We’re hours away from the midnight launch of Capcom’s latest blockbuster, Resident Evil 5, and there’s already news about downloadable content coming in a few weeks. And it will cost an extra $5.

This isn’t not your typical bonus level pack, either. The new content is a Versus mode, in which several players compete against each other. Paid downloadables have been around for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve seen a standard gameplay mode excluded from the disc and sold for an additional cost. I fear that other publishers will follow suit, leaving more significant content for separate purchase while keeping the initial game’s price tag intact.

With all kinds of post-release content, there’s always a question of “too soon.” How long after a game’s release is it appropriate to offer new material? The question is even more pertinent in this instance, because it regards a mode of play that’s usually part of the whole package.

Now, it’s possible that Capcom simply didn’t have the Versus mode ready in time and excluded it from the disc to meet scheduled ship dates, but it could have been offered for free if that was the case. Or perhaps there’s a mindset that not all players are interested in Versus mode, so it isn’t worth including as a standard feature. But that would suggest an a la carte approach to gaming, and that’s not happening here. Consumers aren’t saving any money by skipping the extra mode, they’re simply getting a raw deal.

 
4 Comments


Read more: Downloadable Content, Gaming