New Editorial: Marketplace Madness

[Webb]

After a hectic festive period we're back up and running on the editorials and what better way to kick off the new year than a look at the Marketplace in its all found glory. Take a look and discuss if you like. Hope you enjoy.

LINK (http://www.xbox360achievements.org/home/news/ed02.php)

:D

[Zef]

The Tiger Woods picture doesn't seem to show up, if there is one. [EDIT: nevermind, it popped up now]

I don't usually pay for additional content (no I haven't found some way around paying) as it is either pointless or will become free later on. The PDZ maps are free now, although not many people still play the game.

EA selling you content you already have or could get is just stupid, but because people probably wouldn't notice or they see it as a quick way to get one over on people actually playing the game it will always pay off for them.

New maps do make games more interesting, after a while it spoils the game if you play the same maps over and over so it is a much needed injection of hyper activity when new stuff comes out. It is just a kick in the balls when you see the price tag.

If I had a choice between paying for new content on old games, or waiting a few months for a brand new and original game (Assassin's Creed springs to mind) I would take the new game. Developers and publishers should be looking to expand their portfolios with new titles rather than leeching any enjoyment out of the classics. Look at Pokémon, there are thousands of games being made every week but they don't seem to top any charts these days. Gears of War is out for about two days and knocks Halo 2 off it's perch on the most played chart.

As long as companies are controlling the industry like they are today you will always have to wait until after a few sequels to see a new game.

[PerpetualHeaven]

Awesome job Webby. I was psyched to read this and you definitely followed through. I don't think anyone could have said it better then you. It's pretty sad how we're charged so much for such petty content. I admit Nights of the Nine is a nice edition, but 800 points worthy? Amazing game but not 15 dollars worthy. That makes my game 90 dollars if I were to buy that expansion.

I think content should be free like Epic has done. Yes, the host system is dumb but it's to prevent boosting and I personally don't care. If I want to play with friends i'll do it in player match. The prevention of 10,000 kills boosting is great. It's not bad randoming and meeting new people. Besides, who can complain about FREE CONTENT?

Anyways, awesome article and a job well done.

[Spartan]

Well written Webb!

It's one thing to charge a little for extra stuff that will actually add something to the game, but paying for something that can be achieved by putting some time into playing the game is kind of ridiculous. I would never pay for any content like that, or content that doesn't really do anything for the game like costumes or something along those lines. I have bought some of the extra quests for Oblivion and had no problem with the little bit they cost because it does actually add something to the game. And in all honesty, if Epic would have had a small charge to get the maps for Gears (although I'm VERY glad that they were free) I would most likely have paid for those too, because they actually add some fun and extra game play to the existing game.

The marketplace is a great thing, and some game companies are using it in the right way, and some in the wrong. I just hope that the wrong doesn't grow into a common thing, and I hope that the right continues (and maybe gets a little cheaper) so that we can keep getting extra content that adds some more fun to the games we love.

[graemelunn]

Great job Webb. The addition of DLC to the already strong Xbox Live offering from Microsoft is a welcome addition to what is becoming a very strong games and multimedia platform. I agree that the pricing of some dlc is currently v. high, but the free stuff is always great.
Fair play to Epic in releasing free dlc for Gears, just hope that other publishers take note and follow suit. One thing I would like to die is the ability to pay to download content which is otherwise unlocked in the game. I think the idea of dlc should be to add something to your gaming experience, not allow you shortcuts through it. Great article once again mate.

[Minty]

Nice one fella- only took ya 3 months :p

[RadicalSniper99]

Nice job.

I must say, I disagree about the downloads in Chromehounds making achievements any easier. I think those achievements are going to be difficult no matter what you buy. The only thing that really helps there is the cheating styles of boosting and such.

I agree that some things are a little overpriced, but I think this is all on the consumer. I can't say I purchase themes or gamer pics, but Arcade games and Extra content seems to be something I can't resist. You said how you couldn't resist a gamer pic when you had spare points. Well when I have spare points, they will almost go immediately towards a new arcade game.

I hope this doesn't get too ridiculous, but when you can start to watch full seasons of a tv show on it, you realize the Xbox is beginning to take over.

[Zef]

I think Microsoft need to start releasing more content outside of North America for the Video Marketplace. They did manage to forget that the licenses for shows and movies was only for North America but they have made everyone else wait.

They expect me to be patient, silly Bill.

[GoldorakZ]

Sadly I have to agree to your editorial. Some people will abuse of this system, but some pdate might be actualy worth paying those extra point( I would not mind paying epic for exemple for their map pack) but I will NEVER pay for the 2 extra caracter in lego Star Wars. Those should be free kinda like the V-series cars pack for PGR3.

[Webb]

@ Radical - My point wasn't that Chromehounds content makes achievements easier, it was that the company are charging for something that is already on the disc :)

[Creech]

Nice editorial, Webb. I think you captured it pretty well. Do you take suggestions on future editorials? If so, I would like to see one on in-game advertising...


Fair play to Epic in releasing free dlc for Gears, just hope that other publishers take note and follow suit.

Just a note since I saw several posts (and possibly the editorial itself? Don't recall all of a sudden...darn short term memory!) that Epic didn't release the DLC free of charge. Instead, it was sponsored by FutureWeapons, the Discovery channel show. Note that this show also advertises on the signage inside Rainbow Six Vegas.

Piddling point, I am sure, but there is a difference between gratis from the company and paid for by someone else, which wasn't really touched on in Webb's editorial.

[RadicalSniper99]

@ Radical - My point wasn't that Chromehounds content makes achievements easier, it was that the company are charging for something that is already on the disc :)

Sorry about that, I was trying to get through it in a hurry and misread it. I went back and realized I made a mistake there. In some respects though, a purchaseable option to make achievements would be interesting. Personally, something to make Chromehounds Valor achievements go quicker would be a lot nicer. Too bad getting all of them is as bad if not worse than trying to get all of the FFXI achievements.

[Im a Manatee]

Very nice editorial, albeit a little later than expected.

I liked how you pointed out some of the games using "keys" to unlock stuff on the disc, and how this dramatically affects achievements. I don't think it's wrong for EA and other developers to charge for keys, it's just that little johnny shouldn't fall prey to it.

On the dilemma of map packs, I think the sole purpose of these is that developers want more and more people to play their entire game, so they throw 3-6 maps at us. With Call of Duty 2, the devs couldn't finish 6 of the additionally planned maps by the launch, so they took time to refine them and released them July 2006.

P.S: In the Oblivion Caption, you spelled scenery wrong.

[Webb]

Typo will be changed now.

And I know it was a little later, but hey, the research needed to be done and the festive period was busy ;)

And did Manatee make a compliment? :eek: :p

[ac2565]

EA released several sponsored cars for burnout revenge for the xbox 360.

[DJzero]

One thing that seems missing is the fact that on Tiger 07, not only are you paying for something that you could do for free, but the purchases are basically "cheat codes" that were not included in this year's offering. That's amazingly evil to me. If I can do it in Tiger 06 with a cheat code, I shouldn't have to buy it in Tiger 07...

Also, call me crazy, but I'm for the purchase of materials that you can get by playing. I would never do it, but I think it's fine to be allowed to. If you really only care about playing a certain car in NFSC or are tired of getting your ass kicked in Godfather, AND you're willing to drop a buck or two on the cheat, more power to ya.