Microsoft justifies its early exclusivity of DLC

Tallon

Just recently we found out that new DLC would be coming to Modren Warfare 2. The fact that it was coming was pretty obvious, but the fact that it would start out as a 360 exclusive took some people aback. Most of those people were those that don't own a 360 and want the content at the same time. However, Microsoft has once again secured early exclusivity to some major DLC and they think it's totally justifiable because they're running a business.

Speaking with Ars Technica at CES this year Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg laid it out as a sports metaphor. "I think about it like a sports team, when you sign a star athlete for your team... when you sign that free agent, I think it makes your team better. At the end of the day, we want to turn as many people as possible into Xbox 360 fans."

Greenberg went on to talk about all the exclusive content coming out for the 360 this year and then added, "And then to say, on top of that, to take the biggest game of last year, and be the exclusive place you can get that downloadable content first, I think that's a big deal. That's a big reason you'd want to buy an Xbox 360 instead of another console. So we think from a business standpoint that's part of the reason more people are buying the Xbox 360, more people are on Xbox Live, it's part of the reason more people are buying Modern Warfare 2—more than two to one our box vs. the PS3."

It's all about the Benjamins, baby. You can be pissed all you want that Microsoft writes big checks to get this content first, but it's easy to understand why they do it.

What do you guys think? Fair, unfair?

Pushtrak

As fair/unfair as Joker Maps for Arkham Asylum.

James Forde

well done activision/IW alienate ps3/pc users becuase of money

Clover

Could not care less , I have both consoles and a copy of the game for each and I will wait and buy the dlc for the PS3 version .

Cuddlesworth

Clover wrote: »

Could not care less , I have both consoles and a copy of the game for each and I will wait and buy the dlc for the PS3 version .

I think I just **** myself laughing.

nevaeh-2die-4

so happy, ps3 and pc gamers smell me hanging mushroom.

go bill gates go!!!!

Vim Fuego

Looks like Sony shouldn't have blown their exclusivity budget on Ghostbusters then...

Dymo

Excuse my ignorance does DLC mean Download Content ?, what exclusive material would you get over the PS3.

Toes

I think its fair. Xbox users have to pay for xbox live and therefore deserve a higher quality service or at least some exclusive content

Clover

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

I think I just **** myself laughing.

Good lad / lass , hope you cleaned yourself up afterwards.

Tallon

Dymo wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance what does DLC mean?

Downloadable content... essentially maps, guns etc

Jet Black

Toes wrote: »

I think its fair. Xbox users have to pay for xbox live and therefore deserve a higher quality service or at least some exclusive content

Good point. One thing I wont miss about the xbox.

James Forde

please god don't let this descend into another console "war" argument

Cuddlesworth

Anybody else think its funny that Microsoft are denying the update to pc users along with the ps3. You know, those people they got their billions from to fund this "console war".

That being said, the xbox live users pay a fee so its pretty obvious they are going to expect something out of it.

smooch71

The DLC is not totally exclusive to the Xbox.

Xbox just gets it first. PS3 and PC users will get it sometime down the road. What's the big deal?

It's a bloody overrated game anyway.

Tea_Bag

Yay! DLC for MW2 is on the way.

brian plank

smooch71 wrote: »

The DLC is not totally exclusive to the Xbox.

Xbox just gets it first. PS3 and PC users will get it sometime down the road. What's the big deal?

It's a bloody overrated game anyway.

you can be sure theres thousands of emo kids on a forum somewhere calling each other gay over this.

smooch71

betafrog wrote: »

So incredibly stupid of them to wait until after the game has sold 90% of however many copies it will sell before announcing this..

If they announced it before the release of the game like they did with GTA 4 I could understand why, but this just pisses people off.

They did announce it before hand.

I knew it was coming but still bought the PS3 version.

Rb

It's completely fair, I've a PS3 and the only people that I hold accountable are Sony. They've really let the ball drop with exclusivity. Microsoft have, and are, doing a really good job with the Xbox 360 and XBL and should be commended for doing so.

Sony need to get their f-ing act together. PSN is a joke.

paulof1985

its probably the only reason id even think about buyin an xbox over the playstation.

but still not there yet. dont mind waitin a bit longer, and paying no money and getting no RED RING OF DEATH!!!!!

