What's new

The DLC Deception

Isn't it interesting that the number of DLC characters for each game keeps going up but the launch roster size keeps going down? MK9 launched with 28 characters and 4 DLC after 2 years of development (plus 3 unplayable bosses). IGAU launched with 26 and 6 DLC characters after 2 years, MKX launched with 24 characters and 9 DLC with one being a preorder bonus, and Injustice 2 looks to be launching with 28 and 10 DLC. It seems obvious that the amount of DLC characters released for each game essentially subtracts from the launch roster of the next, which forces us to pay more for less each game under the illusion that we're just paying extra for extra.

The fact that Injustice 2 is a legacy game with a roster only 2 slots larger than the original is the most significant example of this ongoing trend. Even with the slight tweaks to the returning legacy characters plus gear and new optional moves added for them, you'd expect INJ2 would have at least 32 as opposed to the original's 26, even if that meant fewer DLC. Imagine if they had completely redesigned all the returning characters like they did with MKX, we'd probably only have 22 at launch and that's best case scenario.

I personally don't see this as being an "injustice" because as long as the game ends up being worth 60 bucks in my eyes (and it is) then their business decisions are fair game as far as I'm concerned, but I do think this is worth pointing out and I'm interested to see if anyone else has thought about this and if anyone has a different viewpoint on it. Hopefully this can be a nice conversation over tea and crumpets without the thread police coming in to call me an idiot this time.
 

Compbros

Man of Tomorrow
MKX has less characters but the variations added a lot so I don't see it as a downsize and IGAU was a very different game than one they had down before (wall bounces, universal armor, air dashes, back to block, etc), it was a huge undertaking. MK9 was coded so messy and was pretty ugly, they've improved on vastly on every front so going from 28 characters in one game to 24 in another hardly feels like a downgrade.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
MK9 launched with 27, only 28 if you count Kratos. Injustice 1 launched with 24, not 26. MKX launched with 24, but each character has got 3 variations. Injustice 2 is launching with 28 and each character gets tons of customization options.

I don't see how we are really getting less.

EDIT: Injustice 1 was the only game that had a slightly smaller launch roster. I don't count MKX because they made up for it with variations, and it's understandable why they couldn't do more. Injustice 2 is the largest, beating the first game by 4 characters. Not a lot, but still more. And again, every character gets a TON of customization so it's understandable -- like with MKX -- why they couldn't do more.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
MKX has less characters but the variations added a lot so I don't see it as a downsize and IGAU was a very different game than one they had down before (wall bounces, universal armor, air dashes, back to block, etc), it was a huge undertaking. MK9 was coded so messy and was pretty ugly, they've improved on vastly on every front so going from 28 characters in one game to 24 in another hardly feels like a downgrade.
Seriously.

Graphics are better, animations are better, sounds are better, they are getting better at balancing, they do something ambitious every game (INJ1 was intractables, transitions, and clashes. MKX was variations and unique dialogue intros. INJ2 is the vast customization), and more. And yet despite this, they still offer a roster size that's very close to the last game's size, if not more.

It's completely fair in my opinion.

EDIT: Having more DLC characters doesn't even matter anyway, since they all come out after launch. KP2 characters for MKX came out 11 months after the game's release, and those were only the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th DLC characters. So it's pretty fair on that front too.
 
MK9 launched with 27, only 28 if you count Kratos. Injustice 1 launched with 24, not 26. MKX launched with 24, but each character has got 3 variations. Injustice 2 is launching with 28 and each character gets tons of customization options.

I don't see how we are really getting less.

EDIT: Injustice 1 was the only game that had a slightly smaller launch roster. I don't count MKX because they made up for it with variations, and it's understandable why they couldn't do more. Injustice 2 is the largest, beating the first game by 4 characters. Not a lot, but still more. And again, every character gets a TON of customization so it's understandable -- like with MKX -- why they couldn't do more.
Oh I could've sworn Injustice launched with 26 but I just checked again and you're right. For MK9 I counted Kratos because he was free and finished at release and that's what's important.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
Oh I could've sworn Injustice launched with 26 but I just checked again and you're right. For MK9 I counted Kratos because he was finished at release and that's what's important.
True, but he was only available on PS3 and Vita. Xbox players only got 27. So even though he's technically a launch character I wouldn't really count him, kinda like how not everyone got Goro -- and not everyone will get Darkseid -- so they aren't really counted as launch characters.

