Over the past 5ish years, I've found myself not buying games that I would otherwise buy because I'm not certain what I'm buying and it's not immediately obvious.

Case in point is I recently had a birthday and have some fun money to spend. I saw Titanfall 2 on sale for Xbox and thought of buying it. But there's a bunch of editions. There's normal edition, some dlc bundles, regular dlc, and an ultimate edition that doesn't appear to have dlc included - or, at least, not additional maps.

So I have no idea what I need to buy. Is the regular editon enough? Do I need those extra maps? You know how it is. If you don't have all the maps for some games, it's hard to get into a game. And the ultimate edition unlocks the Titans and weapons and gives xp bonuses. But I've never played the game before, so I have no idea how difficult it is to unlock those things and don't know what xp even does in this game.

And why am I paying more to get an advantage? Doesn't that sound sort of immoral?

But I don't have time to research all this like I did in my younger years. I'm far too busy and, to be honest, annoyed. Why do I need to research the mechanics of a game to make a purchase decision? Why so many options? It's just a bit much. So I moved on.

And then I thought of a few other times in my past where I did the same thing. I don't get Battlefield games anymore for the same reason. And I love Battlefield. And I was really excited about Star Citizen. But it took me over an hour going through their website and then asking people to figure out how to even purchase the game. So that game is obviously not for me.

I like buying a game with all dlc/maps/levels/charcters included. I like to buy a game and play it and not care about a whole market involved with the game. Just buy, play, enjoy, repeat.

Am I alone out here? Are publishers making more money with this model, you think? And so then they use it?

To me, it means the publisher doesn't actually believe in their game. They know the only way to make money isn't by word of mouth or good gameplay. It's by screwing their customer over. Suckering them into buying something cheap, and then showing how it's just an empty shell of what could be, with just a few more dollars.

I wonder, too, if it gives them more development time. Put something out in 6 months and then charger dlc to get a decent game out of it.

What are your thoughts? Similar view or experience? Or am I just old and cranky these days? Do you think their model isn't as complicated as I make it out? Do you think it's anti-consumer? Or the other way around, implementing choice and lower buy-in threshold?

Yes.

I generally just wait a couple of years for the Complete Ultimate Very-Definitely-Final GOTY edition to come out at a fraction of the original price.

Yeah. I hate the pricing tiers being confusing, especially when ultimate and definitive editions aren't ultimate or definitive.

Pretty much the same for me. Every now and then a game comes along that I'm excited about, I'll get overly hyped and worry about missing something valuable and important, then venture down the rabbit hole of various editions (one, more "ultimate" than the next) and microtransaction hell. But these days, if a game is even remotely well recieved, you can usually count on some sort of "complete" edition of the game that'll include every patch and drop of dlc available as well as eventually going on sale at some point.

Yes.

I prefer just waiting for a complete edition. No plans to complete? Well, that sucks for you but as they say, "A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

No, but I am more inclined to buy the base package than I am to even look at the higher tiers, and when I do look at the higher tiers, I almost always end up buying the base package anyways.

Definitely. I appreciate simplicity, but I also resent being treated like a fool, like when they think they can keep packaging and repackaging their product and charging for it again and again.

Mate, there are many players out there with similar opinions, or rather had those opinions at one time or another.
The pity is though, that most eventually cried "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" and payed through the nose to get each DLC as it came out, and bought in-game advantages through micro-transactions. In short, they've fed the tiger.

Now, DLCs aren't necessarily a bad thing. In story-driven content (in my book mainly SP gaming), an extension of a loved story is a welcome thing. It definitely trumps paying for a game subscription! But when a company goes berserk and keeps releasing one after another, a limited edition, then an ultimate edition, then a GOTY, it gets damn frustrating for a gamer. And often the DLC creation is not to improve / extend a game (in lieu of releasing a sequel), but rather to make the game attractive for re-purchase (often by just being a collection of new in-game items, not an extension of story).

My biggest pet-peeve though is games that provide advantages to a player on the basis of his/her bank balance. Micro-transactions that provide resources that are possible (but perhaps difficult) to find by regular game-play is fine (purchasing rather than farming), but when you get hammered by a skill-less player with an over-powered weapon (with no non-purchase equivalent) that they bought with their parent's credit card is a deal-breaker for me. I have no qualms with a player with a powerful weapon won by blood, sweat and tears, or an item won via in-game competition, that's what it all should be about.

yup, hate this too. you're supposed to play the game not get played by the game. and it turns me off. you don't just buy a game anymore. there's always something else. always some fucking catch or way it's incomplete without exorbitant sums of money. they've even turned just buying the game into some casino-level shit.

you never feel like you're getting a game anymore. and you never quite know if the day 1 DLC or whatever other DLC horseshit is important stuff or just horseshit they through together.

so I choose the better option. ignore it. check back post goty or not at all.

Depends.

If the game is complete and we're talking about pointless cosmetic shit like "pre-order and get the exclusive pink assault rifle with golden inlays and a cough drop - only at Gamespot", I don't give a flying fuck and just buy the base game. Example: Deus Ex: HR/MD

If the game is complete but has worthwile DLCs I'll try to get an eventual GOTY edition, but I'm also okay with buying the base game and possibly the DLC. Example: The WItcher 3

If you try to sell me an incomplete game with tons of expensive DLC to make a complete experience, you can go fuck yourself! I'm not buying anything from you. Example: The Sims

So much yes. Just one more industry practice that irks me to no end. As others have said, just wait a while and buy the complete game at a reduced price.

First of all you sound like you don't really know or understand game purchase on the internet, seems better you leave it your in danger;)

I'm not bothered at all with this kind of decisions i just purches games most after GotY on sale or just regular edition if i really like the game like Strange Brigade which i bought but never bought the season pass and i don't care most of time it's greed anyway.

I do have exceptions to the simple rule here on GOG you have extra demension DRM FREE support. This don't mean i purchase every game with DLC when released but TW3 i did purchase all just to support DRM FREE and CDProject for the reason most of us are here.

Again it's not complex at all if it is and you think you miss something you really have problem and these scammer greedy bastard have you in a way in there pocket.

I got many games with no DLC at all all just played fine and never bothered with DLC i mainly buy the GotY version and on sale this way your question answered just wait for GotY or sales.

If you still want games right when they launch and frustrated by fact it have DLC but think you maybe miss some then your still like kid who can't afford what some rich kids can and feel left behind?

Who cares about DLC lol fuck these companies who only made this happen out of greed(most of gamers also made this happen they buying into this greed shit).

There worst things in life then some bloody DLC in games(same with these cashshop fuck them to).

I'm on steam most of my games bought on sale or free many with no DLC still enjoy them.

I have few exceptions Titan Quest-Grim Dawn and Elder Scrolls series plus here on GOG TW3 soon i will also purchase anything Cyberpunk 2077 related PRE ORDER(only other game i pre order before was TW3 here on GOG)DLC or whatever just to support Good Old Games CD Project.

Just a onpinion on tha internet by a unknown bloke so don't take it all to personal or any serious ok:)

^This.

No because it's actually pretty simple unless you try to think too hard on it, I want the game (regular) and don't care if i miss out on a few useless items you outlevel after your first hours in the game and prefer to buy DLC/Expansions separaretely anyway.

Artbook is not something i'm interested either because it's not the game, OST i can mostly buy separately or access it another way, Wallpaper no thx so i don't personally see the point.