User blog comment:The Milkman/Random Rambling: Should PS3 See Free DLC?/@comment-1486311-20121003232836

Bethesda had a problem with PS3 compatability. Compatability problems happen in any line of development work, especially on a multi-platform release. Not only does the quality assurance team need to test on as many different hardware setups as they can for PCs, but they also must ensure that the software runs well on competing console systems.

This is why modern-era development teams drop PC support and rely on outsourced porting to PCs. But Bethesda isn't stupid like these other modern-era development teams. No, they know what the hell they're doing and understand that losing any demographic is the quickest way to breed animosity.

Platform availability isn't a popularity contest; it's a contract contest. The sad truth about modern gaming is that Microsoft and Sony both do their darnedest to try to get an edge in on each other in contracts involving big label games. They'll throw fees and exclusivity clauses into contracts that lawyers need to very carefully fish out and expose before any documents are signed.

A discount would be beautiful. Even as a PC player, I voted for a discount for delayed release for PS3 players. This would be the most fair option for the delay, I think. But to be frank, there are several obstacles for this discount:

1. There's a reason why games like Team Fortress 2 are still rocking their original console release versions, and that's because you won't pay less than $40,000 to patch your game. To discount their DLC would almost be to barely scrape up enough money to justify the work required to make the DLC work. This obstacle might even impede a full-price release, for similar reasons.

2. As Bethesda mentioned, and as they are no doubt acting upon: Dawnguard and Hearthfire aren't their only projects. We can be certain they are actively working on other titles, and actively debugging a title they've already spent hundreds of man-hours debugging would be counter-productive for their departments. They need to make money to stay afloat.

We can come to a reasonable assumption that Microsoft and Sony both suck, and that Bethesda (as a developer and producer) are doing their best to navigate a crappy legal landscape to avoid a crappy legal landslide. At the same time, they're trying to juggle our concerns.

I mean, let's be reasonable here. Why wouldn't they want us to buy and play their game? Let's just be thankful they're one of the only two or three companies left still allowing mod support for their titles, and still trying to cater to every market rather than shafting creativity.