There’s two kinds of downloadable content for video games out there. On one hand you have things like “Bring Down The Sky” for Mass Effect, a new episode for the game that gives you more… well, game. I like this kind.

On the other hand, you have what seems like every other DLC package. Instead of providing more game for the money, they’re more like ring tones. They’re little vanity things that you’re expected to drop cash on just because… uh, well, I guess I’ve never really understood why people paid out the wazoo for ring tones, so I’m not much help here.

One of the first ringtone-style downloadables was the infamous horse armor for Oblivion. This $2.50 downloadable pack added suits of armor for mounts to the game, and was released only a few weeks after the game retailed, feeding suspicions that it had originally been part of the regular game before getting held back as a tchotchke. This, and the mostly cosmetic nature of the addon, made it something Bethesda still gets ribbed for as they move to more substantial offerings.

LittleBigPlanet seems to be the next game going down the ringtone route. In-game costumes of characters Solid Snake and Sephiroth are reportedly to be sold for $2. That’s not as bad as the $5 t-shirts they’re pushing in Japan, though.

So if these vanity DLCs are entirely optional, what’s to be annoyed by? To be honest, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the thought of developers sinking resources into fluff instead of something substantial, even though these can’t possibly take that long to make. On the other hand, I don’t begrudge a developer a humble profit; the video game biz is harsh enough as it is.

Guess I’ll just keep muttering and complaining to myself like an old man whenever I see more bling on Xbox Live. Pay me no mind

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