When downloadable content first became a trend in the video-game industry, it was viewed with a fair amount of suspicion. Many players saw it as developers locking off parts of their games behind paywalls, particularly if the DLC followed closely behind the game's launch. Over the past few years,however, DLC has mostly shed this negative stereotype. While there are still some bad apples in the barrel, at its best, DLC can add new adventures and well-honed changes to an already beloved game.
Between the rise of games-as-a-service and big-name MMOs still going strong, 2019 was a good year for DLCs. New expansions to popular titles have taken players from the Ghost-haunted moon to the lost city of Atlantis, from high-stakes space-heists to dragon battles and dark powers. So without further ado, here are the best DLCs of 2019.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Released in October, Shadowkeep was the fourth major DLC for Destiny 2, Bungie's sci-fi looter-shooter. Following on from the fan-favorite Forsaken expansion, Shadowkeep had some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, it didn't disappoint, introducing a host of exciting new features. Some of its highlights include a brand new armor system, an atmospheric return to Destiny 1's Moon area, and plenty of challenging encounters. Released alongside the New Light mode, which made the base game of Destiny 2 free-to-play, Shadowkeep made sure it was worth paying for those later expansions.
Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
The second expansion for Firaxis' historical epic Civilization VI, Gathering Storm was released way back in February. One of the most comprehensive DLCs in the entire Civ series, Gathering Storm made a truly staggering number of changes and additions. Some of the highlights include weather and climate systems, a world congress with diplomatic victory option, and nine new leaders. The expansion also added a host of new natural and world wonders, as well as an overhaul of the map generation system. The only downside for a lot of critics was the expansion's hefty price tag of $40, which is not far off the base game's price at launch.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
As the first major DLC for Monster Hunter World, the latest title in Capcom's long-running series, Iceborne had a lot of work to do to distinguish itself. The expansion didn't disappoint, adding a new tundra-like area, complete with new monsters to hunt, and new tools and equipment to hunt them with. The expansion also added mounts to the game for the first time, with some smaller monsters being made possible to tame and ride. Iceborne launched to near-universal acclaim from critics, being particularly praised for its depth of content, which rivaled even the base game in scope.
Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers
Following a critically-panned launch back in 2010, Final Fantasy 14 was rebuilt for a much more successful 2013 release. The game is still popular six years later, a tribute to this success, and its latest DLC, Shadowbringers, is perhaps the best in that time. Shadowbringers takes players to a new dimension, the First Star, where they must bring darkness to a world drowning in light. New features include an increased level cap, two new jobs (classes), and major changes to the battle system. Shadowbringers also saw the debut of two new playable races, the bunny-eared Viera and the unicorn-horned cat-like Hrothgar.
No Man's Sky Beyond
Another game which suffered from a less-than-successful launch is No Man's Sky, the much-hyped sci-fi explorer from Hello Games. No Man's Sky Next, the title's first true expansion, helped to overcome this poor start, and this year a second expansion capitalized on Next's success, finally bringing the game in line with its pre-launch hype. No Man's Sky Beyond expands multiplayer to 32 player lobbies, introduces VR support, and adds the Nexus hub. The vast bulk of its improvements are focused on giving depth and character to the game-play however, adding everything from taming animals to programming computers.
Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr
Rounding out our trio of games that launched poorly but have improved through their impressive DLC is Elder Scrolls Online. Following on from the slightly-disappointing Summerset DLC, this year's Elseweyr expansion was primed to prove that Zenimax could still produce high-quality MMO content. It succeeded, boasting an exciting new story of dragons and death set in the rarely-seen Elsweyr, ancient home of the cat-like Khajiit. Perhaps the expansion's largest gameplay addition was the new Necromancer class, a versatile skeleton-summoner capable of filling a variety of party roles. Overall, Elsweyr followed in the footsteps of previous Elder Scrolls Online expansions, with many of its additions being focused on the game's excellent story and lore.
Overcooked 2: Campfire Cook Off
Overcooked 2 is a co-operative cooking sim best known for its chaotic action and ability to cause arguments. Anyone who has played it will know the pain of falling off the map while a teammate screams about carrots in the background. This year the Campfire Cook Off DLC added even more opportunity for finger-pointing and fish-frying in the form of 15 new levels. Featuring ingredients in backpacks, campfire wood-chopping, and open-fire classics such as sausages and pancakes, the DLC adds new layers of complexity to the title. As the first DLC in Overcooked 2's new season pass, Campfire Cook Off has set the bar high for what's to come.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey: The Fate of Atlantis
Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft's tale of myth and murder in ancient Greece, launched to critical acclaim back in 2018. Like all the games in the venerable Assassin's Creed series, the game mixes its historical realism with supernatural elements. The Fate of Atlantis tilts the scales of this mix heavily into the mythological side, as it lays out a story of gods and magic focused around the lost city of Atlantis. A plot-heavy DLC, the Fate of Atlantis sees players journeying from Elysium to the Underworld, and finally to the Lost City itself. Turning up the supernatural also means turning up the stakes, and Fate of Atlantis provides an exciting, well-written quest-line worthy of any epic.
Borderlands 3: Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot
It's easy to forget that Borderlands 3 only released in September 2019, making it the newest game on this list. Despite this, it does have a DLC out, and it's one of the best the year has to offer. Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot takes players on an adventure laden with typical Borderlands craziness. The mission is to lead a heist into a casino owned by the deceased Handsome Jack, and plunder its Eridium, cash, and legendary loot. Besides its action-packed story-line, the DLC also adds new unique, purple, and legendary weapons, as well as new heads, skins, and trinkets for each character.
Total War Warhammer 2: The Prophet and the Warlock
Total War: Warhammer 2 was Creative Assembly's second foray out of historical strategy, and proved to be a huge success. With the seemingly-bottomless lore-pit of the Warhammer universe to pluck from, Creative Assembly have expanded the game repeatedly. The best of these DLCs this year was the Hunter and the Warlock, which focuses on the Lizardmen and Skaven factions. Adding the diminutive Lizardman prophet Tehenhauin and Master Warlock of the Skaven Ikit Claw, the DLC also expands their respective factions. It's the Skaven who really shine in the DLC though, with many of their most imaginative and terrifying creations clattering onto the battlefield.