Downloadable content

Downloadable Content (DLC), also referred to as Expansions or Expansion Packs, are a method for developers and/or publishers to extend the monetization of their products. This practice is not inherently anti-consumer, such as Factorio's Space Age DLC being regarded as paying for a new game according to fans. However, companies such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft have been known to employ downloadable content to break up complete products into multiple purchases without fair justification.

Dark patterns involving DLC

Pre-order bonuses

A very popular method used by companies to incite the customer to purchase their game is to offer additional content for pre-ordering.

This can range from:

• Extra characters
• Cosmetics
• In-game currency
• Entire gamemodes
• Closed Beta access

These pre-order pieces of content rarely will see a re-release, only in some scenarios where special edition re-releases will allow consumers who miss out on pre-ordering to have access to this content. These bonuses are reliant on a phenomenon known as fear of missing out (FOMO).

Day-one DLC

Often seen primarily from larger companies, day-one downloadable content is offered as a way to further monetize a product on launch. This tends to cause concern from consumers since downloadable content on launch gives the impression that base game content is being broken up in a manipulative way, thus harming consumers. These games can also have the DLC content already available on-disc, and it has historically caused outrage.

DLC overload

A more recent trend among major publishers has been live-service games. This has brought the need for monetization to keep development persistent. Unfortunately, these same companies have also been excessive with offering large amounts of downloadable content. For example, Electronic Arts' The Sims 4 has currently over $1000 in DLC, ranging from what could be considered as micro-DLC with kits and stuff packs, to larger DLC such as expansion packs. Consumers have criticized the games for being lackluster without purchasing DLC, with theories surrounding that it may be intentional due to the way DLC is handled between each game in the series.

Micro-DLC

Micro-DLC functions as the middle child between standard downloadable content and microtransactions. This is directly defined by the content it offers, where a consumer buys a significant amount of items (e.g. a stuff pack) or a small item that has a noticeable impact on gameplay (e.g. a new character). Oftentimes, micro-DLC is offered among a large pool of other pieces of small DLC, such as the case in Microsoft Flight Simulator X in which there is over $4,000 in downloadable content for planes or airstrips. This figure is only surpassed by Train Simulator's $8,000+ worth of downloadable content.

An honorable mention is Rocksmith, where the original has had nearly $1,000 in individually purchasable songs.

Imbalanced DLC

Downloadable content featured in competitive games can be stronger than base game content, thus encouraging consumers to purchase this DLC if they want to be able to compete at a high level. This is an issue most prominent in fighting games, such as Mortal Kombat or Super Smash Brothers. In the case of Super Smash Brothers, significant controversy surrounds the DLC characters, some of which are generally regarded as the strongest in the game or as exceptionally easy for newer players.