DLC That Expires

[Hawksmoor]

I have recently begun delving into my backlog and decided to start Alpha Protocol today. My copy included the "exclusive" Best Buy stealth weapons pack. When I took a look at the card containing the DLC code it indicated that it expired in December of 2010. WTF is the deal with expiring DLC? The rationale for such a thing escapes me, so perhaps someone can explain it to me.

[Nebagram]

Not sure I get what you mean here. Do you mean the actual DLC itself is no longer useable after 12/10 (which would be odd), it isn't available after 12/10 (not unprecedented) or the actual code itself stops being valid after 12/10 (which for a promotional item, kinda makes sense)?

[Kitsune Sniper]

It's just like DVD/Blurays with digital copies which expire six months after you buy them.

[Oobgarm]

Same goes for GT5 preorder DLC.

[Duke.Togo]

Just because it says it expires doesn't necessarily mean it won't work. I used an expired code for Dragon Armor for one of the Dragon Age games and it still worked.

[josemp81]

I think it's because they cant keep the content on the servers forever.
That's why I hate downloadable content. I worry that I wont be able to re download it years from now. I can imagine the horror now....
The year is 2035 I pull my xbox 360 from storage to play Castle Crashers. To find out that the data was has been erased or corrupted. Makes me sad just thinking about it.

[PapaStu]

Try it anyways. I just activated a Sgt. Johnson code that expired last year for ODST. Downloaded and worked just fine.

[Leo_A]

The ones I've tried past their expiration date always have worked. I just think they're intended to protect themselves from someone trying to redeem them years past that date when something like Xbox Live itself for the 360 might be turned off. They're essentially a guarantee that that code will absolutely work up until that date, rather than a true expiration date.

And there's been no DLC that I'm aware of that has been removed from Xbox Live's servers, although purchases have been disabled on many things. But that has zero effect on someone redeeming a code or redownloading DLC that they've already bought.

[heybtbm]

And there's been no DLC that I'm aware of that has been removed from Xbox Live's servers, although purchases have been disabled on many things. But that has zero effect on someone redeeming a code or redownloading DLC that they've already bought.

IIRC, the DLC "cheat" codes for Jericho have stopped working as of last year. There's no way to get them now if you missed them.

[Hawksmoor]

I actually tried the code before I noticed that there was an expiration date. No dice. I guess the Best Buy DLC for Alpha Protocol is one of those rare exceptions.

[VertigoProcess]

i bought a x box live gold card for 1 year membership from best buy one time that didn't work... but i think that was due to a thief in the factory stealing codes before the scratch off piece was put on... i was really pissed off though... it was 50 bucks...

[c0ldb33r]

I think it's because they cant keep the content on the servers forever.
Why not?

[Kitsune Sniper]

Why not?

All those 1s and 0s, dude, they take up too much space. They also rot.

[The 1 2 P]

And there's been no DLC that I'm aware of that has been removed from Xbox Live's servers

The two character packs for Marvel Ultimate Alliance were removed after Activision lost the license. The only way to get them now is to find a new(not sure if used ones work) copy of Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold edition(which is also a Platinum seller).

Like others have already said, DLC usually works past the expiration date listed. The publishers are just trying to protect themselves from people who will buy their 360 games once the 720 gen has started and will try and get mad that their 8 year old DLC doesn't work. The only ones I've tried that no longer work are the original XBL 2 month cards.