Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscribers sure seem to be in the right place at the right time as they are able to get the new Battlefield 6 game content at a lower rate, while Xbox and PC guys are left paying the full price. On the other hand, the “Rogue Ops Pack” and REDSEC content are on the house for the PS Plus subscribers but the others must still shell out $20 to get the same bundle. This has sparked a huge debate online regarding platform exclusivity and the fairness of such deals to gamers.
So what is the pack all about that has brought this commotion? The Rogue Ops Pack for Battlefield 6 features certain one-of-a-kind skins, and possibly even the privilege to use certain weapons or gear beforehand, though the specific items have not been completely revealed. REDSEC looks like a new content creator, maybe a new operator or a new weapon skin set. For the PS guys, it’s just another day, so they just have to log in, grab their free stuff, and then continue playing. On the other hand, for the Xbox and PC users, it’s like paying another $20 for the same standard of play.
The reaction of the gaming public has been… to say the least… extremely polarized. A user named Japan Hates Xbox (his stance is quite evident) mentioned, “Fantastic! They should ask Xbox and PC players for $40. PS5 is first class!” adding a laughing face emoji. Conversely, some users express disappointment with the price regardless of the platform. Uhhace commented “$20 for basic shit lmao” which quite accurately describes how a considerable number of people feel about in-game cosmetic packs today.
Next, the argument arises whether or not it is really “free” if one has to pay for the PlayStation Plus membership. Darkness Muta said, “It is free for the individuals with Playstation Plus, so it is not free as it is offered through a paid service.” This is indeed a valid argument – you are paying for PS Plus regardless of whether you are interested in this Battlefield pack or not; hence, it is pretty misleading to say it is free. It is more of a right that non-members do not have access to.
There are all kinds of claims related to the console war flying around in the comments. Xbox Nation declared, “Pushing a buyer to buy hardware just to get a perk on a third-party game is the very definition of anti-consumer”. Meanwhile, PlayStation loyalists reminded everyone of the good old days of Xbox monopolizing with Call of Duty. This is the same old and long-standing debate that we have been observing for years now only with a different game involved.
In any case, some gamers are using their creativity and coming up with solutions to the problem. Sebastian Garcia wrote, “The benefits of having all consoles; I play on Xbox and claim on PS5” which is a pretty clever move if you have more than one console. Others mentioned that EA Play Pro subscribers may also be given access, therefore there are different ways to get this content without paying the complete $20.
What is even more interesting is the fact that people are so divided on whether the content is that attractive to create such a fight. KrustyBurner wrote “I don’t care that ps players are getting it for free, if this is what they think worth $20 this is going to be a long 2 years until the next bf release” which suggests that the pack might not be that good after all. There is a saying that “free stuff often means poor quality”.
This whole situation reveals the current friction in the video game industry where it is the platform holder’s fight to increase their subscribers’ value against the gamers’ want to have the same titles with the same content no matter which platform they are. Exclusive deals are nothing new, for instance, remember the Call of Duty DLC for Xbox in the early days? And they still don’t seem to be any less controversial than before.
Battlefield 6 is undeniably going to be another hit addition to the forever-famous series and platform-specific intercessions are now seen as the usual case in case of large multiplayer titles. Developers and publishers open up the cooperation with the platform holders to ensure that, through exclusive content, they would be able to attract the customers, whether it be in the form of early access, cosmetic items, or as in this case, absolutely free packs for subs.
It is a nice surprise for PlayStation Plus users that makes the subscription more worthwhile. For others, it is simply either pay or miss out. And considering the current era, where games already cost $70 plus season passes plus battle passes plus cosmetic shops, charging a further $20 for additional content can be seen as a tough condition to meet.
