If you’ve ever wanted access to all the extra goodies in a game, but found yourself lacking the time to play enough to actually unlock them all, then maybe you’d find Skate 2 interesting – for just $5, you can access all of the game’s content immediately.
Let’s face it – there have been times when even the most hardcore of gamers have just wanted to get their hands on everything that the game has to offer, right at that very moment. Perhaps you’ve got friends coming over and they’ll want all the options (also known as Super Smash Bros. Brawl Syndrome), perhaps you’re just dying to check out that last multiplayer map, or perhaps you’re just feeling lazy.
So in a way, giving players the option to just automatically unlock every bit of Skate 2 – new skaters, new locations, new gear – is actually pretty cool. Those who treat the challenge and act of unlocking as its own reward can do it the normal way; those who just want the damn content can pick up the Time is Money Pack for just 400 MS Points. The ones who pay aren’t getting anything that someone who prefers to go the old-fashioned route can’t ever get their hands on, they’re just skipping the hassle.
On the other hand: As CVG’s Mike Jackson points out, isn’t this what cheat codes are supposed to be for? There have been insta-unlocks in games for years now, but it wasn’t until now that someone had the bright idea to start charging for them.
Whether or not you’re a fan of pay-to-play DLC, for the most part it’s usually completely new content. This is something that’s already in the game.
While I applaud EA for recognizing that sometimes people just want to skip the bullhooey, I can’t help but worry that this might just be the harbinger of an unfortunate trend to come.
