In this day and age it is very rare to find a game that doesn’t have additional downloadable content (DLC). All depending on genre of course, whether it’s new maps for an FPS, or new characters for an RPG, or new outfits for your Sack Person (a la Littlebigplanet) there’s always additional content to further expand your experience with a particular game. The idea behind DLC is great especially when it adds playtime or value to a title, but when developers and publishers alike start announcing DLC before the actual retail game hits store shelves then it’s starting to get a bit ridiculous.

At E3 of this year it was announced that Modern Warfare 2 would have 2 map packs hitting the XBOX 360 as timed exclusives. Ok, you can stop being a fanboy for just second and just realize the real implications behind this. Infinity Ward has already announced 2 map packs for Modern Warfare 2. Their first Modern Warfare go around had hardly any support after launch with 3 minor patches and 1 measly map pack, now they have 2 already planned with months before launch. 5 whole months from E3 to the November launch and you’re going to sit there and tell me they couldn’t fit in the maps in that time? Come on. At that rate I guess it’s all but guaranteed that you will see less maps on the disk than the original on Modern Warfare 2. I mean why would they give you 20 maps, when then they can give you 10 and have you buy the rest.

Where does it end though? Or better yet where will it lead? Who will have to put their proverbial foot down on these developers who already over charge for their games? If nothing is done it seems that as consumers we will be paying more and more whilst receiving less and less.