Downloadable Content

Overview

Downloadable Content (often abbreviated as DLC) is official additional video game content separate from the game itself that is distributed through the Internet. It is a tool for developers to add new features and content to their already-released games without having to release a retail expansion pack. Downloadable Content can range from small, cosmetic items (such as the Horse Armor for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) to significant content additions (such as the Shivering Isles expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion). This content can be free or paid via microtransactions (which has caused controversy - e.g. On-Disc DLC). This should not be confused with downloadable games (including Xbox Live Arcade games and Wii Virtual Console titles) or user-generated content.

Types of Downloadable Content

DLC can come in many forms, often including one or more of the following:

• Levels - Content that adds new maps or puzzles to the game. Examples include the Map Packs for Modern Warfare 2 and the Puzzle Packs for the Xbox Live Arcade release of Buku Sudoku.
• Campaigns/Quests - Content that builds a new story upon the main game, while adding or not adding new maps. Examples include the expansions and bonus quests for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the five expansions for Fallout 3, and the four expansions for Borderlands.
• Gamemodes/Rulesets - Content that adds new game modes or rule sets to the game. Examples include the Suppertime of Destruction Pack for Snoopy Flying Ace and the Strategic Options Add-On Pack for Halo Wars.
• Songs - Content that adds new songs that are either playable (commonly found in rhythm-based games) or alternate game songs (found in other games). Examples include the playable songs in the Rock Band and Guitar Hero series and the Downloadable Music series in Soul Calibur IV.
• Equipment/Clothing - Content that adds new equipment and clothing to characters in the game. Examples include the Costume Packs in Street Fighter IV and the Additional Character Colors content for Blazblue: Continuum Shift.
• Characters - Content that adds new characters, usually with different abilities and attributes. Examples include Makoto Nanaya in Blazblue: Continuum Shift.
• Vehicles - Content that adds new vehicles to the game, sometimes with unique abilities and attributes. Examples include the downloadable cars in Burnout Paradise and Forza Motorsport 3.
• Cheat/Boost - Content that unlocks part of a game that is normally earned just by playing the game. Examples include the Time is Money Pack for Skate 3 and the In-Game Money content for The Godfather: The Game.

Questionable Downloadable Content

Paid (and even free) DLC can cause controversy, which has led many gamers to question and debate the ethics of Downloadable Content. These practices include:

• "Nickel and Dime" DLC - Cosmetic content that players can pay real money for such as skins, decals, and non-combat companions.
• On-Disc DLC - Content that is included in the original game release, but is locked until players download "content keys" (which may have a noticeably tiny file size, 128 kilobytes for Xbox 360 content). While free On-Disc DLC (such as the costume keys in Dead Rising) rarely receives negative attention, paid On-Disc DLC (such as the characters for Street Fighter X Tekken) is seldom well-received. Some games, like Burnout Paradise, include the locked content in a game's patch. This form of DLC is often used in multiplayer games so other players can see a user's paid content.