Nintendo Switch

[Tanooki]

I think it sets a dangerous precedent to keep an eye on. They've evolved in DLC towards the sneakery other companies have done. At first it was free or added stuff of no consequence for a small charge. Then they started with Mario Golf on 3DS withholding 20% of the game (course/characters) for an up sell that made the game $5 higher priced than retail when it came out. Now you have Zelda. They could approach this either way. You get a full game. Or you get most of a full game, then they charge you another $20 to get the full title they'll eek out over the months in 2017 that perhaps is already done. It wouldn't be anything new, Capcom did something that sleazy and worse having the DLC on the retail disc so you got to pay twice for your disc contents.

 

I'm hoping what they add is just added fluff in the vein of old 90s era expansion pack CDs to video games and not them withholding part of the game. I sold off Mario Golf for the 3DS when I learned they pulled that garbage, stopped playing it cold. I hate to say it but if Zelda ended up like that, and it's not done say like Witcher 3 does it with full expansion pack add-on like stuff, I'd probably sell it off too. There's SO many games out there today on many formats if some company wants to be a greedy prick you can take your money elsewhere and not be the worse for it.

[cybercylon]

I'm glad to see that Nintendo is going to have DLC for their upcoming Zelda Game. That's going to be....fun.

 

Yes... a season pass for a Zelda game. That is really stupendous.

[KidGameR186496]

Yes... a season pass for a Zelda game. That is really stupendous.

At least they are not overcharging for it, you're getting all that OPTIONAL stuff for 20$ Unlike the crap that Square-Enix,Capcom and EA pull with their games.

[Atariboy]

With how well they handled Mario Kart 8's DLC which was priced fairly and offered substantial additions to the game's content without sacrificing the core content of the game, they have my trust until they do something to not deserve it.

 

Mario Kart 8 could've easily never been expanded, yet nobody would've ever accused it of being short on content or appearing to have been pared back compared to previous releases. That's the hallmark of a proper expansion pack when you're left feeling like you not only got your moneys worth with the initial $60 purchase, but that the DLC was also worth every penny.

 

If these additions are substantial enough to justify $20 and don't feel like they stripped content from the base game to sell later as DLC, I'll be fine with it. Sucks to not have it as a hard copy, but hopefully that's rectified eventually with a rerelease just as it's finally about to be for Mario Kart 8 thanks to the Switch port with the DLC expansions bundled in.

 

So far Pack 2 sounds likely to be easily justified as worthwhile. Not so sure about Pack 1 however, and the day 1 season pass benefits sound pretty flimsy.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Atariboy

[bretthorror]

Cue Nintendo fanboy statements from here on out how great DLC now is as long as Nintendo and Nintendo only does it in 3.. 2... 1... SWITCH! (opinions)

 

Because as of a few pages ago, people were generalizing the Switch to Mike Kennedy stupid ideals (games won't have DLC, developers should shrink their game sizes and DLC to fit Nintendo specs).

[omegadot]

Cue Nintendo fanboy statements from here on out how great DLC now is as long as Nintendo and Nintendo only does it in 3.. 2... 1... SWITCH! (opinions)

 

Because as of a few pages ago, people were generalizing the Switch to Mike Kennedy stupid ideals (games won't have DLC, developers should shrink their game sizes and DLC to fit Nintendo specs).

 

Well, the only DLC I've ever bought (MK8) was really well done. So I guess liking a previous product is bad? In my mind, if you release an entire game for a reasonable price that works when I put it in my console and release other useful incremental things based on that product later on for smaller amounts of money, that is pretty darn ok.

 

But yeah, insulting one entire group based on the comments of one entirely other sub group is bad.

[Tanooki]

The only DLC I've technically paid for would be those larger than standard box sets. Uncharted 3 comes to mind with the extras. Or waiting out for a used copy with unclaimed goodies of The Taken King(Destiny PS4), and the cases of Game of the Year stuff. Beyond that, I'll throw what I consider an earned deferred payment or TIP to a company who had a free to play game of some sort with 'gems' some coining system and if I am really happy and put some good time into it I'll pay you for my happiness buying some in game currency which I've done a few times.

 

The only Nintendo DLC I've liked came as a free setup so this kind of has me potentially annoyed. I can see it like I said going the hold back 20% of a game to up charge you over normal like Mario Golf 3DS did (so I sold it.) But as Atari Boy said, it could also just be added gravy that is just added fun and not impactful on the story or in some other way a detriment not buying it. Only time will tell once it rolls out through much of this year.

[adamchevy]

The fact that they had Aonuma announce the DLC was a huge win for me. I really couldn't be any more thrilled for breath of the wild.

Edited February 15, 2017 by adamchevy

[Andromeda Stardust]

With how well they handled Mario Kart 8's DLC which was priced fairly and offered substantial additions to the game's content without sacrificing the core content of the game, they have my trust until they do something to not deserve it.

