As we prepare to enter the next phase of music games, Activision is weighing their options when it comes to matters of downloadable content. One option the company is considering is a yearly subscription service, where participants get new DLC automatically downloaded to their machines at no extra cost beyond the basic subscription fee.

Activision’s Mike Griffith described the possibility, stating:

"Looking even further out, we’re exploring new models, like an annual pass subscription where players can subscribe and get a certain number of songs downloadable each month.

"We’ve learned that the consumer still has an insatiable appetite for more. Consumers have downloaded over 20 million individual songs for the franchise, and they still tell us they want more."

The obvious pitfall for the idea is that you don’t know what you’re getting ahead of time, so you may end up on the hook for a bunch of DLC you don’t want but feel obliged to download anyway because you’ve already paid for it. Also, I’ll play devil’s advocate for a moment here and ask, "What’s to stop Activision from releasing ’premium’ packs of more major bands that subscribers would still have to purchase separately?" While I would gladly pay a subscription for a constant diet of Megadeth, Metallica and Van Halen, I would not be so keen on month after month of Blondie, the B-52s and Menudo.

Considering how infrequently the Guitar Hero 3 DLC has been updated, you can consider me a skeptic of this new system. Maybe Activision will revolutionize the way we look at DLC, but until you can show me a lot of quality music at a reasonable price, I’m not buying it.