DLCs are also called downloadable content and they’re expansions to a game that’s already great. The only twist is that the title’s conclusion is full of plot holes and loose ends. Developers, on the other hand, use DLCs to monetise their games since players will come back for more; Especially the ones who bought the premium edition. That said, there are several types of DLCs, including Cosmetic Items, Game Modes, Expansion Packs, Season Passes, and Bonus Content.
- Expansion Packs: An Expansion Pack is our personal favourite at Player.com because it adds new story content to a game. This may come in the form of new levels, bosses, foot soldiers, and other types of challenges.
- Cosmetic Items: Likewise, a DLC may introduce new weapon skins, costumes, poses, dances, and many others.
- Game Modes: DLCs can also add new game modes to the game you’re playing. This may be a multiplayer mode like Red Dead Online is to Red Dead Redemption 2.
- Bonus Content: Bonus Content usually arrives in the form of soundtracks and music scores.
- Season Passes: Season Passes offer players sneak peeks at upcoming DLCs at a cheaper price. In essence, a Season Pass is supposed to be purchased early.
Also Similar: 9 Best Opening Strategies for Playing Chess: Beginner-Friendly Tips
8 DLCs You Shouldn’t Miss in 2024
There are eight DLCs on this list for gamers who are excited about the new year. It’s going to be a blast, especially when there are many upcoming releases that we can look forward to. You can check out 10 action games of 2024 here that we can’t wait to play. Moving forward, none of these DLCs will fall short of expectations because their base games were satisfying.
#1: Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail | PlayStation
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail will be released in the Summer of 2024 and it’s an online Expansion Pack. This means the game is introducing new levels, bosses, and challenges to the original campaign. The game’s setting is inspired by the tropics, so expect lots of palm trees, crystal-clear Oceans, and lush, dense jungles. You’ll encounter familiar faces and battle old enemies with your friends. Heck, there are many new tribes to discover in Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail and it doesn’t stop there. Other features we’re looking forward to testing are:
- New Hunts, Sidequests, FATEs, Treasure Hunts, Dungeons, and threats such as Valigarmanda. Also, you can expect different variants of Dungeons.
- Discover new places such as the forest of Yak T’el and the mountains of Urqopacha.
- You’ll explore Tural (The New World) and the city of Tuliyollal once again.
- There are many news jobs all over the realm, you just need to probe.
- There are new variants of Alliance Raids and Ultimate Teams.
- The Level Cap has been increased to 100 from 90.
- The entire visuals of the game are getting overhauled. So, players can look forward to more realistic animations.
- The game will cost £30 and you can play it with the base edition of Final Fantasy XIV.
#2: Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass (Side Order) | Supported Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass (Side Order) is the second wave of content that rounds up the events of Splatoon 3. You’ll play as Agent 8 in a single-player experience that’s challenging because of its enemy types. Waking up in Inkopolis Square, you realise that the entire city’s colour has been drained. Also, the residents have disappeared, almost like they were abducted. However, there’s a clue and it’s the Spire of Order, ominously floating above Inkopolis Square. Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass – Side Order also introduces new types of enemies for players to study and beat.
Along the way, you’ll meet a drone that says he’s Pearl, a member of the Hook and together they’ll fight off waves of enemies. Combat is fun and cartoonish, but the level designs are meticulous since Agent 8 and Pearl will ascend floors only by clearing the opponents on their current floor. You’ll use Colour Chips to gain an advantage on your way up. The developers also claim that there are nine-bending secrets to discover on the journey to the top of the spire. Nintendo also announced that it’ll be released in Spring 2024, at the earliest, and like many other games from the studio, it’ll be extremely repayable.
#3: Alan Wake 2: Night Springs & The Lake House | Supported Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows PC
Alan Wake 2 is a critically acclaimed horror title that pits protagonists Alan Wake and Saga Anderson against their fears. It features different characters, enemy types, and locations that make the prequel look old. Yes, visually, Alan Wake 2 is a masterpiece with great lighting, shadows, and texture density. Alan Wake 2: Night Springs is set to introduce several other characters from the base game. So, you’ll control them and explore a mysterious facility in Cauldron Lake.
Naturally, things go bad quickly and players will be forced to conquer their nightmares, which are now fuelled by the Dark Place’s ability to bend reality. The Night Springs is a fictional TV show by Alan Wake that’s divided into several episodes. You’ll be playing the roles of the different cast members who acted in the show, blurring the line between an illusion and reality.
There’s also another Alan Wake 2 expansion in the works and it’s called The Lake House. This time around, you’ll explore a secret research facility as described by Saga Anderson and Alan Wake. Secrets are revealed, destinies collide, and the recurring theme of human greed is at the forefront of the game. After all, why did the government research the Dark Place?
