So, I just got my Nintendo Switch today. (Don’t judge — it was hard to find.) I’m freaking out at the chance to play “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” tonight. I’ve heard about the incredible amount of hours you can spend on this game, and as someone who’s played every Zelda game out there, I’m looking forward to ignoring my job, my family and the rest of the world for a bit. (Just kidding, Mom and Dad!)
“Zelda” is the first game that comes with Nintendo’s DLC packs, the name for extra downloadable content. It’s a ton of stuff for around 20 bucks, including a summer offering and a holiday one. As I looked around the internet for how everyone else was reacting to what they’re offering, I saw the usual argument: Why are you making me pay again?
I totally get this, of course. Games are expensive. If I’m paying $60 for a game, I’m already out a lot of cash. I’ve seen the argument that game companies try to rush out a game, and the content that they didn’t have time to fit in there ends up costing us money. Sometimes that does happen. I won’t name names, but I’ve definitely dealt with games that have felt rushed and that were finally fixed in paid DLC. (You go ahead and name names in the comments or tweet me @JennaBusch if you want to chat about it.)
I don’t condone those. I do know how much insane work goes into developing a game. I have friends who do it for a living, and after you see how many 20 hour days they put in, sleeping at the office, etc., it’s understandable. But in the end, companies could do what Blizzard does and just put it out when it’s ready.
Anyway, I’m not talking about those ones. One of the cool things about the current way we play games is that if you’re dealing with a large world, you can add things on when they’re ready instead of just waiting for the sequel, where I’d be spending another $60.
Now, I haven’t cracked open the box with my Nintendo Switch yet, but so many of my very lucky friends got the system early and have been playing “Zelda” like crazy. The hours they’ve spent on this game are amazing. The world is huge! The map is huge! I know at least that much. From the details they’ve given out on what that $20 would get you, it doesn’t seem like you have to get it. It doesn’t seem like things they didn’t quite get into the release. It seems like extra stuff that would be a blast to play.
This is not me saying that charging a ton for DLC is always okay. It’s just that, this time around, I’m pretty darn willing to pay. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so start tweeting!
Follow Jenna Busch on Twitter @jennabusch and visit her site, Legion of Leia