 

Mario Kart 8 could've easily never been expanded, yet nobody would've ever accused it of being short on content or appearing to have been pared back compared to previous releases. That's the hallmark of a proper expansion pack when you're left feeling like you not only got your moneys worth with the initial $60 purchase, but that the DLC was also worth every penny.

 

If these additions are substantial enough to justify $20 and don't feel like they stripped content from the base game to sell later as DLC, I'll be fine with it. Sucks to not have it as a hard copy, but hopefully that's rectified eventually with a rerelease just as it's finally about to be for Mario Kart 8 thanks to the Switch port with the DLC expansions bundled in.

 

So far Pack 2 sounds likely to be easily justified as worthwhile. Not so sure about Pack 1 however, and the day 1 season pass benefits sound pretty flimsy.

Mario Kart 8 added 50% of additional content to the original game for $12 (20%) if you pre-bought both packs. That's paying 20% extra for 50% more game. The whole Smash Bros thing, to the contrary, seemed like good old fashioned nickle and dimery. Outside of the additional character rosters, the rest of the content (costumes and other BS) was just lame, but at least they made it so you only bought what you wanted.

 

So Legend of Zelda gets three bonus helper items (well really two considering the third is a useless Tshirt which IMO only takes you out of the Zelda Verse when wearing it - it is unknown if it changes stats or is merely a cosmetic option). It also get a "hard mode" which should have been included by default, and a dungeon of endless battles, presumably in the vein of the Pit of 100 Trials from Paper Mario. The third portion of the expansion pack is most interesting to me, an alternate side quest. Honestly I probably won't purchase the DLC until I know more about the upcoming side quest, but if the quest is good I'll warrant the purchase. For now, I'll be playing the game stock as there seems to be a metric ton of content to explore out of the box, with more goodies unlocked using Amiibo.

 

It seems with the way they describing the BOTW DLC you may end up paying 33% more ($20) for 10% more content. So one must base the content provided versus the overall value it provides. It could be worth it, but I don't know yet until more is announced.

[Atariboy]

Mario Kart 8's DLC when it became available to preorder wasn't any more exciting than what you'll get by preordering Zelda's DLC. You got 8 new colors to select for Yoshi and 8 new colors of Shy Guys.

 

So I wouldn't let the day 1 DLC items cloud your opinion too much. This might be a dud, but it also could be another exciting addition just like Mario Kart 8's DLC proved to be.

 

It must be something special, since the potential damage is far greater than what they'd gain from preorder sales. This is still new territory for Nintendo and if they disappoint their fans with a game that everyone's eyes are on, a lot of people are going to be loath to take a chance again.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Atariboy

[roots.genoa]

What most gamers fail to realize is that games were already around $60 in the 80s, while development time went from 3-6 months back then to 3 years these days. That means that development costs have been multiplied by five at least! This is why DLC and collector editions is a way for publishers to have consumers pay the 'real' price of a game. Of course if a game is successful enough, the publisher doesn't necessarily need to do it, but success in never guaranteed, even for Zelda.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Mario Kart 8's DLC when it became available to preorder wasn't any more exciting than what you'll get by preordering Zelda's DLC. You got 8 new colors to select for Yoshi and 8 new colors of Shy Guys.

 

So I wouldn't let the day 1 DLC items cloud your opinion too much. This might be a dud, but it also could be another exciting addition just like Mario Kart 8's DLC proved to be.

 

It must be something special, since the potential damage is far greater than what they'd gain from preorder sales. This is still new territory for Nintendo and if they disappoint their fans with a game that everyone's eyes are on, a lot of people are going to be loath to take a chance again.

Good point. Hopefully they reveal more details. I will most likely buy it I'd like to hear more of the "special quest." The hard mode and pit of trials stuff doesn't speak to me.

[Tuet0ne]

I'm so excited for the Nintendo Switch, I feel that Nintendo have got a real winner on there hands with this one!

[Punisher5.0]

I'm so excited for the Nintendo Switch, I feel that Nintendo have got a real winner on there hands with this one!

Welcome to AtariAge

[Tuet0ne]

Welcome to AtariAge

 

Thanks a lot mate! =)

[Gentlegamer]

What most gamers fail to realize is that games were already around $60 in the 80s, while development time went from 3-6 months back then to 3 years these days. That means that development costs have been multiplied by five at least! This is why DLC and collector editions is a way for publishers to have consumers pay the 'real' price of a game. Of course if a game is successful enough, the publisher doesn't necessarily need to do it, but success in never guaranteed, even for Zelda.

 

And VHS tapes cost over $100.

 

Times change.

[roland p]

Here a no-vote for DLC. I prefer my games to be complete.

 

Btw. I bought Super Mario Run for ios (for my children) and I haven't even managed to run the game on more than one device. So my first digital Nintendo download leaves already a negative impression.

[Tanooki]

Times do change, and he is right, yet in a way also not.

