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Kotaku's Jason Schreier: A lot of devs have said singleplayer story DLC often doesn't sell very well
- Thread starter Nirolak
- Start date
I can think of a handful of single player DLC that doesn't feel/look like content chopped out to fill a season pass or DLC quota. Spider Man being the most egregious recent example.
It sucks, but I absolutely believe it. Games have a quick turnaround now. It's only when I hear rave reviews do I think to go back and pick up bonus story DLC for big games from months past.
Makes more sense to make them standalone games at a reduced price.
Most people end up complaining about it if it's DLC or are just done with the game and don't care about going back.
Most people end up complaining about it if it's DLC or are just done with the game and don't care about going back.
none of that was chopped out of the game, it was all built separately.
*shrug*
So that's why Torna was standalone as well, like how Jason mentioned Uncharted LL?
Could it be because it being purely digital makes some people unaware of its existence?
Could it be because it being purely digital makes some people unaware of its existence?
Will be interesting to see how Spiderman does in relation to this...
Can definitely see this being true. I guess if you're making single player DLC you might as well commit more resources to a standalone version that can grab a wider audience, and have a bigger price point.
Can definitely see this being true. I guess if you're making single player DLC you might as well commit more resources to a standalone version that can grab a wider audience, and have a bigger price point.
Sounds like they're realizing the old style, actual game expansion quasi-sequel is a better idea than DLC chunks that feel like they should've been part of the original package to begin with.
Just release the DLC day 1. My biggest gripe with single player DLC is that they launch months after I have the game uninstalled from my console.
My main issue with SP DLC is the timing. It always comes out months after I'm done with the main game. And then I have moved on to other games and will wait for a discount.
Story DLC's are inherently very limited in their appeal to people that
a) Bought the game (duh)
b) Didn't resold the game in trade-in programs
c) Enjoyed the game
d) Feel a strong desire to play more of it
Not even mentioning the fact that DLC's often tend to be fairly expensive compared to the maingame.
There's no reason not to make them stand-alone if possible, because then you can sell them to people that might weren't interested in the maingame but are interested in the expansion because of the new characters or whatever.
a) Bought the game (duh)
b) Didn't resold the game in trade-in programs
c) Enjoyed the game
d) Feel a strong desire to play more of it
Not even mentioning the fact that DLC's often tend to be fairly expensive compared to the maingame.
There's no reason not to make them stand-alone if possible, because then you can sell them to people that might weren't interested in the maingame but are interested in the expansion because of the new characters or whatever.
A lot of it struggles to really stand out, or is integrated poorly. Lot ofX sidestory that really happened alongside the game but you just didn't see it and also you have to awkwardly load an old save, or just totally devoid of real story in general. Many don't like to move the story or characters forward, or offer poor value propositions.
Though there are like 5 DLCs on the steam top sellers charts. All games that seem to have some sort of mutiplayer functionality but still have real beefy single player content.
Though there are like 5 DLCs on the steam top sellers charts. All games that seem to have some sort of mutiplayer functionality but still have real beefy single player content.
That's because most single player DLC is no good. People don't want to spend $10-15 for 3 hour content with most of it being repetitive activities copied from the main game and maybe an hour or less of actual story content. People are finally realizing the full sized expansion model we used to have is far more preferable to the DLC model that started last gen.
On some level, every one of us knew this. That's why so many games sell their unmade DLC at the same time as their main game releases via Deluxe/Gold Editions - when the game is still fresh in people's heads. You are essentially kick-starting DLC from major corporations - because they can't financially justify single-player DLC in most cases otherwise. And now Jason just confirmed it.
...Very sad.
...Very sad.
OP
OP
I suspect it's a demographics and perception issue.
Heavy singleplayer gamers often just go through a game and then move on forever, whereas multiplayer gamers are staying with a title continually or frequently returning for events and the like.
A new standalone release, even though they often don't have astonishing sales, at least gives the impression to potential buyers that it's a sizable experience worth going back for instead of a small amount of content for a game they stopped caring about, and is usually accompanied by a larger marketing campaign since they have to convince customers to buy a $30-$40 product (retailer margins and licensing fees make it difficult to sell a game at retail below that price point).
Oh yeah, what would you know about it, huh?
/s
OT: I feel like this was a known fact since last gen, I remember reading about a lot of singleplayer dlc not doing so well and not nearly as well as multiplayer dlc.
