In the world of gaming, downloadable content (DLC) announcements have become a major part of the industry. From new characters to entire storylines, DLC allows developers to expand upon their games and keep players engaged long after the initial release.
One highly anticipated DLC announcement is for “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla,” which was released in November 2020. The game takes place during the Viking invasion of England and follows Eivor, a warrior from Norway who leads his/her clan into battle against the Saxons. Ubisoft has announced that two major expansions will be released for the game in 2021: “Wrath of The Druids” and “The Siege of Paris.”
“Wrath of The Druids” will take place in Ireland and follow Eivor as he/she battles against druids and explores ancient tombs. This expansion promises to add new weapons, armor sets, skills, and more. Meanwhile, “The Siege of Paris” will see Eivor travel to France to fight alongside Charles the Fat against the Vikings.
Another popular game that has seen its fair share of DLC announcements is “Mortal Kombat 11.” Developed by NetherRealm Studios, this fighting game features a roster filled with classic characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion as well as newer additions such as Geras and Cetrion. In November 2020, NetherRealm announced that three new playable characters would be added to the game: Rain, Mileena, and Rambo.
Rain is a returning character from previous Mortal Kombat titles who possesses control over water-based attacks while Mileena is a fan favorite who wields twin sais with deadly precision. Perhaps most surprising is Rambo’s inclusion in the game – voiced by Sylvester Stallone himself – who brings his signature bow-and-arrow moveset into battle.
In addition to these three new characters, NetherRealm also revealed plans for an Ultimate edition of “Mortal Kombat 11” that will feature all previously released DLC as well as the new characters. This edition will also include a visual upgrade for players who own the game on PS4 or Xbox One and plan to upgrade to the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.
Moving away from fighting games, “Red Dead Redemption 2” is another title that has recently announced exciting DLC plans. Developed by Rockstar Games, this open-world Western takes place in 1899 and follows Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang. In November 2020, Rockstar revealed plans for a standalone version of the game’s online mode: Red Dead Online.
Red Dead Online allows players to create their own character and explore the game’s vast open world with friends or strangers. The standalone version will be available for purchase starting December 1st, allowing players who don’t own “Red Dead Redemption 2” access to this popular online experience.
Furthermore, Rockstar also announced that a major update called “The Bounty Hunter Update” would be coming soon to Red Dead Online. This update promises to add new bounties for players to collect as well as new weapons and equipment such as tracking arrows and reinforced lassos.
Another highly anticipated game that has seen its fair share of DLC announcements is “Cyberpunk 2077.” Developed by CD Projekt Red, this action RPG takes place in Night City – a futuristic metropolis filled with crime and corruption. While the game was originally slated for release in April 2020 before being delayed multiple times until December of this year, fans are still eagerly awaiting news about what kind of post-launch content they can expect.
Thankfully, CD Projekt Red has already revealed some details about upcoming DLCs planned for “Cyberpunk 2077.” In October of this year, it was announced that free DLCs would be released after launch – similar to how CD Projekt Red handled “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.” These DLCs will add new items, quests, and features to the game.
Meanwhile, paid expansions are also in the works for “Cyberpunk 2077” – though no specific details have been announced yet. Given how expansive Night City already is, it’s exciting to think about what kind of new areas and stories could be added through these expansions.
Lastly, “Destiny 2” continues to be a popular multiplayer shooter from Bungie that has seen its share of DLC announcements this year. While the game has been out for several years now, Bungie has continued to support it with regular updates and content drops.
In November 2020, Bungie announced that a new expansion called “Beyond Light” would be released on November 10th. This expansion adds a new location (the frozen moon of Europa) as well as new subclasses for players to master. In addition, several older locations have been vaulted in order to make room for future content without increasing the overall size of the game.
Looking ahead beyond “Beyond Light,” Bungie has teased upcoming plans for “Destiny 2.” One major announcement was that the game will receive full next-gen upgrades for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S – including faster load times and improved graphics. Meanwhile, Bungie also revealed plans for both free seasonal events and paid expansions coming in the future.
Overall, these DLC announcements show just how much developers value keeping their games fresh long after release. Whether it’s through adding new characters or entire storylines, there’s always something exciting happening in gaming thanks to downloadable content.