Day-one DLC makes business sense, Melo continued, as it meant that writers and concept artists who had finished their jobs on Mass Effect 3 could be put back into work immediately - while their colleagues continued on the main game.
In Melo's eyes, another form of day-one DLC is the Online Pass, although new copies of the game may ship with the content. 11 per cent of all Mass Effect 2 DLC revenue came from the Online Pass, content that had already been planned for as an incentive to new customers.
"An analogue [to the Online Pass] is free-to-play games, or games with a premium layer of service," Melo added, name-checking Call of Duty Elite and Battlefield Premium. An Online Pass could be seen similarly, as an 'out-of-the-box premium service'.
Mass Effect 3 also added micro-transactions to the franchise. The game lets players spend real-life money unlocking multiplayer content such as weapons and character classes, allowing users faster access than by simply using in-game currency.
"If you have five DLC packs at $10 each, you can only ever earn a total of $50," Melo explained. Micro-transactions allow the "potential for more" player spending, and give gamers the ability of extra "choice".
