PODCAST

Which expansions are better than the main game?

From The Shivering Isles to Toussaint: some downloadable content is worth every penny twice.

Image credit: VG247, Bethesda Softworks

Article by Jim Trinca Former Video Producer

Additional contributions by Kelsey Raynor, Sherif Saed, and Tom Orry

Published on Oct. 7, 2024

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Add-on content for video games is often worthless, but it can sometimes go very, very right: just look at the DLC catalogue for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It infamously introduced the gaming landscape to the concept of horse armour, or paid cosmetic items in single player titles, which was widely condemned as a cynical cash-grab (even so, the concept ended up being so lucrative that it survives to this day). But it also gave us Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles, establishing a familiar pattern of big games having a medium sized expansion set within the existing map, and a larger, quasi-sequel sized one set in its own brand new area.

Starfield's recent DLC, Shattered Space, hasn't gone down as a vast improvement on the base game, but it may well be the vanguard of a much bigger (and potentially better) expansion coming down the road. Lord knows the potential is there.

But that's by the by. The question I'm asking our esteemed podcast panel today is: which DLC expansions have been better than the base game? To find out what they picked, and who I chose as the winner, check out this podcast here what we recorded.

NOTE: The podcast will be audio only following this episode.