#4: Destiny 2: The Final Shape | Supported Platforms: PlayStation
Destiny 2: The Final Shape is an expansion of the base game that introduces a new story campaign. As is the norm, it’s a war between the forces of Light and Darkness, where you go into the treacherous heart of the Traveler, known simply as the Pale Heart. It’s a realm where eternity is broken and your past deeds are brought alive as nightmarish enemies. Your end goal is to beat the Final Shape, which is under the Witness’ control.
You’ll discover new Supers on your journey, and they’re Void Titans, Solar Warlocks, and Arc Hunters. They’re incredibly volatile so it’s up to players to master their powers. The Void Titans wield blades capable of cutting any material. Solar Warlocks, on the other hand, are assassins who prefer striking enemies from the shadows using a dagger. Finally, Solar Warlocks are the spellcasters of the team, capable of buffing teammates and harnessing the living Solar flame.
One of the few changes to the Destiny 2 expansion is that Seasons are now called Episodes. Each Episode contains new story content, an Exotic mission, weapons, and armors. Also, each Episode will be split into three Acts and each one will be released six weeks after the other. The first three Episodes gamers will experience are Echoes, Revenant, and Heresy.
#5: The Riftbreaker: World Expansion 3 | Supported Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows PC
The Riftbreaker: World Expansion is an action game that’s played in real-time with strategy elements at its core. It’s being developed by EXOR Studios and will launch in early 2024. The game introduces new campaign stories that’ll let players explore unknown biomes and fight new enemies. There are also new weapons and items to test against the new threats. Gameplay-wise, gamers will still mine resources to build bases that have walls, defence turrets, and uninterrupted power. The fight begins when creatures attack your bases. Other highlights of the game that we love are:
- Explore new biomes in Galatea 37 in World Expansion 3.
- Investigate, scan, and add different types of fauna and flora to your catalogue.
- Players who have completed the base game can seamlessly transition to the new content.
- There are new enemy types to combat. Learn their moves and exploit their weaknesses.
- Bases provide resources, ammunition, weapons through research, and energy.
That said, real-time strategy games like The Riftbreaker are best experienced on PCs. This is because a combination of keyboard and mouse offers far more control over the gameplay than a controller like the DualSense is capable of. For players interested in games like this, here are 10 games that you can play with a keyboard and a mouse.
#6: Victoria 3: Sphere of Influence | Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, and macOS PCs
Victoria 3: Sphere of Influence is a diplomatic game that offers more depth than the original title. You’ll make foreign investments, interfere in your subjects’ affairs to ensure peace and build Power Blocs. It’s also a strategy game, but not combat-oriented like The Riftbreaker so many gamers might overlook it. Delve into the game, however, and you’ll discover a world of opposing views where conflict resolution is a vital skill.
The base game’s events span world history from 1836 to 1936, and you control one of the 100 available countries in-game. Overall, in Victoria 3: Sphere of Influence, the pen is always mightier than the sword. It adds historical figures like Lenin, Giuseppe Mazzini, and Emmeline Pankhurst. Paradox Investment Studio allegedly claimed that the game would cost £13 at launch.
#7: Payday 3: Boys in Blue | Supported Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows PC
Payday 3: Boys in Blue is one of the four DLCs for Payday 3 that’s dropping in 2024 and it’s being developed by Starbreeze Studios and Deep Silver. It’s supposedly going to feature new playable characters, seasonal events, and new weapons. The biggest change is the transition to Unreal Engine 5, which means the game will be more visually appealing than the original game.
Moving forward, players can look forward to brand new heists and killer cosmetics to personalise their experience. Let’s remember that Payday 3: Boys in Blue is fully online, so there’s no local campaign waiting for players. Also, Pearl and Joy will be introduced as new characters, with the first protagonist offering new styles to rob the rich blind. Joy, on the other hand, is the group’s hacker, who can blindside banks, cops, and everything in between.
#8: Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred | Supported Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, and PC
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is a DLC from Activision Blizzard and it’ll impact more of the gameplay than the seasonal updates that gamers played before. Details about the game are still scarce but it was recently announced at 2023’s BlizzCon event. The teaser lists the features you can expect from the game, such as:
- The DLC will arrive in late 2024.
- A new class is coming and we have no idea what it is.
- Save Sanctuary from the machinations of this powerful new threat.
- Explore dense forests, pyramid-like structures, and more.
- Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred will focus on a new villain, Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and the father of the base game’s villain, Lilith.
Our Final Say: There Are Unannounced DLCs
There are still many more DLCs coming in 2024, and that’s besides the new exclusives for Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch, such as Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. For now, though, these are the most anticipated DLCs of 2024. We’re particularly looking forward to Alan Wake 2: Night Springs and the extra experiences that new playable characters will introduce to the game. Meanwhile, check out the six best alternatives to Red Dead Redemption 2. They boast incredibly detailed sandboxes with compelling stories and complex characters.
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