Mass Effect 2 Free and Paid DLC Plans Clarified

January 22, 2010 10:10 AM

While all new copies of Mass Effect 2 will come with a "single-use unlock code" that enables owners to download free add-ons through the in-game "Cerberus Network," developer BioWare is unsurprisingly planning to charge for some later add-ons.

"We'll definitely have for-pay DLC down the road too," BioWare's co-founder Greg Zeschuk told Joystiq. "It's not going to be all free DLC for Mass Effect 2 -- far from that. There'll be paid DLC packs, and there'll be stuff available through Cerberus as well."

Those that don't buy a new copy of the PC and Xbox 360 action-RPG (due January 26) will have to pay 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) to access the Cerebus Network and its various free add-ons--making it the same value as the Stone Prisoner download that came free with new copies of Dragon Age: Origins--according to Kotaku and Bitmob.

Chris Faylor

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

Filed Under

From The Chatty

Refresh Go To Thread

thebigbeefsandwich

 reply
January 22, 2010 10:23 AM

$15.. lol. Bioware makes good games but their DLC is pretty much the bottom of the barrel price/content ratio.
- kungfusquirrel
  
   reply
  January 22, 2010 10:26 AM
  
  If you buy the game, it's free, and continues to give you free things. That doesn't sound too bad to me.
  - kungfusquirrel
    
     reply
    January 22, 2010 10:27 AM
    
    And their price point is usually great - almost all of their other DLC packs have been $5, exception being Stone Prisoner... which is also free when you buy the game.
- DinK
  
   reply
  January 22, 2010 10:32 AM
  
  It's probably just a ridiculous price to give perceived value to buying a new copy. Though honestly I am very, very glad I had the Stone Prisoner free DLC for Dragon Age. It was well worth having.
- Sailor of Fortune
  
   reply
  January 22, 2010 1:29 PM
  
  That's so you buy it for $5 more than used at Gamestop and BW sees actual revenue from that new sale. That amount should help mitigate the lost revenue from a used sale if people end up buying it.
- nutcrackr
  
   reply
  January 22, 2010 1:57 PM
  
  its $15 for people who buy the ridiculously overpriced used version, free for everybody. The concept here is not the price and performance. Rather adding incentive for people to get the new version instead of the slightly cheaper used version.
  - pleasedpig
    
     reply
    January 22, 2010 2:18 PM
    
    To me, the real incentive is to buy the game a year later and get all DLC and expansions bundled. That way you don't have to deal with any nickel and dime bullshit.
    - nutcrackr
      
       reply
      January 22, 2010 2:51 PM
      
      True, but by then people will have moved onto the next big thing. I prefer getting a game when its new and engaging in discussion about it while I play through it.
      - pleasedpig
        
         reply
        January 22, 2010 5:14 PM
        
        I can see that. Maybe the shack should have a year late version? And I mean that semi-seriously. A year-late version could keep track of steam sale games and bundled versions, and discussions would be fresh.
        
        It seems like the natural response to this sales mechanic. By stringing out the same content that used to be in the initial release, they're milking the hardcore customer base that wants 100% of the content. We (that customer base) should respond by forcing the same content back to a single release artificially.
        
        pseudomelon
        
         reply
        January 23, 2010 1:07 AM
        
        If this caught on, the obvious respones for the distributors would most likely be to extend the length of time wherein a game's price does not drop.
        
        pseudomelon
        
         reply
        January 23, 2010 1:07 AM
        
        response*