Many people seem to believe that DLC, or downloadable content, is a new concept in the console world. Most would likely tell you that it started with the Xbox. They’d be wrong, in fact the first console to have DLC was in fact the Intellivision. Yes, way back in the 80s.
Appearing in 1981 the Intellivison’s DLC was offered via a service called Playcable which allowed licensed cable operators to offer downloadable games over the cable lines. A special converter, essentially an early cable modem rented from the service provider, would allow players to download a game to the console for play. The system was limited both by the adapters memory storage and the bandwidth of the lines so that only small games were offered and only a few a month on a rotation. The games were also deleted the moment the console was turned off. All of these factors led to the services termination in 1983 just before the system itself died in the video game industry crash of 1983.
Intellivison’s main rival Atari had their own service at the time. Called Gamelink, one essentially plugged a cartridge shaped modem into the console and dialed into a central server where they could download games. The service was subscription based, a precursor to Xbox Live, and included such perks as a free game on a member’s birthday and a magazine subscription. There were online high score databases and contests with games rewarded as prizes. Games downloaded from the service had a limited number of plays before they would be deleted from memory and then need to be redownloaded. The service unfortunately only lasted a little over a year, being another casualty of the industry crash that killed their rival.
Nintendo would be the next company to jump into the online marketplace with its Famicom Modem in 1988. Unfortunately this system was only released in Japan; but it allowed players of the Nintendo Famicom game system access to cheats, news, weather forecasts, and a small amount of downloadable games and extras. However it was actually marketed more for its ability to allow adults to complete online banking and stock trading then for its entertainment benefits. The service never really gained popularity which is partially why it was never transitioned to North America. It would be discontinued, along with the original Famicon itself, in the early 90s.
In 1994 Sega would follow with its own hardware that allowed players to connect to their new Sega Channel service. Using a system very similar to Intellivison’s from a decade earlier a connection was made via a cable modem adapter, created by Scientific-Atlanta and General Instrument, for the Sega Genesis and was only available in the US to subscribers of Time Warner. With a monthly subscription fee players could download a selection of games, get cheats and hints, and even try demos. The service ended in 1998 with the demise of the Genesis. Do to the means of transition and the limitations of early cable lines it suffered from a large number of failed downloads and system crashes. And unfortunately the games were deleted the moment you turned off the system or lost connection to the service much like its predecessor.
The first game console to offer a network connection and DLC as a standard was Sega’s Dreamcast in 1998. A removable modem allowed users to connect to the internet and download a variety of free content for the system. However the bandwidth, the modem was a standard 56k in the US, and the size of the Dreamcast memory cards limited the service. Though the modem could be replaced with a separately sold broadband adapter to improve online play the need to support the smaller bandwidth of the modems and the limits of storage remained an issue. The Dreamcast’s demise would in 2001 would end support for the feature though online play remains for many games on dedicated fan and developer run servers.
The next console, and the one that revolutionized DLC, was Microsoft’s Xbox in 2001. They were the first to charge for content beyond a subscription fee, and the Xbox Live service is still the industry standard. Charging small amounts for everything from downloadable map packs to new character models and even themes and avatars for the console’s menu they created an entire business model built upon micro transactions. Though originally derided by critics the service continued to gain popularity throughout the consoles life time and became integrated into all the next generation systems to follow. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 uses an updated version of the service and Sony’s PS3 copied many of the concepts though they have forgone the subscription for now. Even Nintendo got back into the act with their Wii Shop Channel.
Downloadable content has a far older heritage on game consoles then I think most realize. And with this generation it has become a major factor in the industry. It’s rare game release in this era that doesn’t include some form of content. Though adding a great deal of extended play to our favorite games and offering lots of little goodies to spruce up our consoles new trends in how DLC is offered has changed the gaming landscape, and not always in ways the fans appreciate.