The 20 Worst Video Game DLCs

Add-ons can really enhance a game, but some have become famous examples of what *not* to do when it comes to pricing, content, and respecting players. This article explores some particularly controversial downloadable content releases – those that caused outrage due to being too short, locked on the game disc, confusing to use, or dividing the player base. For each example, we’ll break down what was offered, how it functioned, and why players reacted negatively, giving you a clear picture of what happened without all the exaggeration.

‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ Horse Armor Pack

Released in 2006, this downloadable content let players buy purely cosmetic horse armor. At the time, selling small, paid add-ons like this was a relatively new practice on both consoles and computers. It didn’t add any new gameplay or story elements—just two different armor styles for your horse. Because of its small size and low price, it became a well-known example of paying for very little content.

‘Mass Effect 3’ From Ashes

This downloadable content was available from the start and added Javik, a fully voiced alien character, to your squad, along with a new mission on Eden Prime. Players who purchased the special ‘deluxe’ edition of the game received it automatically, but others had to buy it separately. Because the content felt like a natural part of the main story, many players were frustrated that it wasn’t included with the base game.

‘Asura’s Wrath’ True Episode Pack

The main game left players on a cliffhanger, which was concluded in a series of extra episodes – numbered 19 to 22. These episodes contained the final boss battle and the official ending to the story. To experience the complete narrative, players needed to buy these additional episodes after completing the main game.

‘Street Fighter X Tekken’ On-Disc Characters

The game initially included twelve extra fighters, but players had to pay to unlock them. This content was sold as downloadable content (DLC) despite already being on the game disc, which sparked a larger discussion about what players are truly purchasing when they buy a game.

‘Resident Evil 5’ Versus Mode

A multiplayer mode was offered as a downloadable addition, but it essentially unlocked content that was already on the game disc. While players could buy access to several different game types, they were upset about paying for content they already owned.

‘Dead Space 3’ Resource Packs

The game now lets players purchase materials needed to build weapons using real money. These purchases, offered at different price points, are made directly within the game. This is a change for the series, which was previously focused on single-player experience without these types of purchases to speed up progress.

‘Destiny 2’ Curse of Osiris

Okay, so when this new expansion dropped, it was a bit frustrating at first. They raised the power level cap, but if you didn’t buy the expansion, you couldn’t really do the best endgame stuff. Specifically, the Nightfall playlists and a harder version of the raid needed that new, higher power level. Luckily, Bungie fixed it later. Honestly, when it first came out, the campaign and the new things to do just didn’t feel like enough to justify locking off content, especially considering how much it impacted what we could actually *do* at the end of the game.

‘The Sims 4’ My First Pet Stuff

A lot of the items included in this pack only worked properly if you also had the ‘Cats & Dogs’ expansion pack. While the pack itself added small pets like hamsters, plus furniture and clothes to match, some customers had to buy both packs to get everything they saw advertised.

‘Prince of Persia’ Epilogue

This expansion continued the story after the main game ended, adding a new location and a more difficult gameplay mode. However, it was only available on gaming consoles, meaning players on other platforms couldn’t access this final part of the story. To see how the narrative concluded, players had to purchase this additional content after completing the original game.

‘Evolve’ Launch DLC Model

When the game launched, players could buy a lot of extra items, including character outfits, new hunters, and a season pass, on top of the base game price. These extras came in two forms: cosmetic items to change how things looked, and new characters that impacted how the game was played. This meant that to get everything, players had to make several different purchases, which made the initial cost quite complicated.

‘BioShock 2’ Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack

The initial downloadable content was a small file that simply enabled multiplayer features already present on the game disc. It increased the maximum level for online play and introduced new challenges and items. The way this content was delivered – by unlocking existing features instead of providing new data – sparked a debate about how best to offer paid expansions.

‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’ Variety Map Pack

Four maps originally from a previous game were re-released as paid downloadable content. This update also brought new ways to spend money within the game. Players needed to own the main game and buy the maps separately to use them in online matches.

‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ Season Pass

The game pass initially cost a lot and promised regular updates with things like character skins, new tracks, and story chapters. However, the first few updates were small and didn’t offer much lasting enjoyment, especially considering the price. While bigger updates came later, those early impressions stuck with players.

‘Mafia II’ Jimmy’s Vendetta

Okay, so this DLC was a bit different than I expected. Instead of continuing the main story, it was all about racking up high scores on missions all over the city. They added leaderboards, which is cool, but the missions themselves felt pretty repetitive, and there wasn’t much of a story to go with them. Honestly, I was hoping for new cutscenes and a deeper look at the characters, but it turned out to be more of a challenge pack than a real expansion. It was fun for a while, but it didn’t really *add* to the overall game, you know?

‘Final Fantasy XIII-2’ Story Episodes

After the game’s initial release, important story chapters and alternate endings were sold separately. Content like ‘Requiem of the Goddess’ filled in gaps and explained parts of the story that weren’t fully clear in the original game. To experience the complete story, players had to purchase these additional story pieces over a period of months.

‘Dragon Age: Origins’ Warden’s Keep

As a player, I was so glad when this first DLC came out! It added a questline that gave you a permanent storage chest – seriously, a game-changer for keeping all your loot organized. It also unlocked some cool new abilities. Honestly, that chest became something I couldn’t play without! The only downside was, you had to buy the DLC to get it and access it, which felt a little frustrating, but the convenience was worth it for me.

‘Marvel vs. Capcom 3’ Character DLC

Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath were available as playable characters soon after the game launched, offered as bonuses with certain special editions. While fully prepared with complete moves and missions, they weren’t initially accessible to everyone. Players who purchased the standard version of the game had to buy these characters separately to have the full selection of fighters.

‘Payday 2’ Safe Drills and DLC Overload

The game originally featured a system where players had to pay to unlock weapon skins by virtually drilling open random safes. This added another way to spend money on top of existing purchases like character packs and heist content. The developer changed this system following player complaints. Additionally, the large number of downloadable content options made it hard for players to find matches with others who had the same content.

‘Train Simulator’ Route Catalog

The platform offers a huge collection of downloadable routes and locomotives, which can add up to a significant cost. These additions are purchased individually, and many require other content to work properly. This system can make building a complete collection expensive and create issues with compatibility between official and user-created content.

‘Dead Rising 4’ Frank Rising

This add-on chapter wrapped up the main game’s unresolved ending with a separate, short story. It wasn’t included in the original game and had to be bought as part of a bundle or on its own. Players looking for a complete conclusion to the story needed to purchase and play this extra chapter after finishing the main game.

Tell us in the comments which downloadable content (DLC) you didn’t enjoy, and which add-on was the most disappointing for you.

2025-10-16 16:46