How Much Of Some Modern Video Games Is Locked Behind A Paywall?

[oldgamerz]

this is nothing new when it comes to a lot of PC games.

On PC there was a thing called expansion packs as far back in the early 1990's and 2000's. with games like Roller Coaster Tycoon and all The Sims Series Of PC games. Expansion packs were physical disks that could usually not be played or even installed on a PC without buying and installing a base game, (basically the first game of a series) the main/base game usually cost more then the expansion packs.

How much content do they lock behind a paywall these days? I ask. Now I too disagree with not having a decent video game and most of the features I want being locked behind a paywall. but what about expansion packs? I didn't mind buying some of my base PC games and expansion packs, I mean at least they were mostly physical and you could install them when you wanted, but it was always illegal to install your games on more than 1 computer at a time.

but companies could not take them away from you, like they can today and the near future. though that's the thing. and 100% of that reason is why I don't even want to buy. an 8th generation console

[Cartagia]

I mean like 99%?  You generally have to purchase any part of a game to play it.

Expansions and DLC are no more a “paywall” than purchasing the base game in the first place.

[vivigamer]

The notion of DLC irriates me on many factors. As a gamer it annoys me because I feel I am getting an incomplete experience at launch, espeically when the DLC is story related content that is then put into the timescale of the main campaign - I see that as content that should be in the experience and with the content often not even being availabel Day One this puts me off buying games. Whenever I find a game I am interested in I purposefully seek to see if it has a Season Pass. If so, I will wait over a year unless it is something I consider essential. I've missed out on games like Control, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Wolfenstein 2 and more due to the thread of an incomplete experience through DLC. If it comes up to a year and we hear nothing of the DLC I will then get it digitally when it appears on sale.

DLC also pisses me off as a collector too! Because I don't want to buy an Incomplete Edition, So I have to keep note on what games are getting DLC and prey that they get a Complete Edition a year down the line. NeatherRealm is a great example of a company that release a base copy of their game but after all the DLC is out they seem to always release a Complete Edition, so I'm holding out for Mortal Kombat 11XL this year!

What really gets me is when they re-release a game with DLC and it has a code! This is just the worst possible outcome because not only is it a waste of print but it also shuts the opportunity of collectors having Complete Versions of games! An example that comes to mind recently is Life Is Strange 2 - They released the episodes over a year and then when  they physical Edition finally came out, the last episode was on a DLC code and not on disc - What a waste!

I also have noticed it can be really difficult to find out if a DLC Edition has the all the DLC on Disc prior to its release date. Many companies aren't up front about it when they announce it so you have to wait for the hersay of leaked/early posted copies. I got duped with NieR: Automata last year.

[sworddude]

I'd argue 20% of the game on average

and that the average dlc price for all content is well over 50$

your lucky if it's 30 or below.

and even nintendo is hardcore joining that dlc bandwagon. even smaller games like luigi's mansion have dlc these days or all those 3ds games. surpassing the base game cost

DLC is fun 

I mean like 99%?  You generally have to purchase any part of a game to play it.

Expansions and DLC are no more a “paywall” than purchasing the base game in the first place.

It is a paywall it can literally multiply the costs of the base game for a fraction of the content. rarely is dlc actually worth it as a result.

Also dlc inflates the pricy pretty fast when you wait for cheaper sony games, instead of spending 60$ right away. Dlc doesnt drop as fast in price as them games do.

[Cartagia]

I mean like 99%?  You generally have to purchase any part of a game to play it.

Expansions and DLC are no more a “paywall” than purchasing the base game in the first place.

It is a paywall it can literally multiply the costs of the base game for a fraction of the content. rarely is dlc actually worth it as a result.

Also dlc inflates the pricy pretty fast when you wait for cheaper sony games, instead of spending 60$ right away. Dlc doesnt drop as fast in price as them games do.

That's not what a paywall is.  That is inflation of cost.  A paywall is locked content behind a paid gate - which applies to literally every game except f2p.

Now, if the question is “How much content is behind DLC or Season Passes?” - which really seems to be what is being asked.  I’d say around 20-30%.

Edited for clarity.

[sworddude]

I mean like 99%?  You generally have to purchase any part of a game to play it.

Expansions and DLC are no more a “paywall” than purchasing the base game in the first place.

It is a paywall it can literally multiply the costs of the base game for a fraction of the content. rarely is dlc actually worth it as a result.

Also dlc inflates the pricy pretty fast when you wait for cheaper sony games, instead of spending 60$ right away. Dlc doesnt drop as fast in price as them games do.

That's not what a paywall is.  That is inflation of cost.  A paywall is locked content behind a paid gate - which applies to literally every game except f2p.

Now, if the question is “How much content is behind DLC or Season Passes?” - which really seems to be what is being asked.  I’d say around 20-30%.

Edited for clarity.

inflation of costs you say. games with over 200$ of dlc or even surpassing base game cost of 60$ alone that's not just some small inflation in price that's not normal.

Good deal dlc like botw was 30$ thats 50% of the base game cost for a fraction of the base game content and to add insult to injury the botw dlc was already finished before the game was released paywalling the content from the beginning. the triforce bik etc would have been free unlockables if dlc didnt exist.

