I want to buy game but wth is this so much dlc?

[G-sai]

Is this like Sims 4 quality of millions dlc? Like set of forniture for 6.99?

And if I buy everything, will the game be playable at all? In terms of balance?

[Sgt. Sarge]

Paradox is greedy, that is about it.

[Razorblade]

I wouldn't say it's exactly like the Sims. Many Sims DLC are optional cosmetics. Meanwhile, you ideally want every Stellaris DLC; they all add something of gameplay significance, however small.

That being said, they tend to be overpriced for what you get, similar to the Sims. Of course, when you get them on sale, you tend to approach their "true" value. You are likely to get a decent bang for your buck when the DLC are on sale.

There's also the DLC subscription, so for $10 you can try all the DLC, then buy all the ones you want permanently in a future sale, once you know the value of what you're getting.

[foolmanchoo]

Just grab the DLC subscription. You get the entire catalog.

[Pico]

It's definitely true that waiting for a sale might be the best option if some DLC catches your eye. Some of the DLCs are less meaningful, such as species packs which originally had no gameplay additions, but got updated later with unique quirks. Other DLCs are major and add new gameplay mechanics that will affect every player/AI in a playthrough.

I would suggest giving the game a try and seeing if the basic experience is fun enough. Later on, if there's a particular idea in a DLC that seems interesting, you can gradually branch out.

[SLG]

Add them to your wishlist and pick them up on sale. You do not have to buy everything at once.

[adobo]

If you want to have a taste of everything, figure out a month where you have the free time and get the subscription for a month so you get to play with everything. Then figure out which DLC features you used the most and buy those.

[Amoc]

Originally posted by foolmanchoo:

Just grab the DLC subscription. You get the entire catalog.

Yeah I don't understand Paradox's pricing model at all anymore. Creative Assembly just got torched by its community for gouging on DLC, and they were, but the whole time that debacle was unfolding I was thinking, "You ain't seen nothing if you've never played a Paradox game". I used to be a huge Paradox fan, but at this point I don't even pay attention to their games or DLC until they're on steep discount or I can play the whole game and DLC catalogue for $6/m or something.

[Dark Sun Gwyndolin]

Originally posted by Amoc:

Originally posted by foolmanchoo:

Just grab the DLC subscription. You get the entire catalog.

Yeah I don't understand Paradox's pricing model at all anymore. Creative Assembly just got torched by its community for gouging on DLC, and they were, but the whole time that debacle was unfolding I was thinking, "You ain't seen nothing if you've never played a Paradox game". I used to be a huge Paradox fan, but at this point I don't even pay attention to their games or DLC until they're on steep discount or I can play the whole game and DLC catalogue for $6/m or something.

That's why I DIDN'T complain about Shadows of Change, except by comparison with past DLC; this is pretty much the norm for strategy games, and I infinitely prefer endless DLC to endless lootboxes. I only flipped my lid once that birdbrained CEO warned players about "the business realities of supporting Warhammer 3", which was widely taken as an implied thread to cancel development of Warhammer 3 if SoC sold poorly.

[Shahadem]

Originally posted by foolmanchoo:

Just grab the DLC subscription. You get the entire catalog.

But then you have to keep paying them for continued access.

You are losing no matter what.

[Knightspace]

Also do yourself a service and play on patches before 3.8. You'll thank me later.

[brokenhills]

if I buy everything, will the game be playable at all?

I suggest you to get game and few dlc. If you will like game than get few more at next sale ( summer sale at the end of june)

Utopia, distant stars, federations, galactic paragons are save

Nemesis, first contact, astral planes are hard skip.

Species - up to you, synthetic dawn may be .

[1200V2]

If you like Stellaris now there is no guarantee that it will be the same game after the next update or the one after that. You are going to buy a product that has not the intention to remain the same. You can like it or you hate it but it is something you need to be aware
of before you buy or rent it.

And Paradox goal is to sell dlc's not a complete game, keep that in mind.

The dlc's are like a lottery you will not get a winning ticket all of the time. But most of the time the game will get a nerf after the release of a new dlc, (free-to-play way of game development).

Dlc's you get a lot of loose parts but all combined are not a 'complete' game and for the price you have to pay for it. You pay to much for what you get.
And there is a chance you don't like what you get.

[Dark Sun Gwyndolin]

Originally posted by 1200V2:

If you like Stellaris now there is no guarantee that it will be the same game after the next update or the one after that. You are going to buy a product that has not the intention to remain the same. You can like it or you hate it but it is something you need to be aware
of before you buy or rent it.

And Paradox goal is to sell dlc's not a complete game, keep that in mind.

The dlc's are like a lottery you will not get a winning ticket all of the time. But most of the time the game will get a nerf after the release of a new dlc, (free-to-play way of game development).

Dlc's you get a lot of loose parts but all combined are not a 'complete' game and for the price you have to pay for it. You pay to much for what you get.
And there is a chance you don't like what you get.

Can you name some examples of these "nerfs". While I don't think every update has been a slam-dunk (e.g. Astral Planes, the controversial changes around Apocalypse and Megacorp), I think that, OVERALL, the game is better in every way than it was at launch, even if it stumbled along the way.

And hey, you can always play old builds of the game, something very few companies allow. Heck, you can download 1.9 right now, in which case you only need a handful of DLC (Utopia plus a couple small packs).