Well I'd definitely have spent more money and bought more DLC if I didn't have to go through the yearly faff of switching everything over to a new number. With 5, I got the free starter pack, then continued with 4 so that I could collect some trophies on the old DLC, and didn't even download the new version until maybe a month or so ago when I picked up a new DLC at sale price. I'll probably do the same with 6 - feels like I'm spending more time on file admin than actual play, and if I wanted that, I'd have bought a Windows PC instead of a PS5. I 100% agree with OP. All the reasons we're given for this are bullshit compared to the pain they cause the player-base, and the new issues with Epic on this round of pointless "upgrade" same-game-new-number just adds to the long list of negatives. If they were clever about it, they'd make the entry pack and a couple of DLC always free to draw people in, and give people a long-term incentive to collect and play the DLC they want. I've said for years that DTG don't seem to understand the console market, and this just massively reinforces that.
The game is core plus DLCs. The ability to run the features in the DLCs needs to be present in the core game in order for them to work, yes?
Didn’t Alex mention one of the reasons they keep releasing every is the hype and attention that a new game gets. Part of me feels this is somewhat dishonest, it’s not a new game. It’s the same game fundamentally, generally with the majority of similar bugs, similar issues with a few new hyped up capabilities while ignoring the underlying core issues.
I must say it kills my hype every time they do it like I hate having to re-download everything again and again
I haven’t been a user at a launch, but again, Alex did acknowledge the fact that the re-download is an issue, but in true DTG style, no mention of any mitigations just yet. I suppose unless it’s on the roadmap it isn’t happening
I know is too early to talk about next iteration, but i don't think that will bring anything new to the core, the peak for me is this upcoming version whit random events and faults in timetable, there is anything new (i think) that would justify another release next year
I've just personally not seen enough quality and consistency from DTG to warrant releasing a new game every year. As I said when they announced TSW6 which platform is getting the access issues this year. Each year it just feels like a faff and a lucky dip to see what works and what doesn't. I think the only plus side with the current model is that the rest of us can watch the early access/pre order beta test go live and see how much of a car crash it is before we decide how to proceed Obviously I hope it isn't a car crash. But based off previous years I'm just sceptical with each release now. I don't feel like there's been enough quality and consistency to warrant risking a pre order in my opinion/for myself personally.
SCS is also a business, but they stopped releasing new games after ETS2 and ATS and look at where they are now.
But Focus Home does not own Saber Interactive. They act only as publishers, unlike DTG, which is owned by them.