Words Worth Knowing: DLC
Words Worth Knowing was a vertical I wrote weekly explaining key pieces of gaming jargon to parents, guardians and teachers, as part of the larger overall GameHub outreach effort. The column ran for nearly two years and resulted in around 60 WWK articles. GameHubHQ.com closed in late 2017. This piece originally appeared on Sep 14, 2015.
What It Is: DLC = Downloadable Content
What It Means: Downloadable Content (DLC) is additional content released for a game by the creators, after the original, main game has already been sold. DLC can be either free or paid, and can add anything from a few mall outfits or vehicles to huge new levels, storylines or modes. DLC adds brand new content, it should not be confused with a patch, that fixes broken existing content.
Why You Care: In-App Free DLC adds new content to the game which has been created and approved by the studio that made that game. Some DLC is free, but most DLC will cost real-world money to purchase. DLC can be cheap, at a few pence, or it can cost the equivalent of a brand new game: £10, £30, etc. DLC can make a great gift - by buying additional content for a game the player already owns and enjoys, the giftee can be more confident that their present will be gratefully received than taking a chance on a brand new game. GameHub Concierge often advises parents and grandparents to consider a gift of DLC for a much loved game they already own if you feel nervous about trying to choose a new game title.
