196 réponses à ce sujet

[AlanC9]

Non-existing consumers require more effort as a general rule for any product, so the entire GOTY is just a big marketing push towards them. It reminds them that DAI won a whole bunch of awards and gives them a discount for the game+DLC, because many late adopters might not even buy the DLC at all if the bundle wasn't offered. Us existing customers, as a general trend in any industry, are much more likely to buy the DLC at full price and require much less effort to appeal to.

I think this is the key point. EA seems to feel that discounts on DLC are, for the most part, counterproductive. You gain some sales, but lose revenue overall from people who hold out and wait for the sales. But it's OK to put the DLC on sale to people who weren't interested enough in the game to buy it without the GOTY, because they were never going to buy DLC at list anyway.

[Pallando]

Deal with it. This is not some big conspiracy this is not people out to get you, this is just the way business works. And if you're going to get on your high horse about a luxury item... Maybe you need to get your priorities in order.

Yes, people who waited got a better deal. This is the way of the world.

War of attrition? I think you need to step back, and stop jumping at shadows, especially since you have no clue what you're talking about.

We don't know how much it cost to produce the DLC, we don't know how many units would cover the cost and then make a decent profit by EA standards. EA does not owe us a bundle or a better deal. The responsibility for a better deal is one the consumer. Do a little research, wait a little bit and see what happens, and try not to impulse buy.

 

Well, you are the one getting on your high horse. I find you a bit disrespectful and patronizing, with personal attacks.

 

In the end, we don't care about how it works for them. I have no empathy for businesses. They don't owe us anything, but I don't owe them anything neither, much less care about their margins. People are making a request: "could you please make a bundle?", and some people jump on here, saying: "how dare you ask something of EA?!". 

Others are just saying "remember that they don't owe it to you, but ask away", but clearly, you're not, seeing how aggressive you get.

 

 

 

Yes, because you bought the game nearly a year before everyone else, so the change in prices doesn't apply to you. You've had access to the product for far, far longer than someone who waits for a GOTY edition. You're also buying the DLCs separately, not in a discounted bundle. You're buying them a la carte, not all together. You are not the target demographic for the discounted bundles, and neither am I. Except I'm not making a big deal about it because by the time the GOTY edition came out, I've played through DAI at least 8 times. If you bought DAI when it was new (plus any digital purchases you may have made form then to now), then Bioware and EA have already made their profit from you, move along.

 

How do people not understand basic economics?

 

It's not about economics, as in the end, we don't have to care about that. Settings the prices and satisfying the customers is EA's job. 

We're not the targeted demographic, and that's why people are asking to get some attention. They want EA to show some interest to them, old customers. 

 

That may be too much to ask to a soulless business, as this kind of requests works better when you're dealing directly with people.

 

Now, once again, no one is arguing that EA has some obligation to do anything. All of this is just wishful thinking. Like a discounted DLC bundle.

[Gothfather]

It seems rather foolish business practice to not create a DLC bundle now that the GOTY edition is out. It makes sense that those who bought the game previously but not the DLCs have an incentive to buy the DLCs as this increases revenue for EA on a game that is 11 months old. By not providing a DLC bundle they create the PERCEPTION of EA saying "screw you," to people who previously bought the game but haven't purchased the DLCs. If customers FEEL like they aren't getting an equal deal they simply (in most cases) will not buy, and that is lost sales. I don't feel like spending $55 for the DLCs when the game + the DLCs are now $60. I don't begrudge EA for making the GOTY edition or selling it at a lower price than i payed for the original. I simply refuse to pay an additional $55 for the DLCs. I would be willing to pay $30 for the DLCs which means I'd have forked over approx $100 for the game plus DLCs. I still pay well above what the late adopters payed, but I get a deal and EA gets more revenue.

 

It is important in business to not only be fair but to be perceived as fair in the eyes of customers and future customers. Paying $5 less to get all the DLCs when a bundle (which is what the GOTY is) that includes all the DLCs plus the base game strikes any rational person as not a great 'bargain.' This is especially true when you can see a great bargain for the same items being sold by the same vendor.

 

The optics of this are bad business. EA isn't being immoral, or treating customers poorly they are just not treating them in a manner that encourages sales. And they are treating them in a manner that encourages resentment which isn't something you want from customers.

[AlanC9]

In the end, we don't care about how it works for them. I have no empathy for businesses. They don't owe us anything, but I don't owe them anything neither, much less care about their margins.

Empathy? What does empathy have to do with anything?

