Four new maps for the Xbox game Halo 2 are now available for download onto the console.

The new maps breathe life into Halo 2's multiplayer element and will undoubtedly spark a renewed rush to pick up the controller.

Downloadable content has become part and parcel of online gaming, especially for Xbox users who can store new content on the machine's hard drive.

New maps, levels, cars and weapons have become familiar adds-ons for gamers.

In Halo 2's case the new content comes with a catch, of sorts - while two of the maps are free, the other two cost £2.99 for the pair.

If gamers wait until the summer, all four of the maps will be free, but for hard core fans the temptation to pay out will be strong - especially when all it takes is a click of a button.

You can also check : Top News News of the Week

More than 6.7 million gamers have bought Halo 2 since its release in November last year and if only one in 10 of those buy the maps that is an additional £2m of revenue.

So are the paid-for maps worth the cost?

'Good value'

Rob Fahey, editor of Gamesindustry.biz website, said: "It depends largely on how much you play Halo 2 online.

"There are people playing every day and for them £2.99 will bring hours and hours of gaming, which is good value."

Mr Fahey said that while downloadable content was not unusual it had still not been exploited to its fullest extent in the console space.

"I think Microsoft had hoped it would take off as it has done in the PC world. But it has been a useful pointer for the future."

Downloadable content is likely to be a core component of all the next generation of consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.

Microsoft has already started describing the approach for its new Xbox console.

J. Allard, the leading light of all things Xbox, recently told a gaming conference in San Francisco that the next console would let gamers "customise" their experience.

'Customisation'

"Microsoft want to tap into a cultural trend of customisation," explained Mr Fahey.

Electronic Arts too has spoken about "micro transactions", letting gamers buy "gear" for their video games for small fees.

New strips for football teams, the latest team transfers, new skins for game interfaces, new liveries for bikes or racing cars, new tracks - all will be available for purchase online.

Mr Allard has said he wants gamers to be able to have a unique online identity - a mixture of gaming achievements and purchases.

But there are several steps that need to be taken before Microsoft can fulfil its vision, however.

Credit cards remain the de facto way to pay for online gaming accounts, and therefore content, but that will prove a barrier to the core gaming demographic.

"I would expect all three of the console manufacturers to use something like vouchers," said Mr Fahey.

"Many gamers are young, or in countries like Japan credit cards are not used. Multiplayer games have successfully used vouchers for gaming and this could prove to be useful for console gaming."

Mr Fahey also explained that the sale of vouchers would ease concerns of retailers who are worried that downloads could put them out of business.

But he warned games developers and publishers from trying to exploit gamers by selling content which had been intended to form part of the original game.

"I'm aware of a strategy of some publishers to finish a game and then take content out, only to charge for it later.

"That is immoral and will soon backfire on publishers."