Today the new DLC for Left 4 Dead, Crash Course, was released.  Now I believe that developers need to be properly rewarded for their hard work.  However.  I am unhappy with the current DLC situation Valve has created.

PC users receive the new DLC for free.  $0.00.  Just download it and go, you're ready to enjoy a new map and whatever else it bundles.

360 users receive the new DLC for... a price.  A 560 price.  Whatever that translates to in US dollars.

What.  The.  Hell.

As someone who owns the game on both platforms - yay.  I guess.  I'm only paying for the DLC if I choose to get it for the 360.  I have the wonderful benefit of downloading it, for free, on PC, essentially trying it out, and then I can decide whether or not I want to spend my hard-earned money to also enjoy it with my XBL friends.

I will grant Valve this:  Because L4D is distributed through Steam and is not a Games For Windows Live [GFWL] game, they are not able to easily charge for the DLC as they did with the 360 version.  I understand that it would greatly complicate things for them to also be charging their PC users.  

However, as we saw with the Survival DLC, it is possible to have free DLC via the XBox Game Marketplace.  If you are going to offer something for free on one gaming platform, then it is my firm belief that you should also be making that exact same piece of work free on the other platform.  Why are you punishing your 360 user base?  Because it's easier to charge them?  Either cut your losses or level the field for your users.  

I suppose this could be some "brilliant" marketing/financial ploy.

1.  Your 360 users likely also own PC or will not purchase the PC version.  Therefore, if they want the DLC, they must (and thus will) pay for it.  Profit!
2. Your PC users will feel happy and feel special.  They will tell their friends who aren't already playing L4D (do those PC gamers exist?  I kid.)  They increase their PC userbase and sell more copies.  Profit!
3. Your users which own the game on both platforms will try out the DLC and if they like it, will purchase it for the 360.  Profit!
4. Your PC users will be guinea pigs for their 360 friends.  If they like it, their 360 friends pay for the DLC.  Profit!

So this past Sunday, August 2nd, my xbox "died".  I was greeted by a lovely E74 error code, which didn't entirely surprise me.  The day before I had noticed significant deterioration of the video quality and while it worked briefly Sunday morning (I noticed bad graphics again and decided to turn off the xbox and check my discs), it gave me a lovely red light on my xbox.

I was then faced with a very important decision.  I had to choose one of the following:

1. Suffer the absence of my xbox and forego any xbox gaming for the next little bit while I waited for Microsoft to "repair" it. 
2. Give in to my bigger harddrive desires and my eventual need for an HDMI cable and buy an elite.

Now, number 1 wasn't particularly desirable at the time.  For one, I didn't know whether or not I would be home at the end of the month, and I knew it would take at least 2 weeks for this whole process if not longer.  My previous dealings with Microsoft had been a bit of a nightmare and I didn't want to have to repeat that.  Last time they had accused me of tampering with the xbox, but had neglected to take pictures of the xbox when they received it like they're supposed to.  They also cracked the case, or it was cracked in transit.

So, number 2.  Why not?  The 120GB harddrive costs about $150 on its own.  HDMI cable is cheap.  In the end, I bought the special edition Resident Evil Elite Xbox.  Red goodness, 120GB, HDMI and Resident Evil 5. Yummy.  It's a gorgeous console and the elite is ridiculously quieter than the Pro.  It also seems to be able to process a little bit faster.  So, all in all, a sound investment.  Let's hope it lasts more than a year and a couple months, as that seems to be my current track record.