I agree that certain publishers have gone overboard with their DLC practices (grumbles about the $40 DLC pack I just read has been announced for Arkham Knight... 
) but I don't know that I agree with the whole games are shorter than they were ten years ago thing. Yes, you have your really short games these days - your The Order: 1886's - but you had those in the PS2 days as well (ICO is also a 5 or less hour game if I recall, with very little reason to replay). And some titles today are almost TOO long IMO - I loved FarCry 4 last year, but it *almost* overstayed its welcome for me).
Really, I don't think this aspect has changed. I do agree that things that used to be unlockables are now often sold as DLC, and that sucks. But as far as pure game length, I wouldn't say they've gotten shorter on the average.
I was considering making a separate topic to voice my overwhelming displeasure with the Arkham Knight "season pass" but didn't want to be such a negative Nancy. So I'll just address my thoughts here.
It's a vile, underhanded, low-life cash-grab of the highest magnitude and after seeing what WB has done with Mortal Kombat X, I can't say it was totally unexpected at this point. I've been spending more & more time outside, with the family, etc. because we have entered weather that's pleasant to be outside in, and that's a good thing. If I was in full "stay-indoors" winter mode, I would be really, really pissed about this because gaming takes up a lot of my time during those months.
As much as I love the Arkham games, I can't bring myself to buy this game knowing full well it comes with a screwing attached. If I was a retailer, I would offer a free tube of K-Y Jelly with every game purchase and hype that online. It would be funny and a way to bring attention to the shameless cash grab that DLC-milking has become.
It's a shame really. This hobby I have loved since I was old enough to hold a controller now causes me anxiety and anger over the endless cycle of stunts that shameless publishers continue to exploit.
Maybe I see these two through rose-tinted glasses, but does Nintendo and Sony pull this stuff? Am I burying my head in the sand and missing something here? To me, these two developers are pretty much the last bastion of hope. Sony more than Nintendo offers DLC items, but they are almost always cosmetic from what I have seen unless it's new car packs for DriveClub. I'm not missing out on content in LittleBigPlanet 3 when they offer a costume pack. It's purely a cosmetic item and many times, a licensed one like MGS or Street Fighter. Mario Kart was full of content so the two DLC packs felt like bonuses and were reasonably priced. I didn't see these guys offering season passes for bull$hit.
These publishers think this is the way to make money. Unfortunately, others like me push back and refuse to purchase their product. So their sales go down. Not meeting sales expectations? Sell more DLC! That's the attitude. They can't see the flipside that if you make a good product, support it and treat your fans & customers like they deserve, they will buy your product. Even with upcoming paid DLC for Witcher III, they have a
huge amount of new content in two packs. Reportedly, another 30 hours worth. For me, that's an expansion. It's not a milking or a "season pass." Upgrades to the core game, add-ons, bonus items and missions...all free as it was with the first two games. I hope CD Projekt Red sells a ton of Witcher III and those morons at EA, Ubisoft, Activision, WB, etc. sit there scratching their greedy heads wondering just what the hell happened!
