But this game unlike most, is PS3 only. If we don´t buy it, they don´t have another revenue stream, no xbox or pc to make it up to. So unlike multi-platform games, this is one of the last remaining places we have (a very little) saying.
And like GT series, there are many other PS3 exclusives - as well as exclusives on another platforms too, like Halo on X360 or whatever - that have only one platform to sell their DLC. But being exclusive or not makes no difference really.
When you do both hardware (consoles) and software (games, DLC, services) business - like all 3 major player does (Nintendo not so much, but will recuperate with incoming Network and WU console) - you have to takes few things in perspective. And one of the most important *things* are third-party publishers.
You can partially *ignore* their retail sales-prices (where Activison and EA games are more expensive than other games in average, for example than first-party mainly) but you can't really play smart an dump the established model of pricing on the post-retail digital markets (Live, PSS). Why? Because they could just play *wiseboy* on you.
And guess what - PlayStation users already have consequences of such *wiseboyism* - where Activision and Rockstar agreed a special terms with Microsoft regarding DLC-policies and exclusivity for two most important franchises in the gaming today: COD and GTA. You don't have to be particularly smart to tie 2-and-2 together and realise amount of actual influence of loss in sales for both hardware (PS3 console) and software (PS3 games, theoretical DLC and direct income that comes to Sony in this case through "platform-fees") by just those 2 *wiseboy deals*.
You do not play with third-party in this business. They can both make you very successful or throw you into the quicksand and play with the straw while you draining just for lulz.
Once you establish the rules and once the majority of market accepts them, there is no turning back. At least until the day when both COD/GTA/FIFA sales plummet because players will stop to buy actual games and DLC for reasons of high-pricing, but we all know it will never happen.
For instance if we get sick and tired and move in a significant quantity to forza, PD and Sony will do something about it.
Well, not such a big difference really. Only current DLC for Forza have been cars-packs (still no tracks) and only thing they've actually patched is wheel support and steering-model. No bug fixes, no added functionality, no new options, nothing.
But we got 40 cars so far (I purchased Seasonal Pass to get a discount back in the November) with some support in Rivals Mode (when servers work of course). However, you still have to purchase them with the in-game currency in order to actually have them on disposal in your garage, which is still the stupidest policy I have ever witnessed in the genre.
But people are happy I guess, nobody never complains about anything in Forza (and when somebody does he's either ignored or labelled as troll) and world keeps turning.
BTW Never forget how you have to pay annual fee of 40$ to be able to use online (Live) functionality of the FM4, which is basically the complete of Community options in the game (Rivals, Auction House, online multiplayer, *seasonal* races and challenges, etc..) - when we already speak about the pricing and what is
fair.
BTW, Amar, how´s the elite wheel? Before launch I was considering buying it but am not too sure by now.
Great, even better than on start. Last firmware made it even better on both PS3 and X360 (GT5 and Forza 4 especially) and it is still the best wheel I have ever driven on.
