DLC

What is DLC?

DLC is an acronym for downloadable content. It is an extension of a program. It can be free or paid.

Nowadays, selling additional downloadable content is a common method in today’s video game industry. Indeed, if a publisher is afraid of not making enough profit from the sale of its game, it can remove part of its content in order to offer it as DLC, in exchange for a paid download. Unfortunately, over the years, the image of DLC has deteriorated significantly. This is mainly due to the practice of some publishers who do not hesitate to abuse their customers. For example, in the famous title Oblivion, a DLC offered is completely useless and expensive for what it represents since it offers nothing more or less than a skin for a horse. DLC is a regular feature in MMOs.

Sometimes the concept of downloading content can reach great levels of dishonesty when the publisher blocks parts of the storyline or game modes with a one-time authentication code. The additional content (already on the disc) then becomes available to the first time buyer. For gamers who purchase the title in other ways, such as second-hand or pirating, this blocked content then becomes additional paid content.

However, despite these negative aspects, it should not be forgotten that DLC also offers the possibility of continuing the work of the development teams on additional scenarios or level ladders, which are certainly not free of charge, but whose objective is to lengthen the first game experience. In the end, as with everything, some DLC will be really qualitative and others not. Don’t hesitate to look at the free mmorpg’s to get more interesting dlc.

Financial benefits and criticisms

The development of DLC offers the possibility, for little money, to make the creation of a video game profitable. Indeed, since the game engine is already in place, a small team can work efficiently on DLC, thus offering new qualitative content. This can take the form of mission map packs or equipment packs, for example. DLC can often be compared to freemium games.

The spread of this method can sometimes result in the delivery of a poorly finished or even incomplete product, forcing gamers to pay for what they could have had in the past for free with a patch. Thus, DLC is often decried in the specialised press and by gamers, mainly because of the price to pay for extensions that are in many cases not very interesting.

Thus, the development of free DLC gives the possibility to maintain the community of gamers and allows the game to continue to be popular and active. This method is often applied in titles with a shorter lifespan.

See also >> Glossary

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