49% Of Gamers Don’t Buy Downloadable Content

51 responses to “49% Of Gamers Don’t Buy Downloadable Content”

1. 

   McGarnical

   October 20, 2011 at 9:36 am

   I will buy it, but as the pricing is invariably uncompetitive I tend to be picky about what I get.

   Decent expansions like Bad Company 2: Vietnam, Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare were both well worth it.

   But microtransactions like weapon reskins and horse armor? No thanks.

   If things go on sale I tend to be a little less picky. This is when I buy map packs but only if I play the game a lot.

   Reply
2. 

   Shazboz

   October 20, 2011 at 9:40 am

   Silly title for the article….if 49% of gamers arent buying dlc, that means 51% ARE! Pretty sure, if I still understand fractions, that over half of people playing games do purchase dlc.

   Reply
   1. 

      Mark Serrels

      October 20, 2011 at 10:18 am

      Truly I toyed with both! But I think it’s a bad number for DLC. And the report says as much.

      Reply
      1. 

         James Mac

         October 20, 2011 at 10:40 am

         I’d love to know the demegraphics frankly. Is this the same group who play facebook games?
         Are these numbers skewed by the number of netflix only users?
         Is streaming media counted as DLC?

         Reply
3. 

   Sam

   October 20, 2011 at 9:44 am

   Good, let’s try and get that % up higher!

   Reply
4. 

   Meowgravy

   October 20, 2011 at 9:46 am

   I dont, and doubt I ever will.

   Reply
5. 

   Stevorooni

   October 20, 2011 at 9:48 am

   I’ll only buy DLC if I loved the original game, but even then the extras need to be worth the money.

   Reply
6. 

   Nuddy

   October 20, 2011 at 9:49 am

   I cant bloody help myself. Do I want a pink retro lancer in Gears of War 3? You bet I do! Do I want the 1965 Pontiac GTO in Forza 4? Load me up!

   I’ve found all of the fallout DLC to be well worth it too!

   Reply
   1. 

      Brewer74

      October 20, 2011 at 10:04 am

      Yea, good call. The fallout 3 stuff was gold. I am yet to get any new vegas DLC, is that any good?

      Reply
      1. 

         Licketty Split

         October 20, 2011 at 10:10 am

         Kinda hit and miss. The last one they released was really good so I suggest just getting that one

         Reply
7. 

   Lone Wolf

   October 20, 2011 at 9:50 am

   I’m happy enough with buying games or downloading free content, like the content included with ME2, but it takes something special to make me pay for extra content.
   I may get around to buying the last chapter of Alan Wake at some stage.

   Reply
   1. 

      Hubble

      October 20, 2011 at 9:56 am

      Pretty much this. I’ll only purchase DLC if the game rocked my socks enough.

      Reply
8. 

   dudeman

   October 20, 2011 at 9:50 am

   Too much DLC around these days, we’re spoilt for choice (first world problem I know), with little time to go through it all. The catwoman one with Arkham City for example, even though it was pointless, it’s designed to make you feel like you’re getting something extra.

   The thing is everyone gets it, so why even bother making us put in the code? Just put it with the boxed game, you’re not fooling anyone, and it only created more issues on the release.

   Large scale DLC I’m all for, like Red Dead Redemption for example. The pissy little ones like costumes and what not can go EAD.

   Reply
   1. 

      Mark Serrels

      October 20, 2011 at 10:18 am

      This is basically my approach.

      Reply
   2. 

      C-Mac

      October 20, 2011 at 3:16 pm

      I think DLC like the CatWoman add-on is to deter the 2nd hand market. If you bought the game 2nd hand you wouldn’t get the code, but luckily they will let you buy the code again 🙂

      Reply
9. 

   Zap

   October 20, 2011 at 9:52 am

   Nope, hardly ever.

   A lot of it is priced too high, although the SR2 extra missions and content were pretty decent.

   Reply
10. 

    Doraiya

    October 20, 2011 at 9:55 am

    I only buy DLC that provides actual playable content rather than cosmetic changes.

    Reply
11. 

    David

    October 20, 2011 at 9:58 am

    DLC just makes the equation for piracy more appealing. Even ignoring the price of software piracy of DLC still looks good.
    Paying:
    Buy Game – Slotted on Price
    Install game – Slotted by DRM
    Play game – Unfinished without paying for DLC
    Buy DLC – Slotted on Cost

    Pirating DLC:
    Buy Game – Slotted on Price
    Install game – Crack away DRM
    Play game – Unfinished without paying for DLC
    Pirate DLC – get full game for the box price

    Given that we (Australians) are still getting taken for a ride on price, is it any wonder that DLC piracy is an issue?

