Jimquisition: Reasons To Pass On Season Passes

Ukomba

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Oct 14, 2010
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I hate the idea of a season pass and have never bought one, but I have to admit, I would probably get one for a game I knew I was going to buy all the dlc for anyways. Though, the only game I can think of that falls into that category at the moment is Mass Effect.
 

Viper114

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Dec 3, 2008
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I used to think Season Passes were good. After all, not only does it promise to save me money but it saves me the effort of needing to buy the DLC and download it when it just downloads it automatically. But it's starting to make sense how the DLC takes forever to come out (Bioshock Infinite the prime example), how they can choose to ignore the pass altogether for some DLC (Borderlands 2 with the Psycho on that example) AND how they produce DLC that has absolutely no interest for me whatsoever (Batman Arkham series with the stupid challenge modes, no interest whatsoever). I think it's best to ignore the pass for now and just buy the DLC as it comes. It may cost a bit more in the long run, but considering how far apart the DLC releases, paying $5 or $10 or $15 every few months isn't exactly wallet breaking.
 

Thanatos2k

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We have already established why preordering is bad, and season passes are PREORDERING DLC, which has to be possibly the dumbest thing ever.
 

rofltehcat

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Seriously, who buys DLC and season passes anymore when I can just get a new game for the same price on Steam instead?
If I really liked a game (so I might want to support the developer) and the DLC seems to be good value from reviews (which it often is not), then I might cherry-pick a little DLC.
Other than that, season passes are really only relevant in games like Battlefield 3 (premium), where not having the DLC means that you can't play the maps 80% of servers are suddenly running, which sucks for a multiplayer title.
 

Weresquirrel

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Aug 13, 2008
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I've never actually bought a season pass before a game is out. I think the only one I have bought is Borderlands 2's, which I got during the steam sale after all the individual pieces were available and it was cheaper.
 

Something Amyss

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Dec 3, 2008
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DataSnake said:
The trust issue is why I like Volition's approach to season passes. Namely, that you can buy the season pass at release and have all the A-grade DLC appear in your game as soon as it comes out (in a weird inversion, the B-grade weapon-and-outfit packs are what you have to buy separately) or you can wait until all the DLC is out and then buy the season pass to get all of it at a discount. Hell, the season pass for Saints Row The Third is still [http://store.steampowered.com/app/901805/] available on Steam, and the last piece of DLC dropped more than a year and a half ago!
Errr...That's nowhere near unique to Volition. In fact, that's more or less standard as far as I can tell, since it's pretty much the only way I buy season passes.

The only exception is Borderlands 2, a game where the pass went on sale and became worth it for me even if the last pack was crap.
 

LG Jargon

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Feb 9, 2012
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ImBigBob said:
I almost never buy DLC. I grabbed a couple for Borderlands 1, and that was it. Unless you count Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, which is about the best argument for DLC you could possibly have.
Actually, I think Blood Dragon was a standalone game built on FC3's engine and design, with changes to gameplay, style and story being the thing that set it apart from the original.

DataSnake said:
The trust issue is why I like Volition's approach to season passes. Namely, that you can buy the season pass at release and have all the A-grade DLC appear in your game as soon as it comes out (in a weird inversion, the B-grade weapon-and-outfit packs are what you have to buy separately) or you can wait until all the DLC is out and then buy the season pass to get all of it at a discount. Hell, the season pass for Saints Row The Third is still [http://store.steampowered.com/app/901805/] available on Steam, and the last piece of DLC dropped more than a year and a half ago!
Ugh...I bought the Full Package on Steam a while back when it went on discount...which came WITH the Season Pass (even though they were no longer making DLC for it) for no damn reason. -.- I couldn't even remove the Season Pass since I was buying the whole damned thing instead of buying the DLC piecemeal (it's more expensive if you buy it piecemeal; it's why I usually prefer to wait until a game has released ALL of its DLC and THEN buy it in a complete package at a discounted price).

If the game is complete, and you're not releasing any more DLC for it..........why are you still selling the goddamned Season Pass?! Greedy fuckers.

OP: Great episode; wish it was a little longer, but you've probably said all that you wanted to say with the time allotted. Thank God for you, Jim.
 

kurokotetsu

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Sep 17, 2008
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Ruzinus said:
How to Season Pass:

Wait for all the DLC to be out.

Notice that the Season Pass is still sold.

Wait for the Season Pass to get a Steam Sale.

Make purchasing decision.
Yeah this. ONly bought the BL2 Season Pass when I knew it was complete, knew exactly what it included (and that I wanted what it included) and had a Steam Sale, meaning I got four DLC for the price of one. May do it with Bioshock Infitie, depending on how the Burial at Sea DLC turns out. Not preordering any DLC that is for sure.
 

Legion

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Oct 2, 2008
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Completely and utterly agree with all of it.

Just one thing I would add is that in every case I have seen, you can still buy the season pass once all of the DLC is out, so customers don't have any real reason to complain if they feel they are getting a raw deal, and developers are more relying on customers being impatient than forcing them into something they don't want.

My largest issue with Season Passes is what you mentioned in regards to Killzone, a game for a console that isn't even released having DLC announced and them claiming it as a good thing.

Out of curiosity, I'd love to see your reply to that comment.
 

Thanatos2k

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Zero Serenity said:
What about pre-order bonuses that are DLC? Darksiders II does this and I don't find anything particularly wrong with it.
I had a problem with it, namely I finished the game and the DLC didn't exist. I was told I didn't have the content I bought and couldn't have the content for some indeterminate period of time. I never played that DLC because I had already moved on to other games.

So their preorder "bonus" was absolutely worthless.
 

Arnoxthe1

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Dec 25, 2010
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Actually, I think preordering gets somewhat too much flak. There are some people I know that love having a game delivered to them right when it's released so they don't have to go out and perhaps wait in a line.

