Is it unethical for Microsoft to "sell" gamer points which are needed to download additional game content that was previously free?

It’s not like they’re selling cigarettes to kids.

It’s a minor annoyance in the world. It’s right down there with the Spongebob/Sir Mix a Lot commercial in terms of relative unimportance.

So if someone downloads these via bit-torrent, is it considered piracy?

Yes.

See, I’ve never thought of the upgrades as free. I always considered them costing money, and that I could earn them by playing the games more often and unlocking achievements. I guess I’ve been duped.

duped? how so?

hmm, are we talking about upgrades that would other wise be free on the computer version? like updates and patches and what not? or just in game upgrades that you get by achieving goals? I dunno back in the old days you would buy cheat books and stuff for that. Then the internet blew that away with everyone posting the cheats online. Now i guess microsoft has found a way around that. Either way I don’t really feel too bad pirating anything from microsoft. (though its still piracy)

Unethical? Microsoft? Really?

DLC is usually not free, and, IMO, the Fallout 3 DLCs are definitely worth the money. The developers put hundreds of hours into developing and making extra segments to games, in order to increase the game’s playtime and overall fun.

This would be different if the game did not work at all, and they charged you or the patch to fix it. DLCs are optional and unesessary; they are not forcing you to buy them. If it was a needed add on, and they charged you or it, that’d be unethical.

Yeah this guy is not making to much sense.

We have had the whole DLC argument before but i still think its down to Microsoft making more money. The games dont needed those extra contents your buying so how could you complain about it?

I didnt think you could also get DLC on the PC Versions of these but why wouldnt you just pirate it if its such a bad thing to spend $10? Unless of course you feel bad for the people at Bethesda that put in all that time and effort to make that DLC.

That is one of the things I don’t like about Microsoft and xbox. You have to buy the big system package to get all the bells and whistles. Then you have to buy games and then pay for use of the x-box live network. That is a bunch of crap. With my ps3 straight out of the box it basically connected itself to the internet and on the ps network you don’t pay to play. Yes, the ps3 is a bit more expensive, but the lack of network charges makes up for it.

Does the lack of good games and content though?

Xbox gets a lot of the content and better games that PS3 wont see.

@Triiiple There are a bunch good games on ps3. There are many games on ps3 x box won’t get either. I have played both. I don’t see that x-box has that great of games. The halo series is cool. Not worth buying an x-box just for that though. When ps3 first came out, there was a shortage of games. Not now. No red ring of death either.

Essentially the upgrades are free if you have an xbox. However if you don’t subscribe to their service and are on a PC you are charged where others are not.

I downloaded Mass Effect DLC for free because I bought the product. That should be enough.

I think you have misunderstood their system a bit.

You have ALWAYS had to pay money for MS Points, which is the currency used to pay for things from the Xbox Live Marketplace. You pay money, you get points, you use those points for additional game components (such as unlocking the versus mode in Resident Evil 5) or to buy completely new games.

These Microsoft points are NOT Gamer Points. Gamer points are earned by getting achievements inside a game, and cannot be redeemed for anything. They are only there to show how much of a gamer you are (logically, someone with a lot of points has either played a lot of games or has maxed out a few games completely).

This goes back to the debate about DLC in general. I am of the opinion that while it sucks to pay money for features that should have been included in the game (such as buying an unlock code only), I do understand that more and new features and campaigns require time and effort to develop them, and the people who do this should be compensated.

The Fallout 3 DLC are totally new additions to the game. I think it’s fair to pay if you want to play those. I do not agree with your thought that they should be free, why should they, they weren’t included with the game at all and they took time and effort to create. New Rock Band songs are new content and I don’t mind paying for them. The Resident Evil 5 versus mode update I will not buy, not only do I oppose the idea of unlock codes (which it pretty much is), but I simply refuse to pay to play games online when I have tons of PC games that do so for free.

Well if something was released free, and was later charged for, that would seem to me to probably be lame and annoying. It sounds like others don’t think that is actually what happened though, and I don’t know whether they are correct or not.