Witcher 2 'leaked' video

[Nepenthe]

Not really happy with the kind of DLC that makes "impossible" things easier for those that cough up the extra money (the water bottle in FONV, or what they seem to be considering here). There's still some really good DLC out there, I think FO3 (which I'm on record as not liking) had some really good stuff as DLC (point lookout) and I've really liked some ME2 DLC (both Kasumi and Shadow Broker were top-notch IMO, actually superior or at least equal to the best story missions in the shipped game), even though Bio's DLC record so far has been less than stellar (Bring Down the Sky was ok, DAO DLC was uniformly disappointing and seemed ultra low-budget in comparison to the ME2 stuff released at the same time - really liked Leliana's Song, though).

 

Some of us will get to see what Obsid does with the FONV DLC, but I'm unhappy with the redux of x360 exclusiveness to the point where I'm not sure I'll get it even if it ever gets released on PS3.

[Labadal]

Not really happy with the kind of DLC that makes "impossible" things easier for those that cough up the extra money (the water bottle in FONV, or what they seem to be considering here). There's still some really good DLC out there, I think FO3 (which I'm on record as not liking) had some really good stuff as DLC (point lookout) and I've really liked some ME2 DLC (both Kasumi and Shadow Broker were top-notch IMO, actually superior or at least equal to the best story missions in the shipped game), even though Bio's DLC record so far has been less than stellar (Bring Down the Sky was ok, DAO DLC was uniformly disappointing and seemed ultra low-budget in comparison to the ME2 stuff released at the same time - really liked Leliana's Song, though).

 

Some of us will get to see what Obsid does with the FONV DLC, but I'm unhappy with the redux of x360 exclusiveness to the point where I'm not sure I'll get it even if it ever gets released on PS3.

 

I don't blame Obsidian for the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC. That was entirely up to Bethesda.

[Hassat Hunter]

People seem to like it though. As bizarre as that sounds...

I am fine with getting it along with my gold edition. Not gonna shell out the cash to actually buy it seperate from the main game unless price/content ratio's get improved a lot...

[Orchomene]

A DLC that is aimed to people that play for achievments is not something I would care. It's like a tax on dumbness.

[Maria Caliban]

Didn't the original Witcher have free DLC?

[Hassat Hunter]

Pretty much.

 

Although most of the campaigns were fan-made, 2 were by CD Projekt.

[Nepenthe]

I don't blame Obsidian for the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC. That was entirely up to Bethesda.

I'm not 'blaming' anyone, certainly not Obsidian. I'm saying that if Bethesda keeps making these (timed) exclusive deals, they have to accept that they are taking Microsoft's money instead of, and not in addition to, mine.

[Thorton_AP]

Last figures I saw had the vast majority of gamers not purchasing DLC, so it can't be too popular. Nice high margin for company beancounters though.

 

 

Which figures are these?

[Labadal]

I don't blame Obsidian for the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC. That was entirely up to Bethesda.

I'm not 'blaming' anyone, certainly not Obsidian. I'm saying that if Bethesda keeps making these (timed) exclusive deals, they have to accept that they are taking Microsoft's money instead of, and not in addition to, mine.

 

I understand your stance in this matter. Exclusive DLC is BS.

[Zoraptor]

Last figures I saw had the vast majority of gamers not purchasing DLC, so it can't be too popular. Nice high margin for company beancounters though.

 

 

Which figures are these?

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6279895.html?...mp;subj=6279895

 

Short: 75% of people did not download any digital content whatsoever, 15% downloaded via PC and 6% via a console (rest via other means eg cellphone). Probably US only being based on NPD though there's no strong reason to think other areas would be significantly different except less in areas with bad internet.

[Majek]

There's not sample size provided and that is very important.

[Slowtrain]

I'm surprised the numbers are so small. At this point I would have expected an overwhelming majority of gamers to be regular dlc purchasers.

[Zoraptor]

There's not sample size provided and that is very important.

