The Game of Greed: Game Content and Expansion Packs

How often do you re-visit a game that you have completed many times before? How frequently do you wish for a sequel to your favourite game?

In today’s games market you no longer have to wait years for a possible sequel or tirelessly replay a game over and over again. Game developers can now deliver game expansions to existing titles through the Xbox Live and the Playstation Store Network. Depending on the popularity of a title, certain games can be extended by additional levels and new storylines.

This is certainly a step towards the right direction; however it does come with its flaws. Game developers now have a tendency to churn out games at an alarming rate whilst relying on delivering patches and fixes via the network after its release. The games are made public in a hurry and have a lot of bugs and glitches which will require patches and fixes. Another problem with this approach is how much value for money consumers actually get. You pay around £50 for a game that you can finish under 10 hours. A few months later the developers release new levels, suits, and weapons etc for the game that you need to pay for.

My question is, shouldn’t these have been included in the game in the first place?

I can fully understand when developers like Bioware (Mass Effect, 50+ hours of gameplay) release new levels to intensify the longevity of their game. Not only do you get value for money but you can also enjoy newer levels and storylines. Contradictory to this approach, there are games that are very short in duration. After being released, new content that should have been included in the final product go live on the network and are available for purchase at around £10 on top of the original £40/50 already paid.

I find this not only disgraceful on the developer’s part but also inconsiderate towards gamers. I appreciate that creating games is a business but a line has to be drawn; otherwise consumers will be paying for games that last no longer than 6-7 hours. I do believe in quality over quantity but there needs to be a balance. I also think that gamers need to get value for money when they are paying around £4.00 for a suit that does nothing other than aesthetically look good.

Games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are releasing new songs EVERY week for around £3.00 a song which is quiet steep when compared to iTunes store of £0.99p per song. If a game is built on this model, where you can purchase new content on a weekly basis, then at least make it more affordable. I strongly believe in supporting films and games that I like but when the costs are a little too vast, it makes me wonder whether my support is even needed.