    There needs to be a point when gaming companies decide that treating their customers like crap isn’t working. Especially when the pirates are sitting there offering all the benefits with none of the drawbacks.

    Reply
12. 

    glib

    October 20, 2011 at 9:58 am

    My 360 still isn’t even connected up to Live. I live in the past.
    I do have some DLC, though, on my PC. But only ’cause it came packaged in with the game.

    Reply
13. 

    Noooo

    October 20, 2011 at 9:59 am

    Nope. Usually play single player games and if DLC comes out at the same time as the game then I feel ripped off. When it comes out later I’ve moved on to something else. Also pricing..

    Reply
14. 

    Glenn

    October 20, 2011 at 9:59 am

    word of advice, do not buy multiplayer DLC for games that aren’t extremely popular. Before long you find the community has moved to the next COD game and no-one plays the multiplayer. (i got done by Red Faction Guerilla DLC)

    I’ll buy single player DLC’s, they’re just like shorter expansion packs from 10 years ago.

    I do not buy cosmetic DLC.

    Reply
15. 

    Brewer74

    October 20, 2011 at 10:01 am

    It has to be good enough, that GTA DLC is a good example. I get it all on PC, but only the extra levels and stuff, not skins. I think i got all the DLC for Borderlands, which was worthy, all the GTA, Mafia 2 DLC, again, very worthy. More recently I did get the DiRT 3 DLC tracks, but opted out of the car packs. If the Dead Island DLC is a new aea, I will probably get that too. But yea it has to have a bit of meat on it for me to grab it.

    Reply
16. 

    The Gremlin

    October 20, 2011 at 10:14 am

    I’m not sure privacy is actually the main reason. Sounds like an excuse to me.

    I hardly ever do, for two very specific reasons:

    1) I like my media. I want the disk, period. I have little faith on online DRM schemes that will tie the content to a machine that may die. I know both Sony and Microsoft allow for content transfer, but I still don’t trust them. And Ninty just doesn’t

    2) I usually don’t care for game add-ons. I play the off the shelf game thoroughly, often getting 100%. By the time I’m done, I’m ready to move to the next game. Why would I buy more content if I’m not done with the one I bought? Exceptions can be made for particular games like oblivion, where after 100%ing (is that a word?) the game I still wanted more. That is very unusual and even then I tracked down a physical copy of Shivering Islands.

    Reply
    1. 

       Pariah

       October 20, 2011 at 11:15 am

       The content isn’t tied to a machine, it’s tied to your online account; when you get a replacement console you can just redownload the content and you’re good to go.

       Reply
    2. 

       MrTaco

       October 20, 2011 at 1:18 pm

       I’m pretty much with #1 here. I’m a collector, so I believe in making my purchases and amassing a big fat horrible collection. I like the idea that once I lay down money for a game, it’s there for me to play forever. But with soft copies, it’s kind of… not really there. If something goes wrong with a hard drive or the console dies, then where does it go? And sure, everyone says “you can just download it again to your account”, but will I still be able to do that 15 years down the track? I don’t like this dependence on an outside party at all (the same reason I hate games requiring internet connection to play, and the lack of LAN options in multiplayer gaming), I like my collection to be self-sufficient.

       Also digital stuff just doesn’t seem to have any value to me. I got gifted a copy of Mega Man 9 back around when it came out, after winning a competition with Wii Points as the prize. I love Mega Man, but to this day I still haven’t touched the game. It just doesn’t register in my mind as being something I own and should play, unlike all the other games sitting on my shelf.

       Reply
17. 

    PrettyTones

    October 20, 2011 at 10:14 am

    I think the only DLC that I’ve paid for are the GTA4 episodes, and the Uncharted comic (Eyes of Indra). I don’t need the extra weapons or cars in my games, and I definitely am not paying for alternate costumes/palette swaps that don’t affect gameplay.

    Reply
18. 

    Ponton

    October 20, 2011 at 10:14 am

    I don’t buy anything on the PS3 (not after the hack).

    I’ve bought DLC on Steam a few times, but only for games I love. has to be cheap and worth it tho.

