Why Left 4 Dead's DLC Is Free
- Thread starter Keane Ng
- Start date
I remember seeing a chart of Team Fortress 2's sales across time. There was a big surge in sales every time their was a class update (or maybe it was the free weekends). Either way, Valve probably knows that if they charged for it, they'd get less money in the long run.
People can debate why its free all they want, but it wont change the fact that it's already out. Just be happy its free and that you're getting new modes to play. Like most pc gamers will tell you, free DLC is a lot better than a 10$ patch expansion.
I'm reminded of the Family Guy skit which shows the eating habits of John Goodman and his family.Keane Ng said:
Also, the real answer to the question is, of course, because Valve are AWESOME!
Why is this even a discussion?
It was a fairly simple addition that was very necessary to the game. I would consider it more of a major patch than a DLC package. If Valve charged for it, there would be an uproar, and they know it. Those missing VS. campaigns explain themselves, they were missing.
And Survival mode is an extremely obvious zombie scenario. Not unlike Resident Evil 4's Mercenaries game mode.
It was a fairly simple addition that was very necessary to the game. I would consider it more of a major patch than a DLC package. If Valve charged for it, there would be an uproar, and they know it. Those missing VS. campaigns explain themselves, they were missing.
And Survival mode is an extremely obvious zombie scenario. Not unlike Resident Evil 4's Mercenaries game mode.
Yeah, maybe this patch was sort of necessary but that's not why its free. Smart game companies know that free content keeps people interested and attracts new buyers to the full game. It's all a question of math for valve but I'm sure their reasoning goes something like this.
If the DLC costs are reasonable they can conceivably make that money back from an upsurge in sales. Free content increases the shelf lives of games, and increases the sales potential for sequels.
If the DLC costs are high, they will sell it, like the HL2 episodes which is direct revenue.
If the DLC costs are reasonable they can conceivably make that money back from an upsurge in sales. Free content increases the shelf lives of games, and increases the sales potential for sequels.
If the DLC costs are high, they will sell it, like the HL2 episodes which is direct revenue.
Is Valve trying to spoil us? This is making me think that most DLC isn't worth it, even the Mythic Map Pack is being questioned now...
I want to make it clear that I have not played either Left 4 Dead, or the new DLC. But the reason my friend thinks it was free, was: 'because it was shit'.
His words not mine, I have no opinion, I just wanted to throw this out there!
His words not mine, I have no opinion, I just wanted to throw this out there!
Sick sick bastard, maybe you dig rotting corpses, but that's not how we roll around here..Cliff_m85 said:
And btw, why do you mind it so much that they took out melee spamming? Because you actually have to play now?
Good lord, how many people are going to ***** about free DLC? It's FREE you monkeys!
Melee spamming has been gone for a while now. Get f'ing over it! If you didn't miss it before the DLC it's because you weren't playing or weren't paying attention.
Survival mode rocks! If you don't like it go play Mario Kart. Or Pong. I'm thrilled we didn't have to shell out a dime for survival mode, much less anything more than that.
So my best friend wants to get the Gold medal on survival mode. I think he'll need a big fat bowl of crack to pull that off but I've heard of folks getting over 30 minutes so what the hell do I know. Just this: I'm a slight pain to play with because I don't give a damn about how long I live. I just want to take as many m-f'ing zombs with me before I go. I figure the more I kill the less there will be for the next sorry saps who end up having to defend themselves. I know it doesn't really work that way especially since I was the next sorry sap time and time again (survival mode rocked, we played a lot) but I really enjoy having a personal motivation that fits in with the game.
Which brings me to a couple of needed changes in the game:
1) I bloody well need to be able to move the items around. All of them. When the shotgun clip is empty while I'm at the top of the lighthouse I don't usually want to reload and would rather have an assault rifle ready at my feet rather then the two pistols in my hands.
2) I can understand not being able to use a heavier weapon than pistols when you're flat on your back and zombs are everywhere but would it kill Valve to allow me to use a pipe bomb and take as many with me as possible? Or eat some pain pills at least so I can plug a few more rounds into the horde that has descended onto me like a thousand Hugh Grants hunting the last hooker?
My favorite moment on Survival mode was I was saved from a hunter only to discover it was the tank who had slapped the agile zomb away from his kill before punting me over the cliff. Was a beautiful moment of "Hooray I'm .. dead!"
Melee spamming has been gone for a while now. Get f'ing over it! If you didn't miss it before the DLC it's because you weren't playing or weren't paying attention.
Survival mode rocks! If you don't like it go play Mario Kart. Or Pong. I'm thrilled we didn't have to shell out a dime for survival mode, much less anything more than that.
So my best friend wants to get the Gold medal on survival mode. I think he'll need a big fat bowl of crack to pull that off but I've heard of folks getting over 30 minutes so what the hell do I know. Just this: I'm a slight pain to play with because I don't give a damn about how long I live. I just want to take as many m-f'ing zombs with me before I go. I figure the more I kill the less there will be for the next sorry saps who end up having to defend themselves. I know it doesn't really work that way especially since I was the next sorry sap time and time again (survival mode rocked, we played a lot) but I really enjoy having a personal motivation that fits in with the game.
Which brings me to a couple of needed changes in the game:
1) I bloody well need to be able to move the items around. All of them. When the shotgun clip is empty while I'm at the top of the lighthouse I don't usually want to reload and would rather have an assault rifle ready at my feet rather then the two pistols in my hands.
2) I can understand not being able to use a heavier weapon than pistols when you're flat on your back and zombs are everywhere but would it kill Valve to allow me to use a pipe bomb and take as many with me as possible? Or eat some pain pills at least so I can plug a few more rounds into the horde that has descended onto me like a thousand Hugh Grants hunting the last hooker?
My favorite moment on Survival mode was I was saved from a hunter only to discover it was the tank who had slapped the agile zomb away from his kill before punting me over the cliff. Was a beautiful moment of "Hooray I'm .. dead!"