Over the past couple of years there has been an epidemic of games being released with basic gameplay and unfinished, with players being asked to pay for downloadable content (DLC) to make what is essentially the completed game. If you use the new generation of consoles it is hard to escape the constant updates to games, but these are often free and bring necessary improvements to the gameplay and to the game’s overall quality. However, games are increasingly being released with a partial storyline, which is then completed in DLCs. But are these DLCs completely unnecessary or are they worth their value? In this article I will explore why we need DLCs and why, for the most part, they are worth paying for.

The only issue I have with DLCs is when they are released within a week of the game being released or when the game is the bare minimum and you require a DLC or add-on to actually play the advertised game. So why is it worth spending $20-40 (£15-30) on Season Passes or DLCs?

Firstly it can help the game become more expansive. Rockstar’s GTA V is an ideal example of this, however because the DLCs are free it doesn’t quite fit this argument. Many games do use DLCs to increase the replay-ability factor of their games and to bring players back to the franchise. Destiny’s Rise of Iron DLC is a great example of that. Destiny is a great game in my opinion, but after completing all the story missions you can get tired of just grinding out the daily tasks or replaying the same raids over and over again, I mean come on, how many times has Crota died? Just give up and stop picking a fight with us. But the release of these new DLCs add new story lines to the game and therefore bring players back, even years after it’s original release, to explore new storylines and face new challenges.

Secondly, it allows developers to focus on individual parts of the game and then release DLCs for specific game types. Therefore allowing a game to be developed with a myriad of high quality game types as the addition on DLCs gives the developers the necessary months to focus and dedicate to creating a stand-alone game type. A good example of this is the Red Dead Redemptions’ foray into the realm of Zombies in their Undead Nightmare DLC. As well as Boarderlands 2 take on Dungeons and Dragons in the Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC and Destiny’s foray into Sparrow Racing. All of these DLCs came with high praises from both reviewers and causal gamers alike, both took the necessary time to completely transform the game into a new experience for long time fans of the franchises, but still remaining true to the individual styles of the games.

A third reason why DLCs might just be worth delving into your pocket for is that often they expand, add, or continue the story of the gameplay. A frequent complaint about modern games is that they often contain a campaign that is far too short (for an FPS it’s usually around 8 hours of game time). Therefore DLCs can often bring a welcome relief by expanding the campaign or completing a games’ ambiguous ending. Destiny is a great example of this; even though the original game hosts an impressive campaign, all DLCs have expanded this by adding a new element to the story or by introducing a new threat that your Guardian must deal with. Other times DLCs often bring in backstories for either the main character or a side character that have inadvertently become fan favourites. The Last of Us was a PlayStation only experience and one of the best games of 2013, those who played were often too engrossed in fighting for survival to really think about how one of the protagonists, Ellie, came to be infected. Well in early 2014 Naughty Dog brought out the Left Behind DLC that focuses on Ellie’s backstory and those who bought it were left to play a tear-jerking story. Then there are those DLCs that give you an entirely different perspective on the game by allowing you to take control of a previously seen NPC. In Dishonored you play as Corvo and fight to seek the truth about those who assassinated the Empress and kidnapped the Princess, however in the Knife of Dunwall DLC you get to play as Daud, the one responsible for the assassination of the Empress. As well as letting you play through the eyes of the enemy, you are also given new abilities and weapons, instantly allowing you to become the assassin you spent the entire time making Corvo into and giving you an opportunity to play the game in an entirely different way.

So are DLCs really worth the money?

The answer is both yes and no. Most are worth dipping into the bank for as they broaden the gameplay and experience the player has. It brings a player back into a game with more gripping story and with new game mechanics to play around with. In short, if you are a fan of a game then you will more than likely feel that paying for a DLC is worthwhile.

However I do not condone those who release an incomplete game and expect players to buy DLCs just to play the full game, that is just plain wrong, like adding milk first when making a cup of tea, wrong. It is in some cases not worth paying for DLC when a game is $60-70 with DLCs being release a few weeks after the official game release and expecting people to pay an additional $20.

Is $10-20 worth paying?

Again I’d argue yes, although games like GTA V just put all other developers to shame by having free DLCs, they have their own ways of making money outside of the initial sales of the game. Think of it in terms of time, how long would you spend playing the DLC? How much enjoyment would the extra campaign or new vehicles or weapons bring you? Now compare those answers to paying for another pleasure of yours, you would pay $10 to watch a 2 hour movie, then why not pay $10 to explore a new DLC for 2 hours. The world of DLCs is so expansive with a plethora of different items, skins, characters, experiences and maps available for purchase. It is down to personal preference in the end and how you, the player, value your experience.