The Video Game Critic

SegaT's recent DLC thread got me thinking, now Nintendo has bought into DLC along with the other major publishers. Will we the consumer need to buy as many games as previous generations ? If not is this a good or bad thing ?

Publishers can now extend the lifespan of their games with this practice, SegaT is a big Mario Kart fan. I presume he's played the game fully and I read that he is excited for the new DLC which will give him more time with the game. However this will probably stop him buying another different game as his game time will be devoted to a year old game albeit with new content.

Is this is a good thing ? It's almost like 'season' TV shows, play the initial game (season 1) wait for season 2 of your favourite show (the DLC). I could easily have, say 3-5 main games and stick with them providing they keep getting a DLC release every 6 months or so. I would have no need for a large games library as my chosen 3-5 will keep me occupied with continued DLC content.

This could be good for Nintendo as it would save them having to develop as many games as their userbase would be content with Mario Kart, Mario Bros and Zelda updates. However I can't see it being as good for us as companies would be even more risk averse with physical releases as they would want to maintain their big IP's.

Back in the 90's many of the most popular PC games came with editors or the developers had left  'hooks' in the games for people to edit them. Some of these games still have active modding communities to this day.

It must be said that in the 2000's, perhaps when gaming went 'mainstream' (though I am aware that there will probably be many different opinions on when that was) this sort of fell by the wayside and add-on's were comparatively less existent (I admit that I haven't gone out and confirmed this little bit, just going by memory).

Now day's we get 'developer/publisher sanctioned/created add-ons' in the form of DLC on both PC and console.

This sort of thing can also be seen in multiplayer gaming; in the early day's of online gaming on PC, server hosting was left completely to the users. Now days multiplayer on PC and console rely on 'developer/publisher controlled servers'.

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to talk about the above.

Interesting idea and topic.

I think it is a positive thing, if it is positive, expansionist DLC.

My tastes are my tastes, and this is the 'dryest' Holiday lineup from Nintendo I have had for many years. So, MK expansion is my most anticipated game content out there right now. Cpt Toad is second, it looks very well made, but it is a slow paced puzzle platformer, and that is not my favorite cup of tea. So, I am pretty happy to get some new content from a great game, a half of year after its release.

In fact, I am going to mkae a DLC Tourney, and perhaps I will even offer up a prize for the winner of the DLC Cup?????

[QUOTE=Segatarious]

In fact, I am going to mkae a DLC Tourney, and perhaps I will even offer up a prize for the winner of the DLC Cup?????[/QUOTE]

I was thinking about this too.  I may or may not be able to make it now however.  It looks like I'm moving for a new job, so I may be offline only for awhile now, and even if I'm not, I'll be kind of busy.    Still, if possible, I'll try to make it.  We can ressurrect the old thread or start a new one.   

[QUOTE=Sut] Will we the consumer need to buy as many games as previous generations ?...It's almost like 'season' TV shows...This could be good for Nintendo as it would save them having to develop as many games as their userbase would be content with Mario Kart, Mario Bros and Zelda updates. [/QUOTE]

Its an intelligent analogy to a season (or series as the British say, I think) of television.  That way you are entertained by following just a few shows, year after year.  Downside is fewer new shows survive. 
 
I think the issue is shelf life and the attractiveness of being hyper modern.  For EA to redo FIFA and Madden each year seems wasteful, when they could do it every other year with a DLC update for the intervening years.  Yet they don't.  My guess is that marketing research has shown that its still better to have a new 'look kids - its new!' game then DLC.  Everyone loves that new car smell. 

Same thing for Nintendo.  If Ubisoft came out with DLC for ZombiU now, would it sell?  If Nintendo added DLC to NintendoLand, would it sell?  Even for the top tier Nintendo 1st party games you mention like Mario Kart...does Mario Kart DLC sales mean lost sales for some other game, including other 1st party Nintendo games?  It would then exaggerate one of Nintendo's risks already of having all their eggs in just a few baskets.