When Gears of War 3 came out, it surprised many of us for sneakily including a microtransaction system where players had to pay for measly weapon skins – you know, the stuff that’s built into other shooters that we shouldn’t have to pay for. The real problem with that money grab attempt was that Epic Games priced each weapon skin at absurdly high amounts, that when combined with the DLC Season’s pass cost games a fortune. It was designed only for the rich, so to speak.
For gamers excited for Mass Effect 3, a game we at Game Rant listed as our most anticipated game of the year, to acquire all of the DLC, you will again, have to be rich.
We first heard the ME3 action figures and art book including DLC codes back in January, codes that would add weapons and characters to Mass Effect 3′s new Galaxy at War multiplayer mode. Since then, everything Mass Effect related is getting tie-in content which means that for most of us gamers, it may be impossible to get it all. Here’s why:
Collector’s Edition (needed to obtain all content):
$80 – N7 Collector’s Edition
Pre-order bonuses:
AT-12 Raider – Origin pre-order bonus
Chakram Launcher – Play the Kingdoms of Alamur demo
M-55 Argus – Pre-order bonus for select retailers
N7 Weapons pack – N7 Edition bonus
N7 Hoodie – N7 Edition bonus
N7 Warfare Gear – Pre-order bonus for select retailers
Reckoner Knight Armor – Play the Kingdoms of Alamur demo
Robotic Dog – N7 Edition bonus
Squad Outfit pack – N7 Edition bonusAuxiliary purchases:
Unannounced price for the iOS game Mass Effect Infiltrator, which can affect the main game.
$10 day one From Ashes DLC
$44.99 for the Liara figurine - which oddly enough now comes with multiplayer unlock DLC
$24.99 for The Art of Mass Effect Universe - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$80 for four Mass Effect 3 toys - “Slightly randomized” multiplayer unlock DLC
$59.99 for the Mass Effect 3 controller - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$209.99 for the Chimera 5.1 Headset - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$34.99 for the Mousepad - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$79.99 for the Messenger Bag - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$24.99 for the iPhone case - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$79.99 for the Mouse - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$139.99 for the Keyboard - Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup
$89.99 for the Calibur11 Xbox 360 Vault – Reinforcement DLC [NEW!]
The newest addition is the case vault which we now know comes with a DLC code as well [Click to Enlarge]:
Be sure to check out Razer’s line of ME3 accessories if you’re interested and if you are concerned about all of this, don’t worry, BioWare says their DLC plans are “really good.“ There’s even Day 1 DLC that you can pay extra for if you don’t have the collector’s edition on pre-order!
Hopefully, the above DLC isn’t restricted from gamers who’ve followed the series all along and simply purchase the game – we expect at least some of it to be sold as DLC individually, we just hope the prices aren’t ridiculous. Remember when you bought games and it came with everything?
Are you picking up any of the associated merchandise or accessories?
Mass Effect 3 releases March 6, 2012 for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
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Follow me on Twitter @rob_keyes.
Sources: Destructoid, Calibur11
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I hate tie-in DLC just as much as Day One DLC. I just hope it becomes available for Xbox Live later or even as Day One DLC.
This title is a bit misleading considering how you get the collector’s rifle for a good chunk of these things. That and well, none of the DLC is important or story related save for “From Ashes”.
lol reading all this just makes me laugh i have me3 on pre order but reading this just makes me want to spend my money on something else. yea i dont have to buy the dlc but im not giving ea or bioware my 60 bucks if this is how there going to treat there fans. iv been losing interest in video games because of this crap like the online passes rediculous prices for skin packs and unfinishished games. i been playin games ever since i was a little kid but this is just going to get worse and dont see myself playing much longer
Dude, it’s mainly the same DLC and it’s nothing but a weapon. The collector’s edition comes with bonus stuff, as it should. You don’t have to buy headsets and all that and I don’t think you should not play a game because you’re not getting a weapon that probably isn’t that good and some early unlocks for multiplayer which is co-op.
If this is how they’re going to treat their fans? You’re kidding, right? I mean, this whole article is a joke, right? This is them treating their fans with appreciation. You can argue about From Ashes if you want – I think it’s fine but it is a bit more gray. And the CE comes with some cool stuff that you don’t get standard but guess what – that’s why you buy and pay more for the CE. Otherwise, it’s all throwaway stuff that no one needs and won’t add anything to the game. You’re not paying any more for it to be included with the item. It’s just some extra bonus loot as a thank you for buying stuff other than the game that’s related to the franchise. And that’s in addition to the fact that article is blatantly misleading, if not outright wrong. The implied statement is that you have to pay $960 to get all the DLC. That’s not even remotely true.