[AlanC9]

By not providing a DLC bundle they create the PERCEPTION of EA saying "screw you," to people who previously bought the game but haven't purchased the DLCs.

Did the DA:O UE also create that perception? I don't recall it, though I can see how gamers might have become more entitled over the last few years; standards sometimes change over time, and companies do have to adapt to them.

I don't know how we'd determine that the perception you're talking about is widespread enough to cause the effect you describe. We have a handful of complaints on this board, but absolutely everything Bio does leads to that.

[Zatche]

Did the DA:O UE also create that perception? I don't recall it, though I can see how gamers might have become more entitled over the last few years; standards sometimes change over time, and companies do have to adapt to them.

I don't know how we'd determine that the perception you're talking about is widespread enough to cause the effect you describe. We have a handful of complaints on this board, but absolutely everything Bio does leads to that.

It's definitely hard to tell what the mainstream perception is. But as far as BSN perceptions go, I'd consider the backlash with these particular threads relatively minute.

[Pallando]

 

Empathy? What does empathy have to do with anything?

 

 

It means I'm not going to feel sorry for EA. I'm not even trying to be in their shoes. 

Of course, EA is not a physical person, but it's a figure of speech.

I don't even understand why you asked that and ignored my post...

 

 

Did the DA:O UE also create that perception? I don't recall it, though I can see how gamers might have become more entitled over the last few years; standards sometimes change over time, and companies do have to adapt to them.

 

Since DA:O UE came out, games went fully digital, at least on PC. You can't sell (or give) your old games, like you used to. 

Also, with Origin (and Steam), the games industry is enforcing a stricter control on how you can use your games, although Steam does have "family sharing" now. 

 

I must say that for me, it's a feeling that's been growing over time. The first game that made me question these discrepancies in price was Skyrim: Legendary Edition. If you buy the LE to upgrade your base game, you don't get a giftable copy of whatever you already own!

It's like the opposite of cracking: the publisher takes 1 game from you out of 2 that you theoretically possess. 

 

And now that companies start to propose GOTY upgrades (Shadow of Mordor), or equivalent (Deus Ex: HR director's cut had a substantial discount for previous owners of Deus Ex: HR), it's becoming clear that early players could be treated better, since that's what others do.

 

WB even just gave the GOTY upgrade away (Arkham Asylum/City), although that was a couple of years after the game came out.

I'm still waiting to see a discount on DAO DLCs, or even see the UE available in my country...

 

Of course, it does not mean that any publisher has to change anything. But the competition is there... And can influence players' expectations.

[AlanC9]

It means I'm not going to feel sorry for EA. I'm not even trying to be in their shoes.
Of course, EA is not a physical person, but it's a figure of speech.
I don't even understand why you asked that and ignored my post...

I didn't think the rest of that post was interesting enough to respond to, so I didn't respond to it.

The empathy bit was interesting, though. Sure, you're not going to feel sorry for EA. But nobody is feeling sorry for EA here. I suppose some of us are trying to "be in their shoes" in the sense that we're talking about how their decision-making for DLC pricing works, but that's not because we're exercising empathy. It's because we're engaged in a rational discussion of the policy. What are you doing?

Since DA:O UE came out, games went fully digital, at least on PC. You can't sell (or give) your old games, like you used to.
Also, with Origin (and Steam), the games industry is enforcing a stricter control on how you can use your games, although Steam does have "family sharing" now.

Now, this part is actually correct. The thing that's bothering you isn't really the DLC pricing, which hasn't changed. It's the inability to resell the base games, which has. That's the only difference between DA:O and NWN, and DAI.

(Assuming that the DAI base game discs can't be separated from the DLC authorization code, that is. I believe this to be true, but I'm not totally certain.)

[London]

RE: Zatche - It also may seem minute because overall interest in DAI and these forums is pretty slow right now anyway.

[The Night Haunter]

RE: Zatche - It also may seem minute because overall interest in DAI and these forums is pretty slow right now anyway.

Well you shoulda been here for the day! Which day? In the DA:A box there was a slip of paper with a dragon and a date, no further information. We waited patiently for that day to arrive, then when it did, Bioware announced.... some mobile/social thing that I don't really even remember. A lot of people expected it to be a DA2 announcement (so this was before DA2 was even officially announced) and got really upset. The forum had a few hundred new threads pop up over that day raging at Bioware for hyping up this date and delivering nothing. People got banned and many warnings were sent out, and mods had to delete threads and posts because their servers couldn't handle the load of new posts angrily complaining.

