Slightly under a month from it’s initial reveal, and only into it’s first week of sale, Infinity Ward’s Stimulus Package DLC map pack has sold over 2.5 million copies. This data has been released by Microsoft, and confirms that this DLC has shattered Xbox LIVE records, as more than 1 million gamers around the world downloaded the new map pack within the first 24 hours of it’s release.
DLC moving over 1 million units in 24 hours? Ok, not unconceivable. However, here’s the rub: the Stimulus Package is downloadable content. Most downloadable content usually falls in the ‘microtransaction’ range (with a heavy influence on micro). The “new” map pack costs $15. Looking around at various retail sources, on average, this $15 expansion pack (or 1200 Microsoft Points) costs one quarter of the game’s price. Not exactly a “micro” transaction. Especially considering that only 3 of the 5 maps that are included are new, with 2 being “slightly reworked” maps from Call of Duty 4.
Putting the world of FPS in perspective, DICE’s Battlefield 1943, which the company makes no qualms about pitting head-to-head with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, is also selling a map pack for the same price, $15. DICE’s content pack broke records last month when it became the fastest game to reach 1 million units sold on Xbox Live since its July 2009 release. Obviously the two companies are now locked into a ‘one up’ing of each other, which should ultimately benefit the consumer. However, when looking at expansion packs, and granted these are bundled map packs, is the price point of a quarter of the original games’ price too much for gamers? Obviously not.
In a free market economy, the consumer will ultimately decide what is too pricey, and what is not (in pure theory, at least). If players are so hungry for additional content, does this inhibit or promote further game development? It’s a tricky rope to walk for devs, as they want to keep players interested in the current title, expansion packs, while at the same time working on the new version of the game, or even creating something completely new.
To this end, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is also available on PC and the PS3, the title has seen much higher sales on the Xbox 360 platform, and Activision confirms that the Microsoft console has the largest player base. Thus, the new content was produced for the Xbox 360 first, but Infinity Ward is preparing PC and PS3 versions for a later this spring launch.