I know those are technically DLC that you have to pre-order or buy to get, and Kratos was just included for free, but still. It's kind of a weird situation.
 

trufenix

bye felicia
It really has become guilty until proven innocent in this industry. How exactly would you like them to convey that this theory is bupkis? Go back to putting 4 characters out in 6 months and calling it a day?
 
NRS is nice to be honest. this could be SFV or MVC3 where I have to buy MVC ultimate at 50 bucks for a patch and more characters
 

kantboy-2

Ripper
I'd rather pay 40 for 9 DLC characters and 9 'premium' skins than 30 for 4 characters and only one 'premium' skin.

I hate DLC, but the content has been going up in NRS games for less $.
 

Gamer68

Fujin!
I'd rather pay 40 for 9 DLC characters and 9 'premium' skins than 30 for 4 characters and only one 'premium' skin.

I hate DLC, but the content has been going up in NRS games for less $.
Actually, you only get 3 Premier Skins. And in MKX you got 3 "Samurai" skins or whatever. But yeah, it is more value. Only having to play $10 for 5 more characters is better value in the long run.

Also, the skins are way better. They have their own dialogue and stuff, and are kinda like alternate "clone" characters in a way. The skins in MKX were just normal costumes of course.
 

Azarashi Elder

Fut-SEAS....OF BLOOD!
First off, I disagree with the idea that less characters mean less content. You can have additional modes, challenges, costumes and stages, in addition to a deep, involved campaign. This is subjective, but where did people get the idea that MORE CHARACTERS is what every fighting game needs.

More characters... It'd be cooler if it just had 45 characters. Or 65 characters. When does that train stop? IMHO people want the biggest roster they can get in this game, simply because it's based on a comics universe, and a lot of people have favorites, but I doubt that a huge roster is what any fighter needs.

I'd rather have a balanced game of 26 characters, than a broken piece of crap with 38. You may differ. I know people like dirt. But IMHO character variety on stream is fantastic and low tier gods are god-like. Do we really want another EVO where people are booing Superman? You raise the chances of that with each character they have to balance.

38 Characters, DLC or no, does not mean the game is worth full retail price. A GOOD GAME, without game-breaking bugs, or glitches, and good netcode, and good gameplay, is worth infinitely more to me than an X-Size roster.

Rant over.
 

omooba

fear the moobs
fuck no. as far as i'm considered mkx has over 100 characters and secondly it took three years to get to this point in balance i'm cool with a roster this size
 

God Confirm

We're all from Earthrealm. If not, cool pic brah.
First off, I disagree with the idea that less characters mean less content. You can have additional modes, challenges, costumes and stages, in addition to a deep, involved campaign. This is subjective, but where did people get the idea that MORE CHARACTERS is what every fighting game needs.

More characters... It'd be cooler if it just had 45 characters. Or 65 characters. When does that train stop? IMHO people want the biggest roster they can get in this game, simply because it's based on a comics universe, and a lot of people have favorites, but I doubt that a huge roster is what any fighter needs.

I'd rather have a balanced game of 26 characters, than a broken piece of crap with 38. You may differ. I know people like dirt. But IMHO character variety on stream is fantastic and low tier gods are god-like. Do we really want another EVO where people are booing Superman? You raise the chances of that with each character they have to balance.

38 Characters, DLC or no, does not mean the game is worth full retail price. A GOOD GAME, without game-breaking bugs, or glitches, and good netcode, and good gameplay, is worth infinitely more to me than an X-Size roster.

Rant over.
you say that, but we've lost Tag team mode, also the Donkey Kong Arcade mode in MK9 where you spent the whole game trying to get in on Kitana and Kenshi was also removed in MKX, and apparently people are mourning the loss of both so I guess that's less content