    Typically I’ll buy it for Indie games.

    Reply
19. 

    Matthew K

    October 20, 2011 at 10:20 am

    I always buy story DLC when I want more of a game I have enjoyed. I bought all the DLC for Fallout 3 (and I think this is the first time I did that), I bought all the DLC for Mass Effect 2, and all the DLC for fallout New Vegas. I also buy map packs for any game I play a lot of multiplayer, so I bought maps for Halo 3, Halo Reach and Modern Warfare 2, but not Gears of War 1 or 2 or Call of Duty Black Ops.

    There are games I have not bought DLC for, not because I felt the DLC itself was unecessary, but because I didn’t feel like the game was worth the extra money, like Fable 2 & 3.

    I’m seriously considering the Deus Ex DLC, but I will probably wait for a sale – I don’t want to boot up Deus Ex just to do DLC so I’ll get it when I’m doing my next playthrough… which proably won’t happen until next year.

    Reply
20. 

    Powalen

    October 20, 2011 at 10:21 am

    A lot of people seem to think the same as me. I only buy (single-player) new content DLC, like extra levels, etc. Even then, only if I really liked the original game.

    Come to think of it, the only DLC I’ve actually bought would be the extra Valkyria Chronicles missions and the LA Noire cases.

    Reply
21. 

    mccawsome

    October 20, 2011 at 10:25 am

    For me its not price or value but simply time. With work, family and other parts of my life I have so little for games these days I find it hard enough finishing just the boxed content of games I want to play.

    If I added DLC my pile of shame would blow out exponentially and its already ridiculous.

    Reply
22. 

    Chuloopa

    October 20, 2011 at 10:28 am

    Nope. I’ve only ever paid for DLC once, and that was for Mass Effect 1.

    I do tend to get the free DLC, but i am usually pretty loathe to pay for extensions to a game i have already paid for, unless it reealllly adds something.

    Reply
23. 

    matt30822

    October 20, 2011 at 10:30 am

    I like most DLC that goes up for most games as long as it seems that it is priced right. I have never bought cosmetic DLC except for SP games that i REALLY like and it was very cheap.

    I really enjoy DLC that adds to the story in a significant way- Fallout 3, Mass Effect 2, Arkham City etc… Would i buy 3 new maps on COD or Halo for 800-1,200 points though? No.

    Reply
24. 

    Azza

    October 20, 2011 at 10:36 am

    Got totally hooked on Mass Effect 2 DLC. Ended up getting all of them (except for the last one because I heard it was a waste of money). Never got any of those appearance/weapon packs though. I’ve kept one of the DLC’s aside so I can play in the lead up weeks for ME3 to get me back in practice.

    Reply
25. 

    lambomann007

    October 20, 2011 at 10:37 am

    I wonder what the figures are for PC players? Do we tend to buy more DLC because we’re used to digital downloads? Also, how much would TF2 hats affect this figure? 😛

    Reply
26. 

    James Mac

    October 20, 2011 at 10:49 am

    I’m ashamed at how much money I’ve spent on Avatar items.

    I’ll generally buy single player dlc… sometimes whilst installing the game, and the ocasional map or costume pack.

    Reply
27. 

    moloko

    October 20, 2011 at 10:50 am

    So 51% of people are retarded ,don’t give a shit about their money and liked getting ripped off.

    Reply
    1. 

       James Mac

       October 20, 2011 at 11:22 am

       Why so angry mate?.. it’s not your money.

       Reply
28. 

    Michael

    October 20, 2011 at 11:03 am

    I haven’t bought much DLC…only extra missions and stuff for games I enjoyed (no way am I going to ever pay for stuff like map packs or costumes). For example the “Severed” DLC for Dead Space 2. I find it’s usually not bad value for a couple of extra hours of gameplay, especially if it expands the story a little.

    I was also guilty of buying Guitar Hero and Rock Band DLC, though the days of playing those games are now well behind me. I sold all my games and instrument controllers long ago, but I unfortunately can’t sell my DLC so it’s still on my PS3’s hard drive (and my Wii’s SD card) :/

    Reply
29. 

    Marathon

    October 20, 2011 at 11:05 am

    The DLC I like are things that actually add to the game experience and are a decent size. New map packs, new weapons, new skins… pass. Whole new levels or plot expansions aka Fallout and Mass Effect are great.