First Some of these prices are incorrect. A simple check on BioWare’s online store will tell you that. Second, It’s stated that the CE is $80, which you have to buy to get some DLC, then it’s stated that you have to pay $10 on day 1 to get From Ashes. Not true. If you are going for ALL DLC and have ordered the CE, you pay nothing extra for From Ashes. Third, Double the price of action figures because there are eight, not four, however the stated price is higher than the actual price. Fourth, It’s pretty obvious that much of this comes with DLC for the same thing – including all of the Razr stuff. The Razr stuff makes up about 2/3 of the stated $960. To get the DLC that comes with all that stuff, if that’s what you’re worried about, just get the $24.99 iphone case and knock off $600 from the supposed total DLC price. Who cares if you don’t have an iphone – you now have the crappy Collector’s rifle. Good for you. I’m sure that there’s something else I could bring up as a counter argument but, I think I’ve made my point. The actual cost is drastically less than the claim and you definitely don’t need all, if any of it, to enjoy the game assuming that the game is enjoyable to begin with.
This is what I’ve been wanting from dlc for years. If I buy an Assassin’s Creed T-shirt, for example, give me a bonus avatar item of the same shirt – something like that. It’s basically worthless but it’s a nice fan appreciation inclusion. If anyone buys any of the above items just to get the DLC, they’re not only pathetic hoarders but are also completely idiots that totally deserve to have their money taken off of their hands before they do something *really* stupid with it – like paying for gun skins in Gears of War.
If you don’t want the merchandising, don’t get it. You won’t be missing anything by not getting a special gun. If you do want the merchandising, “Thank you for supporting us beyond the game! Here’s some more stuff for the game as a bonus!” If the game is awesome, this stuff won’t make it any more awesome, it’ll just be an additional option to use. If it sucks, this stuff isn’t going to make it awesome.
There’s plenty of DLC practices to complain about, such as stuff that actually is on the disc and you have to pay to unlock it. That’s complete BS and should definitely be called out. This is DLC done right because it’s unnecessary DLC that is used as, not an incentive – especially because most of these items come with the same thing – but as a token… A TOKEN… of gratitude from the company. I wish people would grow up and use some common sense. Recognize the difference between a company taking advantage of its consumers (which there are plenty of them to choose from) and a company that knows the value of the fans that have brought them to the heights they have achieved. BioWare’s marketing of ME3 has been overall superb in comparison to most other companies and their games.
Hell, even I come with DLC for ME3
But most of this isn’t dlc…
Well, if you’re planning to set out and acquire all this DLC then yes it’s much more expensive. But if you just look at it as a bonus if you were planning to buy some of the accessories anyway, well lucky you!
As for me, I am awaiting the arrival of my life-size Avenger assault rifle replica. (No DLC included- as far as I am aware)
The Mass Effect 3 controller is for Xbox only. Great. **** you again, Bioware. Seriously, how are PC and PS3 players supposed to give you our money when all the **** you release is ONLY FOR THE STUPID XBOX! Not everyone wants an Xbox. Hook the rest of us up already.
@Red – Actually, the controller is usable on 360 and PC. It’s only the PS3 that gets completely screwed as far as the controller goes. And, ME3 on PC will not support any controller initially but it has been stated that a patch will most likely be coming soon after release to enable PC controller play.
It is still annoying how much Bioware is making available to xbox only. It’s a horrible business plan.
“There are three major groups we make games for. Let’s give ONE group a bunch of extra stuff and not give the other two group those things. That way we only make extra profits from that one group AND we simultaneously let the other two groups feel ignored and excluded. We’ll make less money than we could AND make fans mad at the same time! It’s brilliant!”
#youredoingitwrong
It’s easier to make DLC for the Xbox. AND the Xbox is their main console. The PS3 didn’t jump on the Mass Effect train until the second one. As for PC, it would be pirated.
Rob, Rob, Rob. The concept of this article is so obnoxious, I’m surprised you guys ran with it.
“Collector Assault Rifle unlock DLC/Powerup” is listed SEVEN TIMES. So even if you absolutely HAVE to have EVERY SINGLE COSMETIC PIECE of DLC for the game, you can still take 6 of those sums and subtract it from the total, since you only need it once.
You also can’t list From Ashes as an additional charge if you’re only counting the N7 CE as the viable game purchase, since it’s included. Or you need to add the standard edition price as well to follow your own logic, so kick that $960 on up to $1,020.
Would I rather get the From Ashes DLC included in the game? Yes. Do I have $80 bucks to shell out for the CE? Nope. Am I gonna end up dropping $70 anyway to get the Prothean. You know it. And it sucks and I’m not, like, happy about it, but I’m not happy about the price of any video game. At least with Mass Effect 3 I know I’m going to be getting my money’s worth, without special magical guns that I don’t give a s*** about or alternate appearance packs I don’t need.
I have clocked HUNDREDS of hours of Mass Effect. I’m a HUGE fan. And I still know that I’m going to love playing this game and get the full experience of it without feeling the need to run out and buy every piece of merchandise on the planet. Lordy.
Look people, the way I see it is that if you NEED a controller, mouse, keyboard, etc. then there is a mass effect option for you and you get a bonus with it, but if you recall the gun you got with the collector armor in ME2 wasn’t all that great.
Game Rant, you need to stop refering to this article, because it’s making you look a bit dumb.
Most of this dlc is just some unimportant extra gear. Also, you listed the Collector Rifle SEVERAL times. Yes, I guess thats what it adds up to, but they don’t need to buy the same weapon 4 times. And I’m pretty sure one day, we’ll find the stuff that matters on Xbox Live Marketplace/PSN.