There’s a little problem here when talking about DLC.
On one side you have the people who will buy the DLC from day one and on the other side you have the people who won’t bother with DLC, at all.
Halo 3 didn’t require DLC for a loooong time in any playlist save the DLC playlists, of course. They were slowly integrated into the several playlists and slowly replaced the old maps. They however did start requiring DLC to play MM.
Halo: Reach has a system that tries to put you together with people who has DLC, now I don’t know if it tries to put all people with the same DLC in the same cage, or just people with DLC together.
The first system finally punishes people who would like to continue playing but doesn’t bother with DLC for some of all the reasons out there not to buy DLC.
The other system can, and in Reach’s case punishes DLC buyers because. For all we know we could be playing with people who all have DLC but the system doesn’t put the DLC maps up at all.
So what tactic should i343 use?
First off, skip the “three maps in map pack for 800” crap and make more maps per map pack. Three maps for 800 have been a standard for a long time and I bet that if more maps were in a map pack then more people would buy it, simply because it’s “more for less”, that goes a long way.
Second, another DLC system should be put in place where you can opt for DLC content required or not. In other words when you go into a playlist you can tick a box that says you only want to be matched with people who have DLC. If it’s left unticked then you could potentially be matched with DLC only people, but chance is smaller, otherwise it’s the “standard” stuff.
Third, sales on previous map packs when new map packs hit the store. There’s no reason to have the old price on an old item when a new item hits the store, it could essentially lead to people buying both map packs, rahter than choosing between the two. Heck, some people would buy only the old one, but then again the players having the old DLC will increase and the rotation of those maps will also increase.
Fourth, atleast some DLC should come from inspiration from the community. You know the expression “by the players for the players”? I know I’d buy a map pack with that slogan.