I'd say there was about just as much passive interest in DA at that time as there is now, but it got a much larger response because people cared more about that. People don't care about this. There are a small number of people (and small even by forum goer numbers) who adamantly believe this is a horrible business practice (which it isn't as a business practice is by definition a practice that promotes the general welfare of the business, which this decision obviously does) and a bad moral choice (it is that, it essentially leaves the luke-warm Bioware fans who bought the base game but ignored the DLCs up til now hanging out to dry).

It isn't, however, a terribly big deal. At most it costs someone 50$ to pick up the GotY edition, hardly earth shattering. If you already have the base game then you get an extra copy of it, sell it to a friend (or give it to them to entice them into the Bioware fandom), or if you really, really want to spend the least amount of money possible on DAI, well you've waited this long to get the DLC, just wait until xmas, I'd bet real money that the GotY will be on sale then. Or you can wait until next summer, whenever Steam has their big sales Origin and GoG typically also have some slightly less spectacular sales as well.

 

No-one is forcing anyone to buy anything right now, if money is your biggest concern then DA4 isn't coming for 2 years (at least) so you have a lot of time to catch up on the DLC, just wait for a sale on the GotY edition and you can get all the DLC for 25-30$. 

[London]

Eh no thanks. I'm barely interested now, let alone when more games drop that will surpass DAI further.

[Gothfather]

Did the DA:O UE also create that perception? I don't recall it, though I can see how gamers might have become more entitled over the last few years; standards sometimes change over time, and companies do have to adapt to them.

I don't know how we'd determine that the perception you're talking about is widespread enough to cause the effect you describe. We have a handful of complaints on this board, but absolutely everything Bio does leads to that.

hey Genius what did I say that had anything to do with 'entitlement?' Is it entitlement to compare prices now? If you look at my previous posts on this site i am constantly railing against unreasonable gamer expectations. But there is zero evidence in my post that can be attributed to entitlement or unreasonable expectations. unless you think it is unreasonable for me to make the choice not to buy a product or want a comparable deal other customers get? I also stressed that EA is doing nothing immoral or treating their customers badly so please tell me how any thing I said was based in entitlement or are you just talking out of your ass? I don't think I am 'entitled' to a deal i simply stated i won't be buying $55 in DLCs when GOTY is $60, and the base game is $40 any person with a brain can see that the difference in pricing is $20.

 

It doesn't take a rocket science to see you can get all the DLCs for $20 difference if you buy the GOTY edition vs the standard edition. EA has just assessed on their own that the DLCs are worth $20. That isn't some number taken out of my ass these are the numbers from origin. So seeing how one customer can get the DLCs for $20 I choose to not pay $55 for them. How is that entitlement? How am I being entitled by stating that I am willing to pay $30 for them but not $55?

 

Seriously how am I being entitled? Seems to me you simply choose to try an marginalise my position with lies and falsehoods by implying that my position was entitlement instead of actually addressing anything I said. Why? because I dared take a position you don't agree with?

[The Night Haunter]

Eh no thanks. I'm barely interested now, let alone when more games drop that will surpass DAI further.

And yet here you are

At a time when you yourself said interest is flagging.

 

Regardless the point stands: If you want the game now then that time requirement means you pay the price it is now, but if one is fine with waiting then better deals will always occur in the future. You can pick up the Ultimate version of DAO for 20$ now. In 4-5 years I'd be shocked if you couldn't do the same for DAI. (DAO was even free at one point prior to DAI's launch). You can pick the price you want to pay for a game, it just requires that you wait until its at the price.

[The Night Haunter]

l i simply stated i won't be buying $55 in DLCs when GOTY is $60, and the base game is $40 any person with a brain can see that the difference in pricing is $20.

 

Actually that is a common misconception. When you go to Costco and get an economy sized product you are getting each individual part of that at a huge discount, because you are buying (and Costco itself buys) in bulkier quantities. The same principal applies to the GotY edition. The DLC is not 20$ of the cost and the base game is not 40$ of the cost. Because it is a bundle with a higher total price each item in that bundle receives a discount. I'd say both the game is probably about 25$ of the cost and the DLC is the other 35$, considering the base prices for each (game is 40$ and DLC is 55$). Everything in a bundle is discounted it isn't the base price + a *huge* discount on the extras, it is a moderate discount on everything.

