Priced out of playing up to date games

[chimosh]

To whom it may concern.

I have been enjoying Paradox games for some time now. But as I do, I can take regular breaks from playing your games and move onto something different. Beaks could last from 6 months to almost 2 years. But I find myself always returning to either EU4 or Stellaris. As they have been my favorite.

But I am now locked out of playing an up to date version of Stellaris with the latest DLC included, and its all down to your way overpriced DLC.

Right now as it stands for me to sink my teeth back into Stellaris and play with the past expansions and some other stuff included it will cost me $127 Australian dollars.

I just don't see how that is fair, you have a massive issue with the amount of DLC you produce and it causes a huge spike in price as the list of DLC grows. You essentially lock out people that take a break that cant afford such a cost and you definitely price lock any new gamer even looking to play one of these titles.

Is anything been done to look into this issue?

 

[magriboy0750]

To whom it may concern.

I have been enjoying Paradox games for some time now. But as I do, I can take regular breaks from playing your games and move onto something different. Beaks could last from 6 months to almost 2 years. But I find myself always returning to either EU4 or Stellaris. As they have been my favorite.

But I am now locked out of playing an up to date version of Stellaris with the latest DLC included, and its all down to your way overpriced DLC.

Right now as it stands for me to sink my teeth back into Stellaris and play with the past expansions and some other stuff included it will cost me $127 Australian dollars.

I just don't see how that is fair, you have a massive issue with the amount of DLC you produce and it causes a huge spike in price as the list of DLC grows. You essentially lock out people that take a break that cant afford such a cost and you definitely price lock any new gamer even looking to play one of these titles.

Is anything been done to look into this issue?

You don't need the DLC.All updates comes with a free patch that gives you most of the essential content for free.Only some features are unlocked by the DLC.The games are perfectly playable without it.Also,if you not believe me,you can also revert your version to all patchs down to 1.0 for Stellaris and 1.4 for EU4.So,for example,if you have all the dlcs until 1.22 in EU4,you can rollback your game to this version if you want.The procedure on how to do that is described here:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-roll-back-your-game-version.1121392/
Cordially.

 

[AndrewT]

Is anything been done to look into this issue?

There are frequent sales, between 50 and 75%

If that doesn’t satisfy you, what would you suggest as a solution?

 

[stnylan]

You don't need the DLC.All updates comes with a free patch that gives you most of the essential content for free.Only some features are unlocked by the DLC.The games are perfectly playable without it.Also,if you not believe me,you can also revert your version to all patchs down to 1.0 for Stellaris and 1.4 for EU4.So,for example,if you have all the dlcs until 1.22 in EU4,you can rollback your game to this version if you want.The procedure on how to do that is described here:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-roll-back-your-game-version.1121392/
Cordially.

Just to emphasise this. I have a friend who mostly plays CK2 - which has by far the heaviest DLC "burden" of any game. It is only in the last couple of months I believe that he has purchased any DLC, having plenty of fun and enjoyment playing the base CK2 for years.

And I know plenty of others who just acquire DLC in a semi-opportunistic fashion. Heavens, when I stared playing PDX games again a few years ago I had a very significant back catalogue to pick up. As @AndrewT mentioned, I largely waited for sales until I more or less caught up.

Since @chimosh you were mostly speaking of Stellaris, let us look at it. Plantoids and Humanoid species packs are cosmetic and entirely reasonable to put off. Utopia and Armageddon are more substantial general updates, and Leviathans and Distant Stars more limited general upgrades. Synthetic Dawn and Megacorp are more tied to specific new play options.

So, to play the base game you don't have to do anything. Stellaris now has been massively improved since launch, with new expansion and planetary systems that are default in the base game without any DLC (for example, the plantary re-work was part of the free patch that came along at the same time as Megacorp).

If you wish to deep the general game you have options, each that works pretty independently of the other - or if you wish a new specific government type you have some other options. You don't have to shell out to get the whole lot all at once.

 

[chimosh]

Sure, but If I am going to spend the time playing Stellaris again, I want to have all the goodies attached.

I'm just saying that the prices seem to get pretty outrageous if you do want to play with the latest DLC to experience all the game has to offer in its current state.

Its not really reasonable to shell out $127 AUD to do that. I know CK2 has the heaviest cost associated... I have seen their bundle special which was normally $500 AUD for only 200 something.

Which is still pretty damn outrageous.

I've played ck2 and eu4 for over 1000 hours a piece and have spent money on pretty much every single DLC except for the past few on EU and a few more on CK2. I have spent a fair amount of money on these titles, which in turn has been worth the costs associated as I have been playing the games at the time of these purchases for countless hours.

The issue comes in when I want to dive back into a game that has this feature creep issue, but I am unsure if I am going to actually get back into or pick it up and put it down again, and for that the $127 comes with risk.

As you have said I can check out the game as it stands with no DLC, i might just do that. But I would rather enjoy a feature complete title.

A possible solution would be a demo version of a complete experience that lasts for like 30 mins. At least then I could test the changes, get hooked and shell out the $127 or dislike it put it down and move on.

 

[Alfray Stryke]

A possible solution would be a demo version of a complete experience that lasts for like 30 mins. At least then I could test the changes, get hooked and shell out the $127 or dislike it put it down and move on.

I can't imagine 30 minutes would be enough time to experience changes brought in most the of the DLC for various games. An easier solution would be if you joined a multiplayer game in which the host has all the DLC, you get to experience them and see if it's worthwhile to you.

 

[Eelectrica]

Wait for a sale or check out legit key sellers like GMG.

 

[chimosh]

Playing a game now.

Is it normal for it to be very quiet, as in no wars?

I haven't had any threats yet. or is it too early in the game?

 

[Matt714]

Isn't the Australian minimum wage like $19?

6-7 hours worked for 100s of game hours?

 

[chimosh]

Isn't the Australian minimum wage like $19?

6-7 hours worked for 100s of game hours?

If you base your calculations like that is it sounds so simple. Works if your living at home with your mum in her basement with zero expenses, but even then your calc is wrong. You forgot to minus tax.

 

[AndrewT]

Thread now way off topic so closing