Poll: Witcher dev believes all DLC should be free as a thank you for not pirating

[nu1mlock]

They have a version with DRM on it, the DVD version.

Also worth noting is that they removed the DRM in an early patch. It was there to delay piracy until the game was released, not to prevent piracy forever.

If it worked? Almost. The cracked game was released May 16th 2011 while retail release was the 17th.

I'm fine with that though, I understand that they want to keep the game from being leaked before its release. But with most DRM, it only affects the paying customer. CDPR knows this, hence the removal of the DRM shortly after release.

 

[Rack]

I voted for yes, but there should be an option for "depends on the DLC". While I can see a lot of DLC being not worth a thing, if it adds a decent amout of content I think its worth it's price most of the time. For an example of DLC I think should be free, the pre order bonuses from Fallout NV and similar style games. Once it's been out a while I say just let everyone have it.

Bang on, I mean much as I love CD Projekt Red they've never done any DLC that comes close to the quality of Old World Blues. The scraps of content ripped from the game and justified as being content created during certification should certainly be free but legitimate expansions to the game are worth paying for.

 

[DementedSheep]

Well that?s nice, I?m not going to object to free stuff but I don?t think it ?should? be free unless its small things they just wanted to add, maybe because they felt the game was incomplete on release or fixing problems with the game. The problem with DLC is just that is often not worth the price that is charged.

 

[devotedsniper]

I voted yes but it really does depend if it's something as big as Shivering Isles or Awakening then yes we should pay, but for little things (e.g. horse armor, the majority of Dragon Ages DLC) then yes it should be free, or less than £1 at least to be honest.

 

[Aerosteam]

Free = Good
Payed = Bad
DLC + Free = CD Projekt RED = Awesome
DLC + Payed = Everyone else = Shyte

I have now come to realize that every piece of DLC is just content cut from the game. No excuses. However having it free overlaps that. And whoever said no should rethink.

Edit: Damn it loads of people are replying to me. I don't want to argue, why do you want to?
[sub][sub][sub]Go away.[/sub][/sub][/sub]

 

[Risingblade]

Maybe the small to medium size stuff like extra weapons and map packs but not the big expansions like shivering Isles.

 

[William Dickbringer]

All depends. If its good, large dlc, like Shivering Isles for Oblivion, then sure, go ahead. But day one dlc is irredeemably bad, and hour-long dlc is also terrible.

I have nothing against weapon pack dlc, as I simply don't buy it. Same with cosmetic dlc. If the absence of the dlc won't significantly effect my game, then I reckon they can do whatever they want. Also, I hate dlc that you have to be online to play. I don't have a very stable connection, so having to try three times before I can play my Fallout 3 dlc is just irritating.

Dungeons of Dredmor had good DLC. Everything is cheap to begin with, but the first dlc you paid for - it added 50% more to the game. The second dlc did not, but it was free. The third dlc added whole new dimensions, and was also cheap. Significant expansions were paid for: lesser one s were not.

But hey, pirates don't want to pay for anything anyway, so thinking the greedy buggers will pay for a game with free dlc is nothing less than naive. Didn't The Witcher 2 get pirated way more than it was purchased? So yeah, it was a nice theory.

EDIT: Yeah, it was pirated around/over 4.5 million times, according to the escapist.

Actually majority of the witcher 2's pirated versions were cracked versions of the game that had drm not the drm free ones from GOG and the website

 

[suitepee7]

your poll is missing the option to say yes, apart from huge expansion packs. i'll gladly pay for them, its the bonus maps & weapons dlc which bugs me.

also, more proof that CDPR are an awesome company

 

[Aerosteam]

Free = Good
Payed = Bad
DLC + Free = CD Projekt RED = Awesome
DLC + Payed = Everyone else = Shyte

I have now come to realize that every piece of DLC is just content cut from the game.

Even the ones explicitly created after the completion of the game?

Dawnguard. Your argument is now invalid.

I like to think DLC and expansion packs are different things...

Yes, I know most of the time the expansion packs are sold as DLC, but sometimes it's released on a separate disc.

That's why I say expansion packs are big. (Dragon Age: Awakening, Dawnguard, Shivering Isles)

And DLC are small. (Horse armour, every Mass Effect DLC, Every map pack ever)

 

[nu1mlock]

Free = Good
Payed = Bad
DLC + Free = CD Projekt RED = Awesome
DLC + Payed = Everyone else = Shyte

I have now come to realize that every piece of DLC is just content cut from the game. No excuses. However having it free overlaps that. And whoever said no should rethink.

