Bioware talks day one DLC

Bioware's Fernando Melo, director of online development, has tackled the thorny issue of day one DLC during his talk at GDC Europe.

He described selling extra content as "really safe, from a risk perspective" and added that "contrary to what you might hear on the internet, fans do want more content."

"They tend to say, 'I want it now.' The problem with day one content and the challenge around it is that the right answer for now is different for every player. There is no single right time, there is no single now. It's subjective, and it's unique to every player."

He said releasing extra content on day one was about making it available whenever the fans wanted it.

"It's not based on us. It's not based on some first-party release schedule. It's there, if they want it they can pick it up day one. If they don't, they can wait until they've finished their game."

He also addressed the conflict this situation could cause with parts of a game's fan base who argue day one content should simply be included as part of the game. Melo suggested consistent communication was key.

"You're not lying to them, but they will take whatever you're saying as like, 'you're lying to us.' That will always be there," he explained.

"The only way that that's going to go away is you fast forward a few more years, where this is just normal. Every game is digital from day one. Every game is an ongoing service, almost like an MMO, where on any given day new content shows up. Maybe that's part of the base package, and maybe it's a premium feature."

Via IGN.