Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

October 21, 2009

Poking, prodding and massaging NPD U.S. videogame sales data, Gamasutra has arrived at the conclusion that the average owner of a console version of Call of Duty: World at War spent $9 on downloadable content.

DLC packs were released in March, June and August of this year with a price of $10 apiece. 6.5 million packs had been sold as of August, with the author rounding up to 7.0 million in order to make sales current. Based on estimates of an analyst, it was estimated that 65% of the 7.0 million DLC sales were within the U.S., meaning an approximate $45.0 million in additional revenue for Activision Blizzard stateside.

The average price paid for World at War was $56.00, adding in the total spent on DLC brings the total average price spent to $65.00, increasing revenue per software unit by 15% (with reduced overhead), ensuring that DLC is not going away anytime soon:

With Modern Warfare 2 expected to best World at War's 11 million units in sales, it seems certain that consumers will again be tempted with paid DLC throughout 2010 as Activision Blizzard attempts to maximize its revenue per sale.

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Comments

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by OldManOnTheHill on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 11:15.

I just recently rented CoD:WaW and as a renter I really have no interest in buying these map packs.

That said my not buying these packs was not due to Treyarch not trying to get me to buy them. Three out of four lobbys you join are sitting on an optional map...and even should that get voted off more than half the time you get another optional map..which means a mass exodus of those who dont have the map..which prolongs the lobby experience. And god forbid you end up sitting in the lobby until the game loads at which point you're told you don't have the map to play (which is fine) and without asking are directed to the marketplace tab to purchase map packs(quite annoying). Both of these issues really soured my online experience with the game and ultimately makes me not want to play another CoD made by Treyarch outside of single player.

I certainly dont mind DLC maps as an option. However it must remain exactly that. Do not overpopulate playlists with optional maps. Allow individuals to filter optional content from their matchmaking. When these optional maps become nigh-forced upon you in order to enjoy the game it becomes a hinderance and shows poorly on the companies involved.

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Thomas P. on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 22:49.

DLC is a reason why used games are healthy for the industry.

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Roh02 on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 20:20.

they make that much money from dlc and still want to bump up the price? if anything it should be cheaper

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Bennett Beeny on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 20:26.

I don't understand it at all. CoD:WaW was absolute crap - at least compared to CoD4. I mean, sure - I bought the game, but I could always turn around and resell it to cut my losses. Can't do that with DLC. But I guess some folks actually liked it enough to pay for a second helping of crap.

It just goes to show that some folks will enjoy whatever the industry throws at them. Well, I guess Halo 3 and Gears of Homoeroticism proved that already.

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Kabyk on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 08:21.

Two words: Nazi Zombies.

Everybody I know who owns World At War bought additional mappacks solely for the Nazi Zombie maps, including myself. The sales for the mappacks would be at least half as much if Nazi Zombies was not involved, I garauntee you.

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Kojiro on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 17:59.

I admit it, I bought all 3 map packs just for Nazi Zombies. 24, 22, 16, 35 are my records, most of them with 2 people ;)

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by killatia on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 19:31.

You mean they're making money off DLC?! Wow I never saw that coming!

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Zerodash on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 18:33.

Are we to assume the next COD game will be World at War 2?

Re: Analysis: DLC Pays off for World at War Franchise

Submitted by Hreinzi on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 18:43.

if so i want a god damn Axis campaign

Poll

Shout box

E. Zachary Knight: New Humble Bundle Weekly Sale. Alan Wake: https://www.humblebundle.com/weekly No Linux or Mac support. :(05/22/2013 - 1:46pm

E. Zachary Knight: Microsoft talks about the lack of backward compatability. You're backwards. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192801/If_youre_backwards_compatible_youre_really_backwards.php05/22/2013 - 1:39pm

E. Zachary Knight: That is absolutely nuts there. As bad an experience XBox Indie Games was, the problems weren't with the self published side of things. Forcing a publisher onto independent studios is not going to help.05/22/2013 - 10:43am

MaskedPixelante: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-22-microsoft-wont-let-indies-self-publish-on-xbox-one And the hits just keep on coming.05/22/2013 - 9:20am

E. Zachary Knight: AE: You beat me to it. That's what I get for taking the night off.05/22/2013 - 7:40am

E. Zachary Knight: To continue the confused and convoluted messaging system present in EA, They are making Wii U games: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192753/EA_is_working_on_Wii_U_games_after_all.php05/22/2013 - 7:33am

Imautobot: I gotta admit, I seriously believed Microsoft was going to "Bring It" with this new console. But they failed, and I think that failure might be Epic.05/22/2013 - 7:27am

Andrew Eisen: Well, the Xbox One reveal certainly had an interesting affect on the big 3's stock prices. https://twitter.com/AndrewEisen/status/33705126448977100805/21/2013 - 10:45pm

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/so-the-xbox-one-reveal-screwed-up-a-lot-of-peoples-kin-509179256 So The Xbox One Reveal Screwed With Some People's Kinects05/21/2013 - 10:36pm

Zen: On a funny side note...both of my boys have already voted NOT to get the Xbox One as soon as they found out Minecraft won't transfer lol. Some people have priorities damnit! ;)05/21/2013 - 9:27pm

Andrew Eisen: Here's the full quote on EA making Wii U games according to Neogaf: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56112105/21/2013 - 8:19pm

Andrew Eisen: Xbox One may not be always on but that doesn't mean you can use it without an internet connection. http://kotaku.com/xbox-one-does-require-internet-connection-cant-play-o-50916410905/21/2013 - 7:39pm

Andrew Eisen: Polygon says EA's CFO says it is developing games for Wii U but doesn't provide that quote. http://www.polygon.com/2013/5/21/4351844/ea-developing-wii-u-games05/21/2013 - 7:11pm

Andrew Eisen: Well, I was right. Both Sony and Microsoft's consoles will be out by the year's end and both will be significantly more powerful than the current gen.05/21/2013 - 5:06pm

james_fudge: thnx05/21/2013 - 4:47pm

Zen: Just to let ya know...you called it the "Xbox 260" in the backwards compatibility article lol.05/21/2013 - 4:26pm

Zen: @PHX Awesome, I will hit those up after class tonight. Going back to college finally! :) My kids have had a blast telling ME to do my homework now lol.05/21/2013 - 4:19pm

PHX Corp: @Zen I sent you a friend request on both PSN and XBL, just a heads up05/21/2013 - 4:16pm

Zen: I noticed it with the football players when EA showed off Madden as well.05/21/2013 - 4:11pm

Zen: Is it just me or is call of duty hitting the "uncanny valley" with their nicely modeled faces and dead looking eyes? I found it distracting and seemed actually "less" real to me lol.05/21/2013 - 4:10pm

All shouts

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