Most of their surveys involve ~30k respondents, which is plenty (all other things being equal) statistically speaking.

 

More likely to be a significant question is how likely it is that if only 15% of PC people buy anything from online sources the online and retail sectors on PC are roughly equal as per one of their other surveys. Every single online purchaser would have to buy nearly 7 times the amount as an offline purchaser for both to be true (and that assumes they buy zero stuff offline too); plus there's the status of facebook games like farmville and how they relate.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Zoraptor

[Niten_Ryu]

I'm surprised the numbers are so small. At this point I would have expected an overwhelming majority of gamers to be regular dlc purchasers.

 

Numbers don't have to be huge because profit margins are so great (means no retail cut, no DVD printing costs, small teams or perhaps even single person). Basically people who buy DLCs are those who'd buy 200-300 dollar games. Most of us wouldn't buy games (at all) if they'd be DLC byte sizes

[Maria Caliban]

Percentage of gamers buying DLC is going to be low when you include 40-something women playing Farmville in your sample. Moreover, it doesn't tell us how often that group that bought DLC does so or how much they spent.

 

It's good to see the PC is ahead in DLC.

[Zoraptor]

Depends- if everyone who has ever bought anything premium on Farmville/ 2nd Life and their ilk is counted as a digital purchaser (as they should be) then the ratio would potentially be even more extreme.

[Maria Caliban]

Depends- if everyone who has ever bought anything premium on Farmville/ 2nd Life and their ilk is counted as a digital purchaser (as they should be) then the ratio would potentially be even more extreme.

 

You have a point. Especially since Zynga has managed to net $150 million on a 'free' game.

[alanschu]

Unfortunately I am not privy to discuss specific sales numbers (dollars or "units"), but DLC for Dragon Age completely blew away our expectations for how popular it would be.

[mkreku]

I've bought a DLC.. once. It was Anchorage for Fallout 3 and it made me never want to buy another DLC again.

 

I have been thinking about buying Thongs of Virtue for Deathspank, but I am not sure it can be considered DLC.

[alanschu]

Oh... on a personal level I don't recall ever buying a DLC either (though I have gotten the odd preorder because it ended up coming with some DLC I thought would be neat).

[Tigranes]

FNV Dead Money is the first DLC I'm considering buying. We'll see about price, length & quality.

[Nepenthe]

Percentage of gamers buying DLC is going to be low when you include 40-something women playing Farmville in your sample. Moreover, it doesn't tell us how often that group that bought DLC does so or how much they spent.

 

It's good to see the PC is ahead in DLC.

Ok, we're talking about a group defined as "consumers over 13" and how much "digital content" they download. I wouldn't start using this data to support that a) DLC is unpopular or really even that b) PC users buy more DLC.

 

Unfortunately I am not privy to discuss specific sales numbers (dollars or "units"), but DLC for Dragon Age completely blew away our expectations for how popular it would be.

I blew away my own expectations by buying most of it twice.

 

I dunno, the last time I played it, it was more an obsession with getting that "perfect, how I envisioned it" run for DA2. Not really an enjoyment, and I'm still sore over the peasant revolt thing (I have no idea whether it bugs or just tracks some variables that make ME2's hold the line seem like a piece of cake to reverse-engineer)

[entrerix]

i've bought some dlc:

 

lair of shadow broker (ME2)

zombie island of dr ned (borderlands)

Pitt and swamp people addon (FO3)

 

I still vastly prefer expansion packs.

[Gorth]

I have The Stone Prisoner and the that ugly Blood Armour thing that came with Dragon Age. That game really rammed the point home that I would never ever spend a single cent on DLC (I still want to slap the guy who put that neon sign in my night camp with a trout).

 

Heck, it even made me vary of buying expansion packs now (never got that one for DA either).

 

I hope The Witcher will take a different path. Even if the game isn't as good as the first one, it scores a few points up front by being DLC free. Just waiting to hear the QTE and minigames verdict before (pre)ordering

[funcroc]

New gameplay footage