Really, I should call this post “I whine about how Bethesda told me to Fuck Off and hand over the money” but it’s a little too wordy. Instead, just a quick little rant on why exclusive downloadable content (DLC) is a really bad call for consumers.

I never really care too much about “deals” made between companies. I understand that nearly everything is a business, especially in the US, so deals are pretty common and I just accept it. I’ve never really been burned by them until recently though.

This particular case was with the Bethesda video game Fallout 3. I definately wouldn’t classify myself as a gamer but I do play them; probably more than I should. I just don’t follow any games. To be even more clearer: I DO NOT CARE ABOUT VIDEO GAMES. I just like to play.

One day I saw a commercial for Fallout 3, and having played the first 2 Fallout games, as well as Oblivion, I immediately went out and bought the game for the Playstation 3 (PS3).

Excellent game. Just a really, really, deap and immersing experience. I enjoyed it a lot.

Once I was done, and the game makes sure you are done once the game is beat  (unlike Oblivion), I put the game up and went back to my life.

Then I heard Bethesda was coming out with downloadable content for Fallout 3 and I started looking into it. Turns out the DLC was only for the Xbox and not the PS3; Microsoft, the fuckers, paid a shitload of money to lock this in.

Sigh…

Here’s the problem; I had paid the same amount for the PS3 version as the 360, $60, and while I had a 360 I decided on the PS3 version because, well, the 360 was having non-RROD issues and I didn’t want to go through the trouble of getting the damn game to work.

And I got hosed for it.

The lesson, apparently, is that Microsoft has no issue forcing my decisions. If I want to get full value out of the games I buy, and they are available for both the PS3 and 360, I had better buy for the 360 because they will ensure I regret that decision. I resent the crap out of that.

Like I said, I understand the business decision to do this (obligation to turn a profit and all that). But I also think it’s a slimy, short thinking, decision that runs an unacceptable risk of alienating customers.

It’s a good thing both Bethesda and Microsoft make good video game products.