So given that the DLC represents about 35$ of a 60$ price tag, a DLC bundle on its own (sans base game) would probably be about 40$ (with a lower total price the discount decreases, standard bundle/bulk practice). 

So if you want to ask EA for a 40$ bundle that contains all the DLC sans base game I would be 100% behind you, as that makes sense from a marketing perspective. And I would not be surprised if at some point in the future EA does do this, right now they are still focusing on the GotY edition, once that is older then they might open up to other marketing ideas (they don't want to undercut themselves after all).

 

 

In short: asking for a bundle of all the DLC at 20$ is unreasonable, asking for it at 30-40$ is more reasonable, but unlikely at the moment as EA just released GotY, once sales for that die down then they are more likely to move to a different avenue of upping sales, such as a DLC only bundle.

[Pallando]

Actually that is a common misconception. When you go to Costco and get an economy sized product you are getting each individual part of that at a huge discount, because you are buying (and Costco itself buys) in bulkier quantities. The same principal applies to the GotY edition. The DLC is not 20$ of the cost and the base game is not 40$ of the cost. Because it is a bundle with a higher total price each item in that bundle receives a discount. I'd say both the game is probably about 25$ of the cost and the DLC is the other 35$, considering the base prices for each (game is 40$ and DLC is 55$). Everything in a bundle is discounted it isn't the base price + a *huge* discount on the extras, it is a moderate discount on everything.

So given that the DLC represents about 35$ of a 60$ price tag, a DLC bundle on its own (sans base game) would probably be about 40$ (with a lower total price the discount decreases, standard bundle/bulk practice). 

So if you want to ask EA for a 40$ bundle that contains all the DLC sans base game I would be 100% behind you, as that makes sense from a marketing perspective. And I would not be surprised if at some point in the future EA does do this, right now they are still focusing on the GotY edition, once that is older then they might open up to other marketing ideas (they don't want to undercut themselves after all).

 

 

In short: asking for a bundle of all the DLC at 20$ is unreasonable, asking for it at 30-40$ is more reasonable, but unlikely at the moment as EA just released GotY, once sales for that die down then they are more likely to move to a different avenue of upping sales, such as a DLC only bundle.

 

 

It was computed somewhere that if we take these prices from the store:

• Base game : $40
• Deluxe content : $10
• DLCs : $55

And consider that the price of the DLCs represents around 52% of the price, then based on the GOTY price ($60), we could imagine a DLC bundle around $30 (well, $31).

There's already a deluxe upgrade, so in that scenario, Deluxe+DLC would be $40.

 

You'd save $20 by buying the GOTY over the game + the content separately, but you'd pay $20 more than if you just wanted the base game. 

[Realmzmaster]

Actually the base game on Amazon.com is $19.99 (PC version)  (down from $29.99) and the GOTY is $59.99 so that would make the dlc worth $40.00. The Deluxe version is selling at $99.99 (go figure) on Amazon (from certain shops).

 

So I do not see a $40.00 dlc bundle as unreasonable.

 

The problem lies with gamers who bought some of the dlc during the year. One suggestion would be to have a variable bundle which means that Bioware/EA would have to figure out what to charge for each individual piece to make up the bundle or take a percentage off the bundle price depending on what dlc is selected.

 

I would not see any of that happening until after the sales of the GOTY taper off.

 

Which still means that those who support Bioware by buying the dlc and base game (or deluxe version and or pre-ordering) when released get the short end of the pricing, but that is a choice they made for being first adopters and making GOTY and bundle pricing viable.

[o Ventus]

Actually the base game on Amazon.com is $19.99 (PC version)  (down from $29.99) and the GOTY is $59.99 so that would make the dlc worth $40.00. The Deluxe version is selling at $99.99 (go figure) on Amazon (from certain shops).

 

So I do not see a $40.00 dlc bundle as unreasonable.

 

The problem lies with gamers who bought some of the dlc during the year. One suggestion would be to have a variable bundle which means that Bioware/EA would have to figure out what to charge for each individual piece to make up the bundle or take a percentage off the bundle price depending on what dlc is selected.

 

I would not see any of that happening until after the sales of the GOTY taper off.

 

Which still means that those who support Bioware by buying the dlc and base game (or deluxe version and or pre-ordering) when released get the short end of the pricing, but that is a choice they made for being first adopters and making GOTY and bundle pricing viable.

 

I was going to say how I fail to understand why the Deluxe Edition would be $100 on Amazon, but then I remember than Black Ops 2 is full price on Steam, a full 3 years after that game's release.

