Many have raised issues with Microsoft’s DLC and XBLA pricing plans. Especially when the DLC is under a few megabytes which indicates that the DLC is nothing more than an unlock code for content already on the Game Disc. Halo Wars Strategic Options DLC that was released this week it too is under heavy fire from the gaming community.

For 800 MS points ($10) you get three new game modes. Of the three modes, two require you to play party mode. The total download size of the DLC is about 2MB.

The official Robot Halo Wars forum is a blaze from fans regarding the price of the the small download.

Direct Quotes from the forum: 3 modes for 10 bucks = rip off

I LOVE this game and I’ve played it constantly since the demo was released. This DLC is enough to make me quit. Three more modes when barely anyone plays the extra mode that already exists? I no longer have faith in Ensemble-turned-Robot. I would have bought it and loved it for a reasonable price of: > 400 or less < points. 10 bucks? Let’s compare what we can get for that price on the same XBL Marketplace:

COD:WAW Map Pack 1: Contains 3 multiplayer maps and 1 coop (zombie) map. The zombie map alone is worth more than this entire DLC.

Any map pack for that matter is the same 800 points.

Knothole Island, Broken Steel (and other Fallout 3 expansions), etc…

Oh but these are game modes, you can’t compare them to these, Robot will say. Ok fine, let’s look at a recent and very big DLC game mode: L4D introduced Survivor which also included Versus modes for the other two campaigns. How much was this? FREE!

Even RE5’s ridiculously ridiculed mode DLC was 400, and that included FOUR (4!) variations of Versus multiplayer.

What does this mean? Robot has killed HW at a time where it is needs long legs. It doesn’t even show up on the top 10 played games any more…

Absolutely right. Three new game modes? No thanks, i’d pay 800mp for just1 more 3v3 map.

I agree with you. I really love this game and I was very happy to learn that there will be 3 new modes.

But I thought it will be free !!! Like Gears of Wars with annex mode.

These modes should have been a patch, not a DLC !!!

Furthermore, 800 MS Points !!! What the hell ?!? Compare this with the new Fable II’s DLC “See the Future”, which is only 560 MS Points…