Also if you read the topic title. it says how much of a videogame is locked behind a paywall.

meaning that if somebody already paid the game and owns it or if somebody was wondering how much is locked behind dlc or micro transactions when you would buy the base game. if your playing the game at home how much content is blocked if your not going to draw that wallet. that's a paywall for people who already have the game. now if the title was how much the price is of a game for all of it's content. now than i would agree with you. but clearly it says how much content inside a modern game is paywalled meaning that you can ignore the base price since it's about when you already have the game ready to be played. see it like this way even if they would give some modern games for free that dlc is paywalled .

heck you could even put a different context. say you got the game for free as a gift that dlc would paywalls you. your literally playing the game and content is paywalled while being in the game you need to draw your wallet for that content. that didnt happen in the past. dlc is a paywall since in the past you where done after paying for the base game. dlc and micro transactions where usually just content that you would unlock by playing the game instead of opening your wallet. dlc is absolutely a paywall

[Cartagia]

I mean like 99%?  You generally have to purchase any part of a game to play it.

Expansions and DLC are no more a “paywall” than purchasing the base game in the first place.

It is a paywall it can literally multiply the costs of the base game for a fraction of the content. rarely is dlc actually worth it as a result.

Also dlc inflates the pricy pretty fast when you wait for cheaper sony games, instead of spending 60$ right away. Dlc doesnt drop as fast in price as them games do.

That's not what a paywall is.  That is inflation of cost.  A paywall is locked content behind a paid gate - which applies to literally every game except f2p.

Now, if the question is “How much content is behind DLC or Season Passes?” - which really seems to be what is being asked.  I’d say around 20-30%.

Edited for clarity.

inflation of costs you say. games with over 200$ of dlc or even surpassing base game cost of 60$ alone that's not just some small inflation in price that's not normal.

Never said it was.

Also if you read the topic title. it says how much of a videogame is locked behind a paywall.

meaning that if somebody already paid the game and owns it or if somebody was wondering how much is locked behind dlc or micro transactions when you would buy the base game. if your playing the game at home how much content is blocked if your not going to draw that wallet. that's a paywall for people who already have the game. now if the title was how much the price is of a game for all of it's content. now than i would agree with you. but clearly it says how much content inside a modern game is paywalled meaning that you can ignore the base price since it's about when you already have the game ready to be played. see it like this way even if they would give some modern games for free that dlc is paywalled.

I did read the title, which is exactly why I'm pointing out, once again, that's not what a paywall is.  If having to pay for something means that it is stuck behind a paywall - then prety much every game that we talk about on this site is behind one.

heck you could even put a different context. say you got the game for free as a gift that dlc would paywalls you. your literally playing the game and content is paywalled while being in the game you need to draw your wallet for that content.

This example is the closest to being a legitimate paywall.  You are playing the game for free, but someone, somewhere still had to pay for the game first.  You may be stuck behind the "paywall" but the initial content still had to pass through one to get to you.

that didnt happen in the past. dlc is a paywall since in the past you where done after paying for the base game. dlc and micro transactions where usually just content that you would unlock by playing the game instead of opening your wallet. dlc is absolutely a paywall

This is just wistful nostalgia, expansion packs have been around since at least the early 90s (and, according to Wikipedia, the 80s).  Just because DLC and expansions are far more prevalent now does not mean that it is a new phenomena.

Anyways, I'm finished with the pedantry.  Like I said, according to the body of the first post, it seems like the question is "How much additional content is behind a paywall?" not the posed question of "How much content do they lock behind a paywall these days?".

[oldgamerz]

both answers is what I wanted to know. everything said is what I wanted to learn

[hoshichiri]

I think this is a complicated question. The way its phrased, it seems to imply that all game content, including DLC, is conceived & completed before the game releases. Chunks are kept aside to release later for more money. I know some games do exactly this- but the thing is, a lot of DLC isn't planned out that far before a game releases. Late DLC might not even be on the concept board when the base game launches.

The question becomes- is DLC paywalled content, or extra content? Is it the fries & soda of a value meal- something that seems essential but requires a notable cost over the 'base' sandwich? Or is it more like a sundae or cake slice- an enjoyable, experience-altering, but ultimately unnecessary addition? It's hard to say, becuase it seems to vary from game to game.

I mostly just focus on the experience I'm paying for- is the amount I'm paying for the base game, GOTY bundle, whatever, worth the content I'm getting? If I'm buying DLC for a game I already own, is said DLC worth its cost for the content? If I'm happy with what I'm paying for, I don't worry too much about the rest. (I also don't buy much DLC- I'm much more likely to buy a base release, then replace it later with a Complete Edition if I enjoyed the game.)

[Warmsignal]

I'm willing to forgo any bonus content in most cases. My biggest gripe with modern games content exclusivitiy is multiplayer games which require a subscription service to even play the game at all. As in, there's no single player option. Not only does that mean you'd need to pay extra for the service if you're not an avid online gamer, but the game is essentially living on borrowed time. Once it has ran it's course, that game is as good as history. No more playing it.

That's awful, and lots more console games are following this model of being exclusively multiplayer, while having full fledged story modes and other modes available online only. It's really a shame that Sea of Thieves is one of those games. For Rare to put so much work into this really cool universe they've created, but ultimately will be dead and gone for good at some point. No single player option - can't have that, it doesn't require subscriptions and from a business standpoint that was the whole idea of the game, more Xbox Live subscriptions.