[Gothfather]

Actually that is a common misconception. When you go to Costco and get an economy sized product you are getting each individual part of that at a huge discount, because you are buying (and Costco itself buys) in bulkier quantities. The same principal applies to the GotY edition. The DLC is not 20$ of the cost and the base game is not 40$ of the cost. Because it is a bundle with a higher total price each item in that bundle receives a discount. I'd say both the game is probably about 25$ of the cost and the DLC is the other 35$, considering the base prices for each (game is 40$ and DLC is 55$). Everything in a bundle is discounted it isn't the base price + a *huge* discount on the extras, it is a moderate discount on everything.

So given that the DLC represents about 35$ of a 60$ price tag, a DLC bundle on its own (sans base game) would probably be about 40$ (with a lower total price the discount decreases, standard bundle/bulk practice). 

So if you want to ask EA for a 40$ bundle that contains all the DLC sans base game I would be 100% behind you, as that makes sense from a marketing perspective. And I would not be surprised if at some point in the future EA does do this, right now they are still focusing on the GotY edition, once that is older then they might open up to other marketing ideas (they don't want to undercut themselves after all).

 

 

In short: asking for a bundle of all the DLC at 20$ is unreasonable, asking for it at 30-40$ is more reasonable, but unlikely at the moment as EA just released GotY, once sales for that die down then they are more likely to move to a different avenue of upping sales, such as a DLC only bundle.

hey jerk don't misquote me.

 

 

/snip

How is that entitlement? How am I being entitled by stating that I am willing to pay $30 for them but not $55?

 

 

See this? I am right with in the range you said was reasonable. So don't fraking selectively quote me to imply I said something different which is a miss quote. I also said the same fraking thing in my ORIGINAL post on the same fraking page where you deliberately tried to miss quote me. If you can't be bothered to fraking read all a post don't fraking respond to it.

[Zatche]

RE: Zatche - It also may seem minute because overall interest in DAI and these forums is pretty slow right now anyway.

 

Fair point.

 

I would guess that if it was busier here, we still wouldn't see the same outrage as, for example, with the old gen drop. Though, I could very well be biased by own perspective.

 

About that perspective, I still don't really understand this:

 

By not providing a DLC bundle they create the PERCEPTION of EA saying "screw you," to people who previously bought the game but haven't purchased the DLCs.

 

I genuinely don't understand where this perception comes from. Why is not receiving a discount taken so personally?

[AlanC9]

hey Genius what did I say that had anything to do with 'entitlement?' Is it entitlement to compare prices now?

"Entitled" was my description of someone thinking that he rightfully ought to be allowed to buy individual parts of a bundle at the bundle's price. I wasn't talking about you in particular, since I didn't think you were one of those people. Should I revise that belief?

Remember, you were talking about players being mad about the existence of this bundle, not merely about players deciding not to buy the bundle. I wasn't responding to the part of your post where you said you wouldn't be buying it yourself, because I didn't see how you not buying it was of any particular interest. (Protip:that's why I only quoted the part of your post where you talk about players being offended by the existence of the bundle.) Lots of DAI players won't be buying this bundle. I'm not sure I'll buy it myself.

You didn't get around to answering my question. Why didn't people act butthurt about the DA:I UE?

[The Night Haunter]

hey jerk don't misquote me.

 

 

 

See this? I am right with in the range you said was reasonable. So don't fraking selectively quote me to imply I said something different which is a miss quote. I also said the same fraking thing in my ORIGINAL post on the same fraking page where you deliberately tried to miss quote me. If you can't be bothered to fraking read all a post don't fraking respond to it.

Wow, way to overreact. I simply used your post as an example for people who just look at the price difference as a legitimate source for a final price. Nothing in my post insulted you or implied any attitude, I simply took your post as a convenient starting point for my digression.

 

If you're going to get this bothered by a respectful post maybe you should take a few minutes to calm down before posting, your reply is literally nothing but insults, attitude, and 'hot air'. If you disagree with the point I made then disagree with it, I wasn't calling you out, nor was I misquoting you, that is literally what you said. If you agree with me about the eventual end price for a DLC bundle then I fail to see what you are getting all worked up over. Chill.

[London]

And yet here you are
At a time when you yourself said interest is flagging.

Regardless the point stands: If you want the game now then that time requirement means you pay the price it is now, but if one is fine with waiting then better deals will always occur in the future. You can pick up the Ultimate version of DAO for 20$ now. In 4-5 years I'd be shocked if you couldn't do the same for DAI. (DAO was even free at one point prior to DAI's launch). You can pick the price you want to pay for a game, it just requires that you wait until its at the price.

