Downloadable Video Game Content: What Should Be Free and What Should We Pay For?

When Transformers: War for Cybertron was announced this Transformers fan was skeptical. Fans have already suffered from two horrible movies and a bad videogame adaptation of one of those horrible movies. Transformers: War for Cybertron turned out to be the pleasant surprise of the year but there was one glaring problem that is not just a problem with Transformers, but a problem that many multiplayer online games have.

Transformers was a lot of fun and was a good mixture of new characters and old. Unfortunately I flew through the game in a day or two (I usually take longer than the average gamer, not shorter). When I complained to a friend about the length of the game he told me that the online multiplayer mode is supposed to make up for the short one player mode. I normally don't play multiplayer games online but I decided to give it a try because I wanted to play more Transformers but I was disappointed to find I couldn't play online.

When I tried to play Transformers: War for Cybertron online I was told that I needed a new map to be able to play online. This map required a download and that download required a payment. There are a couple of reasons this is infuriating.

Let's say I decided to buy Transformers:War for Cybertron. It would cost me $50 or $60. Then I take it home to find out it only takes about six or seven hours to defeat (there are $15 downloadable games that are longer than that). The explanation for the shortness is that there is a multiplayer mode but I can't even play it. So now in addition to what I initially paid I have to also buy a download pack to get the full effect of the game that I already paid for.

Then consider that I'm an Xbox 360 user, which means I pay a monthly fee for the ability to play games online. So let me get this right. I've already paid for a game. I've already paid for the right to play online (which is a joke to begin with). Now I have to pay for the ability to play the game that I already paid for on my online account that I already played for.

The worst part is that video game studios are constantly complaining about gamers renting games and buying used games instead of buying games because they aren't making enough money. Why would any gamers buy games when these companies are nickel-and-diming us with downloadable content that should have been put in the game in the first place?

I'm not saying developers can't offer bonus material for downloads but it should be small items. Downloadable content should be for extra items, extra weapons or extra characters. An item that is required to have in order to enjoy a game should be included in the game and the items that are not needed should be the only bonus material.