the games from them.
By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Jun 01, 2012
FoolWolf
EULA's can easily be argued that the installation has been done by your kid of 12 - and since they are not allowed to strike agreements - that it will be null and void. Also, if a EULA goes against the countries own laws and security but are sold in the country - the EULA won't be valid - the EULA's haven't been tried in court enough - and no - all countries are not USA...

Hero is unfortunately correct - gamers are idiots.