Downloadable Content (DLCs)

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

Although the concept of video games having optional downloadable content at extra cost over and above the cost of the base game isn't new, there's still a lot of debate around them.

I used to be firmly against this as I had previously felt that the contents (such as extra quests, classes, regions and so on) should be included in the base game. Looking back though, my feelings may have also had to do with internet connections being sporadic and expensive back in the day (at least as far as South Africa was concerned), making DLCs even more of a premium.

More recently though, I’ve actually appreciated having more choice. Though I loved Skyrim, by the time I reached the end of the game, I felt I had a rather satisfying playthrough, and was keen to move onto other games. Had DLCs been included in the base game (and perhaps at an inflated cost — though I did only purchase the game some time after it came out), chances are I would have overstayed my welcome in Tamriel.

With Mass Effect 2, I wasn’t as invested in the storyline of this particular instalment so I was almost relieved to have some optional content trimmed off. However, with Mass Effect 3, some of the DLCs really add to the overall game and one of the early side quests from the DLC was extremely satisfying to play as a fan of the Mass Effect universe.

I do still have an issue though with key aspects of a game only being accessed through DLCs, such as with Destiny and Star Wars Battlefront (although I haven't played either myself, but not necessarily due to this reason alone).

Where do you stand on DLCs? Are there some that made a difference to the games you played? Or, do you choose to avoid DLCs altogether?

[Prof. Maxim Trevelyan]

DLCs have been a crux of video games for a long time. I think that when a particular company releases a DLC for their game, it must be imperative that the DLC adds content to the complete game, not adds content to complete the game.

I avoid DLCs that have to do with cosmetics, additional weapons or armor, but now they mostly migrated this to micro transactions, which I never use anyway, so I just skip over them. However, quest/story DLCs are a bit harder to say no to. >_>

I tend to wait on DLCs and then decide to buy them based on people's reviews and their price. Some of the best DLCs I played and that were also done right were from the Mass Effect universe, particularly Lair of the Shadow Broker for Mass Effect 2 and Citadel for Mass Effect 3. Latter one especially is the essence of what a real DLC should be. It added to the game with an interesting plot, gave us opportunities to explore smaller areas and renew relationships with past characters and allowed players to just have a good time.

Skyrim's Dawnguard and Dragonborn are great as well, but there is already so much to do in the game, you can easily get lost, as Amy pointed out. But they add good content with interesting characters and they are always fun to complete when I roll a new character.

Dragon Age has their good and bad DLC parts. One of the biggest DLC disappointments is Trespasser. Do not get me wrong, the DLC itself is, frankly, awesome, and even worth the money, but just the fact that it exists as a DLC and not part of the core game is infuriating. It does just what I mentioned in the first paragraph. It answers a lot of questions and adds content, important content, to complete the game. Especially if you are planning to play Dragon Age 4 whenever it comes out.

One type of DLC I really, really do not stand? Everything Maxis puts out as ''expansion'' for their Sims games.