No inconsistency that I am here; waning interest is more an observation of the slower activity on the forums as a whole. At this point I find the community discussions more interesting than playing the game itself - and have noticed that activity has been slower which is a shame but not unexpected for a year old game. Also ME-A is just too far away but I'm sure things will get crazy again when that is closer to release.

Personally I have a hard time buying 5 year old games as game design / graphics / storytelling / voice acting tend to progress far too much in this relatively young industry for me to want to return to something dated, though I am sure there is a market here. I do buy old games I already played on PC that I used to have on PS3 before I sold it for a PS4, but I had liked those games when they were new and those games now benefit from nostalgia. in the case of the DLC - if it didn't attract me now when it is more cutting edge, I doubt ill revisit in the future. But that is more a comment on DAI as a whole - I did revisit ME3 and bought new DLC that I hadn't played before last year, but I enjoyed the ME3 experience as a whole way more than I did DAI.

[The Night Haunter]

No inconsistency that I am here; waning interest is more an observation of the slower activity on the forums as a whole. At this point I find the community discussions more interesting than playing the game itself - and have noticed that activity has been slower which is a shame but not unexpected for a year old game. Also ME-A is just too far away but I'm sure things will get crazy again when that is closer to release.

Personally I have a hard time buying 5 year old games as game design / graphics / storytelling / voice acting tend to progress far too much in this relatively young industry for me to want to return to something dated, though I am sure there is a market here. I do buy old games I already played on PC that I used to have on PS3 before I sold it for a PS4, but I had liked those games when they were new and those games now benefit from nostalgia. in the case of the DLC - if it didn't attract me now when it is more cutting edge, I doubt ill revisit in the future. But that is more a comment on DAI as a whole - I did revisit ME3 and bought new DLC that I hadn't played before last year, but I enjoyed the ME3 experience as a whole way more than I did DAI.

You are correct that it will be a much smaller scale for the future (potential) DLC bundle, but that is fairly natural. If they time it right (announcement of DA4, or near some convention they are demoing in) then interest will flare up at that time and the bundle could pile on to that. I have little doubt that when ME:A goes to E3 / CCSD / Some other entertainment exp, that ME3 will be put on sale and probably bundled up with all DLC.

 

So in about a year, maybe a year-and-a-half, we should see some spike from the DA4 announcment and EA would be smart (and most likely will) to release or discount DAI quite a bit at that time.

[GithCheater]

I just complained to EA chat a few minutes ago, and they gave me a 15% origin discount code which I just used used to buy and download Descent and the two item packs.

 

I appreciate the 15% discount, but as a customer who ordered the DAI Deluxe Edition before its launch last November, I should not have needed to complain to get a better price on the remaining DLC so that does not feel like a rip-off buying DLC at list price a year later.

 

I was not going to buy the two item packs, but relented as I got the discount.

[The Night Haunter]

 

I just complained to EA chat a few minutes ago, and they gave me a 15% origin discount code which I just used used to buy and download Descent and the two item packs.

 

I appreciate the 15% discount, but as a customer who ordered the DAI Deluxe Edition before its launch last November, I should not have needed to complain to get a better price on the remaining DLC so that does not feel like a rip-off buying DLC at list price a year later.

 

I was not going to buy the two item packs, but relented as I got the discount.

 

I'm sorry but your post is wildly inconsistent.

 

Why do they owe you a discount? Because you ordered the game pre-release? Ok, did you order the DLCs pre/at release? Of course not or you wouldn't be here complaining. So why are you acting like a super loyal Bioware Fan and that should net you a discount when you aren't? If all you care about is getting the best price then never ever buy a game at release. They will ALWAYS be on sale at some point post-release for a much better deal than buying at release. I'm willing to bet if you were willing to wait for 2 more months (less than actually) all the DLCs will be on sale around xmas.

 

As for the item packs: I vehemently disagree with whole concept of item packs. Why should anyone spend $5 for some items that literally would take a single developer & artist a few hours to make? Any semi-competent software dev system will make it easy to add things like items (I know because I am a Software Engineer and we always make nice APIs or other end points to add rows to tables and such). Item Packs have no story content, and are things that used to be included in the accompanying DLC (Spoilers of the Avaar would have 5 years ago been part of Jaws of Hakkon at no extra cost). Item Packs are evil incarnate.