Damien360

Think of it this way.

On the Xbox they will pay for the DLC and their subscription.

On the PS3 you will just pay for the DLC.

More Xbox's will go up in flames (RROD) than PS3's ever will die. Eventually the Xbox users will get pissed off fixing the stupid thing and just buy a PS3. (Just like I did).

Let the fan war begin.....

smooch71

Damien360 wrote: »

Think of it this way.

On the Xbox they will pay for the DLC and their subscription.

On the PS3 you will just pay for the DLC.

More Xbox's will go up in flames (RROD) than PS3's ever will die. Eventually the Xbox users will get pissed off fixing the stupid thing and just buy a PS3. (Just like I did).

Let the fan war begin.....

So I guess its DamienPS3 from now on then?

Rb

Damien360 wrote: »

Think of it this way.

On the Xbox they will pay for the DLC and their subscription.

On the PS3 you will just pay for the DLC.

More Xbox's will go up in flames (RROD) than PS3's ever will die. Eventually the Xbox users will get pissed off fixing the stupid thing and just buy a PS3. (Just like I did).

Let the fan war begin.....

While this is true, Xbox are a lot better with dealing with the RROD than PS3 are with dealing with the YLOD.

Varik

they're better because Microsoft would have had a class action against them with the huge failure rates

NTMK

Intresting study into console reliability here

Shows the Ps3 isnt exactly bulletproof

LD 50

I think its completely fair. They are running a business, and XBox live subscribers pay to get premium content and features.

And really, if Sony wanted the exclusive they could have had it. This isn't the first time MS has bought the right to an exclusive, whether thats DLC or an entire game. So it shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone.

Mweelrea

Its nice to see MS doing something with our subscription money

gino85

as a pc user i probably wont buy the dlc, and if that means i dont get to play it anymore so be it

Nick_oliveri

Toes wrote: »

I think its fair. Xbox users have to pay for xbox live and therefore deserve a higher quality service or at least some exclusive content

Yeah, you would have a point, but you still have to pay for the DLC along with your premium service. I like the way most of you think that its Sonys fault for not securing deals or PSN is **** or whatever. Thats laughable actually. Nobody should be in this situation in the first place. I think its only fair to say that IW has enough monehs to juggle as it is. They have no hosting for their game, no losses that I can see ex advertising. So this is complete bullshit.

Its great the way ya'll buy into this farce. Then it ends up as a 360 vs PS3 argument. The consoles themselves should be compared to each other in gaming terms, not their deals with industry giants. They are ruining the gaming community with this crap.

brian plank

Nick_oliveri wrote: »

Yeah, you would have a point, but you still have to pay for the DLC along with your premium service. I like the way most of you think that its Sonys fault for not securing deals or PSN is **** or whatever. Thats laughable actually. Nobody should be in this situation in the first place. I think its only fair to say that IW has enough monehs to juggle as it is. They have no hosting for their game, no losses that I can see ex advertising. So this is complete bullshit.

Its great the way ya'll buy into this farce. Then it ends up as a 360 vs PS3 argument. The consoles themselves should be compared to each other in gaming terms, not their deals with industry giants. They are ruining the gaming community with this crap.

+1. and who would actually run out and buy 360 to to play 10 euro DLC a few weeks earlier or why would anyone buy DLC in the first place when the game is full of glitches? sheep i say, sheep!

norrie rugger

Toes wrote: »

I think its fair. Xbox users have to pay for xbox live and therefore deserve a higher quality service or at least some exclusive content

Just because people were silly enough to pay, in the first place, should not mean that they get a better service

NTMK

norrie rugger wrote: »

Just because people were silly enough to pay, in the first place, should not mean that they get a better service

why shouldnt it? 360 users pay the subs for a good service and things like this if ms didnt do this then no one would buy subs

PSN is free so sony are not going to put a massive effort into it as there is really no profit to be gained from doing so

Notorious

Toes wrote: »

I think its fair. Xbox users have to pay for xbox live and therefore deserve a higher quality service or at least some exclusive content

You already have a higher quality service - dedicated servers.

We all paid the same price for MW2 so I'd say it'd be more fair that there was no exclusive DLC, but meh I'll just have to wait.