Premium DLC has long been the bane of gamers, especially if it's the type that's borderline necessary in order to experience the core game the way it was meant to be played. Fortunately for gamers, developer Ubisoft has recently come to this same realization and is doing something about it.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Anne Blondel-Jouin, Ubisoft's VP of live operations, said they are now looking to support games for between five to 10 years after launch. To keep players engaged and avoid fragmentation, she said the studio has to be very careful with how it handles in-game monetization (microtransactions).
That said, Blondel-Jouin outlined changes that Ubisoft is making to its DLC policy. In short, they're permanently doing away with DLC that you'd normally have to buy to get the full experience (think new maps and game modes).
The executive compared their vision for DLC with that of an amusement park.
The price of admission (the game) includes access to all of the park's rides. Optionally, you can visit the park's various shops and eateries to buy merchandise or food (skins, characters, attire, etc.). Regardless of whether or not you spend money in the shops, you're still participating in the overall experience.
Premium DLC has been heavily criticized by gamers for years. While some view it in the same light as Ubisoft, others believe content like extra maps and additional modes should have been included with the core game or was intentionally left out at launch in order to milk more money from gamers down the road. What's more, some implementations give paying players unfair advantages which essentially ruins the game for those that don't want to cough up extra money.