 

That gets into the argument of the damaged development model the industry clings to like fools now in particular since things went HD and added storage devices of measurable considerable size within a system. Sure you now have a game with a 100 people on it, but is that really necessary? Do games really need a hollywood budget to be a AAA game worth a million plus sales? Looking at what you can pick up off the online model at GoG or Steam I'd argue no. It's not a sustainable good model if you have to nickel people holding back part of a game to up-charge to $80, $100 or more in 'added' DLC. Ultimately it's withheld stuff to pad their pockets because their business model is a shakey one that teeters a lot of the businesses on collapse potentially over one stinker of a game. You look at all these small companies of a few people or a couple dozen who can plop out something as small as like Evertale or huge like No Man's Sky and they move mass quantities of those games and they rake it in quite nicely as they run from sensible teams with sensible budgets. Then you have huge bloat houses like the old guard of the 80s and 90s (EA, Capcom, Ubisoft, etc) and they have to spit out yearly franchise junk with major DLC charges on the side to keep their books comfortable. Then you get some fools who open companies trying to be more like that bad way to go about it, like that one game from that retired baseball pitchers team that cratered at the cost of state tax payers since the gov't got into backing the mess.

 

Given the encroachment ever so growing of people who refuse to pay $60 for a game and another $60 for DLC in lieu of Android goodies for $1-25 (or the freemiums) and same goes with iOS it's going to make it harder for them to pull this garbage and be sustainable. Something will have to change or the console industry is going to bury itself under it's own budgetary stupidity because even if they move to the PC format (and a lot are this go around) with their titles they end up on Steam and Steam has 20-80% off sales many will sit around and wait for so that won't help bail them out either.

 

Nintendo going down this road is likely going to piss off a lot of their not as rabid fanboy base and those who just bought the thing to have some fun and feel like they're getting taken for a ride depending how they handle DLC on this system.

[toptenmaterial]

Then you get some fools who open companies trying to be more like that bad way to go about it, like that one game from that retired baseball pitchers team that cratered at the cost of state tax payers since the gov't got into backing the mess.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/38_Studios

 

That was here in Rhode Island. Curt Schilling helped break the curse in 2004 when the Red Sox finally won the World Series. He played with blood all over his leg. A local hero, for sure. Naturally that made him eligible for a 75mil bond for a video game startup. What a shit show that was. I don't wish to get political but you've brought back some memories. The fallout still graces the front page fairly often here.

[Tanooki]

I couldn't remember the name of the studio so I kept it vague but obvious. It was a total farce that even happened. It just felt for a discussion point to really hammer it home how far off the deep end the gaming industry has gone in relation to the crappy huge budgets with console games where you basically balance your company wellbeing essentially on top of a nice sharp masamune blade. Just one little thing goes wrong and it's financial seppuku and in that case of that putz it took the taxpayers with it. Games just shouldn't be designed until such flawed budgetary ideas when you can make a stellar title, even a visual eye candy feast still for far much less cash with a smaller team and get into the profit zone with less risk. This topic came up over at racketboy and I got ripped over it because I somehow do not get it. I do, I just don't like it and rarely if ever will support it so I put my money usually with more GoG/Steam level stuff and Nintendo which traditionally has been a solid rock on not so much just quality of their games but the fact they're jerks about price drops.

[adamchevy]

The one thing that bugs me about the Switch is the amount of accessories that are available. Along with the amiibos, I'm starting to feel like I'm getting ready to play Barbies with my little sister. Nintendo can't provide an extra set of Joycons or a Pro controller in the initial console purchase? I think they needed to start at a higher price point.

Edited February 15, 2017 by adamchevy

[BillLoguidice]

The one thing that bugs me about the Switch is the amount of accessories that are available. Along with the amiibos, I'm starting to feel like I'm getting ready to play Barbies with my little sister. Nintendo can't provide an extra set of Joycons or a Pro controller in the initial console purchase? I think they needed to start at a higher price point.

 

It's atypical for mainstream consoles to offer a second controller or pack-in game at launch these days. With that said, the Joycons can be used by two players, albeit not in every circumstance. I'm more "angered" (or should I say displeased) about the pricing on the first party accessories outside of the main purchase. I think the unit itself is already priced as high as the present market will bare.

 

As for DLC, I see nothing wrong with it. I rarely, if ever, purchase DLC, because the main content is usually more than enough for my busy adult life. As long as a game is not released with content purposely cut to save for later, I'm all for the concept, though. I at least like the idea of more of a good thing.

[Keatah]

I don't mind DLC either I just dislike it when it overmonetizes a game into unplayability.

[CPUWIZ]

I don't mind DLC either I just dislike it when it overmonetizes a game into unplayability.

 

How does DLC work on emulators?

[Keatah]

Modern DLC doesn't. Not yet. And it won't till someone starts seeing a need to simulate the servers and their contents.

 

EDIT:

But that's ok, most of the shit made today isn't worth preserving. It's just pretty flashing lights designed to move money from your pocket to their pocket.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Keatah