    I think the name DLC is also a problem, what’s wrong with going back to the old days of calling them expansion packs? Most DLC is so small it hardly warrants getting an old game out. More Dragon Age Origins: Awakening and GTA style Episodes are good expansion packs/DLC in my opinion.

    Reply
30. 

    Angered Catfish

    October 20, 2011 at 11:07 am

    So this is 49% of gamers that are all ready online not buying DLC right? If so, I guess the figure would be even higher since I’m sure there’s a few out there who have never bothered hooking their consoles online.
    I usually only buy story based DLC such as from Mass Effect, Alan Wake, GTA etc. I consider multiplayer map packs considerably overpriced same with DLC costumes which just seem a waste.

    Reply
31. 

    Pariah

    October 20, 2011 at 11:17 am

    I’ll buy DLC if it interests me and the price isn’t too much to ask for. Namely, I won’t buy COD maps, but Killzone 3’s are nicely priced and I play it, so i get those.

    Reply
32. 

    andy

    October 20, 2011 at 11:28 am

    See Dling it often isnt worth it. I can go down to JBHIFI and buy it at the same price. the publishers have ruined steam buy jacking up pricess of their games on it. the idea is that it saves customers the excess costs of distribution as well as the DVD mastering etc. its often cheaper down at JB then DLing. plus i dont have to waste my bandwidth on DLing a game and can use it for DLing more crazy japanese shit =D

    Reply
33. 

    Nuddy

    October 20, 2011 at 11:35 am

    DLC is not just an “optional extra”, but it’s a market strategy.
    It can be a way of penalising second-hand buyers.

    For example, in Forza, everyone who buys the game brand new gets an automatic download of a car pack and the “car soccer” game mode – via a redeem code.

    Those that wait a few months and buy the game second hand will have to purchase this content in order to get some awesome multiplayer. They have effectively penalised those who wish to buy the game second hand by cutting out content, and at the same time they have also extended their cash flows by ensuring that people who continue to buy the game second-hand keep contributing through DLC. It’s almost like royalties.

    I reckon we will see more and more occurrences of the ‘free’ official purchase DLC that will cost second-hand buyers.

    Reply
34. 

    DerangedStoat

    October 20, 2011 at 11:57 am

    I don’t touch DLC, but will often get proper expansions. I realise the line between the two is becoming increasingly blurred, but for example, I’ve bought the Dawn of War 2 expansions, as they’re pretty much whole new games in terms of storyline and content, but I don’t plan on going near the Deus Ex 3 Missing Link DLC (I enjoyed both games equally).

    Also expansions tend to have fixed price points, whereas DLC prices vary a huge amount, depending on the publishers perceived value/greed.

    Reply
35. 

    Joshy206

    October 20, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    I sometimes love DLC, but I don’t remember the last time I bought any. I hope this tells companies that we prefer content in the game, or in expansion packs.

    Reply
36. 

    Allan

    October 20, 2011 at 12:55 pm

    The last time I bought DLC maps, nobody else had them and therefore wasn’t enough numbers for a match, so I had to play on standard maps instead, felt like a bit of a waste really.

    Reply
37. 

    Arata

    October 20, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    Yea it’s cool if you enjoy what you’ve downloaded, but I’m a collector. I enjoy playing the games I bought 15 years ago on the machine I bought 15 years ago.

    DLC doesn’t give me this option, so I just skip it and stick with what was released retail. Buggy, not complete and barely a game. Sometimes missing half the game as a marketing ploy *cough* Batman *cough*

    Reply
38. 

    Snacuum

    October 20, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    No DLC for me. I wait for GOTY editions with everything packed in, and I mean PACKED IN, would’ve bought that Borderlands pack if it wasn’t just the normal game disc plus some codes to go download the expansions.

    Reply
39. 

    reaver

    October 20, 2011 at 6:09 pm

    I AM THE 51%!

    Reply
40. 

    Aliasalpha

    October 20, 2011 at 6:54 pm

    I’ll buy DLC for games I loved if its large scale story content or multiplayer map packs for games I play significant amounts of multiplayer with.

    Okay let me rephrase that, For games I love I buy story based DLC and multiplayer map packs for gears of war

    Reply
41. 

    scree

    October 20, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    I only get DLC if it adds onto a game. For example the Fable quests and the Alan Wake chapters. Maybe if they reduced the price, more people would buy.

    Reply