I used to play all of them but this year I quit. I realized I was playing them out of obligation instead of actually having fun. It's just not worth it to reinvest in a game. I enjoyed my 60 hours with Assassin's Creed Odyssey but it's over and I'm not going to remember the controls, the mechanics or what's going on months from now.
Had it shipped with the game at launch, the game would of been that much better imo.
bummer, that's my favorite kind of dlc.
i wonder how well nintendo's recent single player dlcs have done. splatoon, xenoblade, botw, etc.
i wonder how well nintendo's recent single player dlcs have done. splatoon, xenoblade, botw, etc.
I think because it's either too soon, so branded cut-content or too late and most have moved on.
Among all of the single player DLC in the post-expansion pack era I've played, only two lived up to the quality of the original game
Shadow Broker and Taken King. I'm sure Forsaken would qualify, but the vast majority of SP DLC is just...not up to par.
Shadow Broker and Taken King. I'm sure Forsaken would qualify, but the vast majority of SP DLC is just...not up to par.
DLC is rarely worth playing even on great games. Who can be bothered learning the controls again and immersing yourself after moving on to other games.
HZD was the perfect example of this for me recently, can't get into frozen lands or what ever it's called.
Witcher 3 is one notable exception but even then I only finished one of the DLC before getting bored half way through the second.
HZD was the perfect example of this for me recently, can't get into frozen lands or what ever it's called.
Witcher 3 is one notable exception but even then I only finished one of the DLC before getting bored half way through the second.
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This is why they push the season pass before the game even launches, guaranteed money, just look at trophy percentages for main game completion compared to the easiest dlc trophy, it'll usually be in the 1-5% range.
I've bought complete editions and never even beat the single player game let alone the dlc.
I don't usually finish a game and finding myself wanting more, if anything I could do with games being shorter and cutting the fat.
Going back to buying dlc/ gold editions at launch, there's probably a like a quarter as likely to buy dlc after I buy a game then before I buy it.
I've bought complete editions and never even beat the single player game let alone the dlc.
I don't usually finish a game and finding myself wanting more, if anything I could do with games being shorter and cutting the fat.
Going back to buying dlc/ gold editions at launch, there's probably a like a quarter as likely to buy dlc after I buy a game then before I buy it.
Sucks, but makes sense. Multiplayer DLC is repeatable, and encourages prolonged retention. Single player DLC often costs as much as a third of a game (since that's essentially what it is), and is generally built to be played once.
Something worth pointing out for some of the most celebrated (and well-integrated-into-the-main-game) DLC out there (like for Bloodborne/The Witcher 3/Horizon: Zero Dawn):
*just like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider*, this DLC got monetized with full game sales in the form of "complete edition" versions of the base game.
*just like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider*, this DLC got monetized with full game sales in the form of "complete edition" versions of the base game.
I believe it, I barely have time to finish a game's on-disc SP content, why would I spend money for more?
makes sense to me. I've already moved on by the time it comes out. learned my lesson not to buy it way back with mass effect 3
Its true. By the time the DLC comes out Ive already moved on to something else no matter how good it is (Horizon and Spider-Man for example).
Its a tough tough balancing act. Release the DLC too soon after launch and people get upset for being nickel and dimed. Release it too late and people have lost interest and moved on.
Its a tough tough balancing act. Release the DLC too soon after launch and people get upset for being nickel and dimed. Release it too late and people have lost interest and moved on.
I have never once purchased sp dlc.. Even if I absolutely love the game. Never purchases dlc for dishonored, horizon zero dawn, bioshock, Skyrim, Zelda, ect. Hell if god of war came out with dlc I wouldnt purchase that either and that game is my game of the century.
I'm not surprised. Most people don't even finish story modes. I also think it's fair to say most DLC kind of sucks, especially compared to the main game. Granted, I've only bought extra content for a handful of games, but critical reception is usually much lower, too.
I like the standalone approach that's been coming back lately. It's still basically repackaged DLC, but at least it's much more substantial.
I like the standalone approach that's been coming back lately. It's still basically repackaged DLC, but at least it's much more substantial.
Most of the time when I do buy single player DLC it's because I like the game and the DLC is set during the main campaign, like if it was taken off from the game; like in AC2, Mafia 2, Human Revolution.
I don't feel interested in DLC unless it's part of the story.
I don't feel interested in DLC unless it's part of the story.