10 Things Every Video Game Needs To Learn From The Witcher 3
3. Creating Substantial & Worthwhile DLC
Downloadable content has become integral to the development of video games. Nowadays it is planned out right along with the core game in an attempt to extend its lifespan while also creating an excuse to charge consumers more. Many would argue that what was once a legitimate means of supporting a game after its release has now been tainted by greed. The Witcher 3 is one of the few AAA video games that purposefully went against this trend, and, to the surprise of no one, generated a positive response from consumers. Instead of charging players with an abundance of cheap, superficial DLC, CDPR made the first 15 content packs free, focusing on creating substantive expansions to be released later down the line. One of these expansions has already been released, and adds hours of new content to the core game. Another is planned to be released early in 2016, and will add a whole new area to the map to explore, which will make The Witcher 3 even bigger than it already is. Nobody could possibly claim that these expansions arent worth the price. This is how you properly support a game after release. You wont see anybody complaining about The Witcher 3s DLC, and thats because when it has genuine value, gamers are more than happy to pay the asking price. Future video games could really stand to take a lesson from this, as both consumers and publishers would benefit, fostering a more positive and trustworthy relationship between the two. Its a win-win situation, which makes it so puzzling that publishers continue to ignore such a blatant fact.