Not all DLC is something that has been cut from the game. CD Project Red created a lot of content for PC while porting the game over to Xbox 360. Doesn't mean it was cut from the original release. Just like the Arena addon (free) DLC wasn't cut from the game either.

Also, it's "paid", not "payed".

I like to think DLC and expansion packs are different things...

Yes, I know most of the time the expansion packs are sold as DLC, but sometimes it's released on a separate disc.

That's why I say expansion packs are big. (Dragon Age: Awakening, Dawnguard, Shivering Isles)

And DLC are small. (Horse armour, every Mass Effect DLC, Every map pack ever)

Well, then you need to stop thinking that way. Expansion packs are also DLC. Fact.

Again, the Arena DLC for The Witcher 2 is, even according to your thinking, small DLC. Still doesn't mean it was cut from the original game.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

ya know what else, the witcher 2 was heavily pirated (possibly one of the most pirated PC games out there supposedly)

Actually, it isn't. One of the studio heads pulled some numbers out his arse in an interview and certain websites (including this one) took the answers as gospel.

 

[WaterDancer]

"Back when retail games were dominant, we had expansion packs. These were really large chunks of content, which were worth their price."

"If today's DLCs offered the same amount of content," Tomaszkiewicz continued, "they would be worth paying for, but in most cases players think they are overcharged for what they receive. That's why we offer expansions to our game for free. This is also a way of saying "thank you" to the people who decided to buy our game instead of copying it from an unauthorised source."

I agree. I have seen games with plenty of small dlc that wouldn't be worth buying separately or at there regular price. You got games like Railworks simulator 2012 that has dlc costing $2028, Saint row DLC that should be a $30 add-on or a gold edition instead of $77. They could have released the enhanced edition as an add on and it would be fine but they decided to add value by having it for free. It makes it more appealing to buy at full price.

 

[DEAD34345]

But hey, pirates don't want to pay for anything anyway, so thinking the greedy buggers will pay for a game with free dlc is nothing less than naive. Didn't The Witcher 2 get pirated way more than it was purchased? So yeah, it was a nice theory.

EDIT: Yeah, it was pirated around/over 4.5 million times, according to the escapist.

Didn't The Witcher 2 also earn plenty of revenue from paying customers? Nothing anyone does can totally stop piracy, the only relevant data is the actual sales. The Witcher 2 had no DRM and was still profitable, so their theory was proven (or at least supported). They never claimed the game wouldn't be pirated.

OT: I'm one of the few who voted no, because although it's a nice idea, we'd end up missing out on content. If all DLC was free then very few developers would bother making it in the first place, or it would be limited to skin packs and other small inconsequential stuff. I'd rather have the large expansion pack style DLCs personally, even if I have to pay for them.

That said, CD Projekt is still awesome for releasing free DLC and saying this kind of thing. It's rare for game companies (or any kind of company really) to not screw their customers over as much as physically possible.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Tell that to all the people who pirated your games because 'If we don't use DRM, people won't pirate us!', didn't hold water.

That's a nice idea but it also doesn't make financial sense. You have to pay your employees to make that DLC so not charging for it means your losing money. I can understand saying your DLC will be the equivalent of expansion packs and changing for them rather then making any more DLCs, but this seems like a dumb move otherwise. I can understand pandering to gamers to make yourself look good but losing money during the lull between games and delaying your next game due to continued DLC work that won't earn you anything is a dumb idea. It's a nice idea, but companies don't run on good feelings, then run on cash.

 

[Aerosteam]

-The snip-

I said DLC is fine aslong as it is free.

Well, then you need to stop thinking that way. Expansion packs are also DLC. Fact.

Sometimes they're not.

Spoiler: Yup

Fact.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Wow that sounds...well, incredible! It definitely gives me a reason to pick up The Witcher 2 and keep an eye on this company.

 

[WaterDancer]

But hey, pirates don't want to pay for anything anyway, so thinking the greedy buggers will pay for a game with free dlc is nothing less than naive. Didn't The Witcher 2 get pirated way more than it was purchased? So yeah, it was a nice theory.

EDIT: Yeah, it was pirated around/over 4.5 million times, according to the escapist.

OT: I'm one of the few who voted no, because although it's a nice idea, we'd end up missing out on content. If all DLC was free then very few developers would bother making it in the first place, or it would be limited to skin packs and other small inconsequential stuff. I'd rather have the large expansion pack style DLCs personally, even if I have to pay for them.

Games like dungeon defenders, Rail Works 2012, saints row 3, magicka are selling plenty of their DLC as skin packs. Besides the article never said significant DLC shouldn't cost money. just merely small stuff should be free.