I think map packs need to be addressed. It's a rather serious issue for FPS' and I would like to hear your thoughts on it, Jim.
 

Psychobabble

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Aug 3, 2013
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Fucking brilliant episode Jim. You knocked this one out of the park.

I think the whole idea of season passes and extra DLC content just shows how little respect the industry actually has for it's own customers. Like they think they can do what they like as we will buy any old shit they choose to sell because we have no control over our purchasing behavior and just act like lemmings with credit cards. ...Of course the reason they think like that is because there are so many gamers who act exactly like lemmings with credit cards.

So I agree season passes and over reliance on DLC is bad for consumers and that game studios are dicks for abusing their customers in this manner. However I think gamers themselves share some of the guilt for these selling tactics existence.

I imagine this was filmed before the Expo, but if not, Congratulations for not being at death's door from fan cooties this time round.
 

WarHamster40K

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Dec 2, 2009
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Personally, I like what Unknown Worlds is doing for Natural Selection 2. They've already released (in addition to the standard patches) two different packs of DLC after release for free. New structures, new abilities, new maps, etc. Since then, they've determined the cost of doing another pack and set up a donation fund. The total cost seems a bit high to me, but I don't know much about video game development costs. In any case, they specifically mention in their <a href=http://youtu.be/Gozvm5P7vzY>video that they won't do season passes or in-game DLC. Given Jim's video, it's worth a look. Being a nifty game help, too. n_n
 

ninjaRiv

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I preordered Arkham Origins and I don't regret a thing. I preordered Splinter Cell Blacklist and loved it. I did this because I researched the product, the companies and people involved and I know I already like the franchises. So preordering can be good for established companies with great names attached. Their products are available for preview, some more than others, and the research can be done.

Problem with Season Passes is, there's no product before you order it. It's all based on faith and trust. Even if you trust the people involved, there's still no product to examine and preview. So... Yeah, good video. Agree with a lot of it.
 

Rylee Fox

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Aug 3, 2011
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I've bought season passes before, but I have a few rules I follow when it comes to them.

1: All of the DLC included must already be out.

2: The DLC has to get generally good reviews from people.

3: The DLC better have story content.

As a result I've only ever bought the pass for Saints Row 3, and Borderlands 2. For both games all the DLC I even wanted in the first place was part of the pass, so it wasn't an issue.
 

themilo504

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May 9, 2010
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Seasons passes are incredibly pointless on the pc, just wait for steam sales and you can get the dlc cheaper than the season pass.

I?ve sworn off pre ordering games after Rome 2 was released unfinished, the worst part is that I still enjoy Rome 2 but since creative assembly is very busy patching the game it feels pointless to go on since in a few months the game will actually be finished.
 

Pat Hulse

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Oct 17, 2011
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I can't argue that Season Passes are generally-speaking a bad deal and consumers ought to be wary of them, but I don't think that publishers should stop offering them. Pre-selling DLC ensures that the publishers don't get on the developers asses about releasing the DLC sooner since statistically, DLC sells best right after release (source: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/eedar-consumers-have-greater-interest-in-dlc-a-month-after-game/ ). This is why on-disc DLC was such a common practice. With Season Passes, the publishers get to maximize DLC sales and the publishers get to take their time and do their DLC right.

That said, everything Jim says still holds more-or-less true. When you buy a Season Pass, you're assuming that you're going to want to buy every ounce of DLC released for that game and you're trusting that the developers and the publishers are going to deliver in a timely manner. And unlike something akin to a pre-order or a Kickstarter pledge, your Season Pass doesn't typically guarantee anything specific. From a consumer standpoint, this is almost never a good deal for you.

I just accept this particular extortion as a necessary evil. I generally like DLC as a concept and in order for DLC to be deemed a worthy investment to most AAA publishers, they have to find a way to cash in on it quickly. They tried on-disc DLC and this led to both underwhelming DLC and pissed-off consumers. So now they're trying to have it both ways. To their credit, I can't really see a better way for them to do it. Yes, they could just make good DLC and sell it piece-mail, but again, statistically their audience will have decreased dramatically as they focused their attention on newer, fresher games.

So long as publishers don't FORCE us to buy Season Passes in order to get certain DLC, I'll just see it as an idiot tax so the developers can take their time to make decent DLC for me to buy later on.
 

fluxy100

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May 22, 2010
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I stand by the fact that a season pass is an option, it is a show of goodwill from the purchaser to the supplier that they trust that the DLC will be good and they are paying them beforehand because of that belief. If someone doesn't want the season pass and decides that they want to wait then that is all and good, they get the upside of seeing the DLC but the downside of a higher price.

I also hate it whenever anyone complains about the Borderlands 2 DLC season pass, to me It's one of the few season passes done extremely well. They stated beforehand what people were going to get, released said DLC they promised and made a few more, of course you're not going to get the other DLC with the season pass, that's not what they promised. To ask otherwise is to ask for something extra when you already payed for a set amount of DLC and received the DLC you payed for.
 

Stabby Joe

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Haven't bought a season pass before the DLC releases BUT I remember the Steam Sales that sold the Borderlands 2 season pass for near half its price so the discount on the expansions was a no brainer, but that is one perk that appears exclusive the PC gaming most of the time (if not all).

I also noticed the clip of Injustice: Gods Among Us, an interesting example as the season pass was for just four extra characters, characters they had planned in advance according to sources for predicted them. The many costumes packs of course weren't and the last two characters were released AFTER the season pass, both being characters fans demanded the most apparently. THEN being a fighting game, there are many huge updates and free compatibility bonuses. And finally in the end it was all made irrelevant with the recent news of an "ultimate edition"..

...so basically they did both right and wrong. Confusing.