The 20 Worst Video Game DLCs

Downloadable content can add great value to a game, but some add-ons became cautionary tales about pricing, content, and player trust. This list looks at infamous DLC releases that sparked backlash for thin content, on-disc locks, confusing dependencies, or models that fractured communities. Each entry focuses on what was sold, how it worked, and why players pushed back, so you can see exactly what happened without the hype.

‘The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion’ Horse Armor Pack

This 2006 add-on sold cosmetic barding for horses at a time when paid micro DLC was still new on consoles and PC. It offered no gameplay advantage or questline, only two armor sets for mounts. The small file size and price point made it a symbol of paying real money for minimal content.

‘Mass Effect 3’ From Ashes

This day-one DLC added Javik as a fully voiced Prothean squadmate along with a mission on Eden Prime. Players who bought the deluxe edition received it, while standard buyers had to purchase the pack to access the character and his dialogue. The content integrated into the main story, which made the paywall especially noticeable at launch.

‘Asura’s Wrath’ True Episode Pack

The base game ended with a cliffhanger that was resolved through a set of paid episodes numbered 19 through 22. These chapters included the true final boss fight and the canonical ending. Accessing the complete narrative required purchasing the additional episodes after finishing the main story.

‘Street Fighter X Tekken’ On-Disc Characters

Twelve additional fighters were present on the retail disc but locked behind paid downloads. The content was later sold as DLC even though the data shipped with the game. This approach fueled the broader debate around on-disc DLC and what buyers actually own at launch.

‘Resident Evil 5’ Versus Mode

A competitive multiplayer mode was sold as a small download that functioned as an unlock key for data already on the disc. The purchase enabled several match types using existing maps and characters. Players objected because they were paying to access content their discs already contained.

‘Dead Space 3’ Resource Packs

The game introduced paid microtransactions that let players buy crafting materials for weapon creation. Packs came in tiered prices and were available directly from the in-game benches. It marked a shift toward spending real money to accelerate core progression in a traditionally single-player series.

‘Destiny 2’ Curse of Osiris

This expansion initially raised the level cap in a way that temporarily locked non-owners out of certain endgame activities. Nightfall playlists and a prestige raid difficulty required the new cap until Bungie adjusted the requirements. The campaign and activities offered limited variety at launch relative to the impact on access.

‘The Sims 4’ My First Pet Stuff

Many items in this pack required the separate ‘Cats & Dogs’ expansion to function as advertised. The Stuff pack itself added small pets like hamsters along with themed furniture and clothing. The dependency meant some buyers needed two purchases to use all the content shown in marketing.

‘Prince of Persia’ Epilogue

This add-on extended the story beyond the base game’s ending and introduced a new area and challenge mode. It released only on consoles, leaving some platforms without access to the conclusion. Players who wanted the narrative resolution had to buy the extra chapter after finishing the campaign.

‘Evolve’ Launch DLC Model

At release the game offered a large catalog of paid skins, hunters, and a season pass alongside the base product. Content was split between cosmetic packs and new characters that affected gameplay. The storefront presentation created a complex buy-in where owning everything required multiple purchases.

‘BioShock 2’ Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack

The first DLC arrived as a small download that unlocked multiplayer content stored on the disc. It raised the level cap for online play and added new trials and items. Selling an unlock key rather than new data set off a wider conversation about delivery methods for paid add-ons.

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

Four remastered maps from an older release were sold again as premium DLC. The add-on also arrived alongside the introduction of additional monetization systems in the remaster. Owners needed the base game and a separate purchase to play the returning maps in matchmaking.

‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ Season Pass

The pass launched at a premium price with a schedule of small monthly drops that included skins, race tracks, and short story episodes. Early deliveries were brief and offered limited replay value compared to expectations set by the price. Substantial additions landed later, but the initial cadence shaped perception of the bundle.

‘Mafia II’ Jimmy’s Vendetta

This DLC focused on score-attack missions across the city rather than expanding the main campaign’s narrative. It added leaderboards and repetitive objectives with minimal story integration. Buyers expecting new cutscenes and character development found a challenge pack instead of a traditional expansion.

‘Final Fantasy XIII-2’ Story Episodes

Key post-launch episodes delivered character arcs and additional endings as separate purchases. Packs like ‘Requiem of the Goddess’ clarified plot points that were not fully resolved in the base game. Completing the wider narrative required buying multiple story fragments released over several months.

‘Dragon Age: Origins’ Warden’s Keep

This early DLC sold a questline that unlocked a permanent storage chest and new abilities. The stash became a quality-of-life feature that many players considered essential for managing loot. Access to the convenience feature and its location was tied to purchasing the add-on.

‘Marvel vs. Capcom 3’ Character DLC

Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath were offered as paid fighters shortly after launch, with codes bundled in special editions. The characters were ready near release and arrived with full move sets and missions. Players who bought the standard edition needed to purchase both to access the complete roster.

‘Payday 2’ Safe Drills and DLC Overload

A system of random safes required paid drills to open for weapon skins, creating an extra cash layer on top of many paid heist and character packs. The developer later reworked this approach after sustained criticism. The broader DLC catalog made it difficult for groups to align on owned content for matchmaking.

‘Train Simulator’ Route Catalog

The platform supports a vast library of paid routes and locomotives that totals into the thousands of euros when combined. Individual add-ons are sold separately and are often required by scenario packs as dependencies. The ecosystem makes comprehensive ownership costly and complicates compatibility across user-made content.

‘Dead Rising 4’ Frank Rising

This epilogue resolved the base game’s cliffhanger through a short standalone campaign. It required the main game and was sold as part of a pass or separately. Players who wanted closure on the story had to purchase and complete the additional chapter outside the core ending.

Share the DLC you think missed the mark and tell us which add-on frustrated you the most in the comments.