The Dark side of Xbox Live

Dear Microsoft/Various Game publishers,

Lets get this straight. I work hard for my damn money, i plunk down $400 for a console, that i'm not certain won't crap out on me in the next week or so (thank God for an extended warranty), and i purchase $60 dollar games. Now, when i put down my hard earned money on the table at Gamestop, i do so with the intention that i'm getting the most for my money, but when i go home and put the disc in the tray, the same bloody day i get it, i have to download some patch, cause the people at quality control refuse to thoroughly go over all aspects of the game. I go through with the update, it only takes a minute, plus it's free, but when you want me to pay exorbitant amounts of cash to unlock stuff that may already present on the VERY SAME game disc i bought earlier, we GON' have a problem.

Via Kotaku

And the case against microtransactions mounts. Industrious NeoGAF poster "a master Ninja" has done a little digging and uncovered just how big some of the "downloads" are over the XBL marketplace for useless shit like Viva Piñata accessory packs. I say "downloads" because, well, you're not really downloading much at all. From the size of these files, it's clear you're just downloading a key that unlocks content already present on the disc. Content that you've already paid for by paying for the disc.

Not. Cool.

Downloadable Keys that unlock content ON THE DISC that you can ONLY get by PAYING MORE MONEY

Alaskan Adventures
Alaskan Bonus Pack 1 (100 points)
108.00 KB

Cabela's Safari
Safari Bonus Animal (150 points)
108.00 KB

Chromehounds
Total price of all downloadable parts keys (1800 points)
The keys are 108.00 KB each

College Hoops 2K7
2K ReelMaker for College Hoops 2K7 (400 points)
108.00 KB

LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
LEGO Star Wars Characters (200 points)
108.00 KB

Rapala TOurnament Fishing!
California Delta Bonus Level (150 points)
108.00 KB

Samurai Warriors 2
Total price to buy horses and hire people not otherwise available (580 points)
The keys are 108.00 KB each

The Godfather
Favor Pack - 3 Favor Missions (250 points)
108.00 KB

Viva Pinata
Accessory Pack 1 (80 points)
Accessory Pack 2 (80 points)
Accessory Pack 3 (80 points)
Accessory Pack 4 (80 points)
The keys are 108.00 KB each

TOTAL COST for content on the disc that is ONLY accessible by PAYING MORE MONEY
3950 MS points ($49.38)


Downloadable keys that COST MONEY to unlock content you could unlock by ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAME

Need for Speed: Carbon
Total price for all the available content keys (7320 points)
The keys are 108.00 KB each

The Godfather
The Don Collection (800 points)
or if you buy each thing separately 1265 points
The keys are 108.00 KB each

TOTAL COST for content on the disc that you could actually play to get
8120 MS points ($101.50)


FREE Downloadable Keys that unlock content ON THE DISC

Ridge Racer 6
36 different cars
The keys are 108.00 KB each

Chromehounds
Color Pattern02, Assist parts01, Heavy arms01, Light arms02
The keys are 108.00 KB each

Dead Rising
9 different outfits
The keys are 108.00 KB each

Don't let this trend continue. I see Sony goin the same route with the Gran Turismo HD content. If this is what the Next-Gen is gonna be, i don't want any part of it.