Downloadable content, or DLC, is almost a standard part of major game releases these days. You’ll find DLC with console games, PC games and even mobile games—though mobile games will often provide new content as part of a game update, rather than making it a separate item to download (and pay for separately). This is an enormous change from how games were previously marketed. Games were complete in and of themselves, and while sequels to hit games were expected, add-on content was not.

Now that DLC is a standard part of the product, it’s become more than just another project for product development to work on—DLC is a marketing opportunity, and developed properly it can be a powerful marketing tool.

Marketers have been learning how to take advantage of DLC’s power for some years now, and the results are impressive. Yet far too many still don’t take full advantage of this gaming trend. Even more important, there’s plenty of innovation left in the field of DLC, both in marketing and in game design, so this is an area that can reward study by marketers.

What Is DLC?

DLC can come in many flavors and types, and is often discussed in different terms depending on the nature of the content and the platform. In-app purchases are often DLC, but not always. DLC can be skins, maps, characters, weapons, scenarios, game modes or even entirely new games built using the same game engine. Adding to the complexity is the fact that DLC can be found in many different sizes, from a relatively small piece of art to a complex, multi-gigabyte game mode or entirely new game built on the core game’s engine. DLC can be cheap, fast and easy to develop in terms of production, or it can be an enormous effort that can take more than a year. With the variation in development cost and time, it follows that DLC can be priced anywhere from free to $20 or more.

There are certain patterns to DLC and what can be found in games, and this is normally similar within games of a particular genre on a particular platform. Console first-person-shooters for instance, tend to have DLC that is centered around new maps, and often priced at around $10 or $15 for a set of maps (often bundled with a new character class, weapons, scenarios, or even a new game mode). Console games have fallen into a pattern of announcing DLC plans with the launch of the game, and offering a “season pass” to all of the game’s DLC for the next year, usually at a discount. A typical offering might be a $60 core game and then four $15 DLC releases over the next year, with a season pass discounted to $40 or $50.

PC games follow different patterns. World of Warcraft, for instance, has been delivering major expansion packs (the term they use for their DLC) about every 18 months or so, which is not unreasonable given the huge amount of work that goes into each one. The next expansion, Legion, is $49.99, and there’s a Collector’s Edition for $89.99 as well. Both include new areas, a new character class, and many changes to the game. When you look at games like League of Legends though, you’ll find many inexpensive skins (collections of art and animation) to buy for prices ranging from a few dollars to nearly $25, while champions can be had for less than $7 for the most part.

Mobile games often have continually added new content, as well as content that can be purchased within the game. Often the major game purchases for mobile games are not content per se, but added game time.

The Dangers Of DLC

While DLC is a mainstay of gaming, and usually a major profit contributor, there are dangers involved. First of all, the DLC provided must not cause an imbalance in the game (this can be fatal to a game’s long-term viability!), and it must provide a good value. Trying to sell simple artwork changes for $10 will leave your players feeling abused and unlikely to buy anything from you in the future.

Fragmenting your user base is also a concern for multiplayer games in situations where the available pool of players may be diminished because of DLC. If only the players who have a particular map pack are available in a multiplayer selection round, this can reduce the number of matches available enough to lengthen the wait time for a match to annoying levels. Some games avoid this by making all maps available to everyone, and instead selling different types of DLC that don’t impact the play experience.

One final danger to be aware of is an overabundance of choice. A store with hundreds of choices of things to buy may baffle players, especially newer ones who don’t know enough about the game to make good choices. Possible solutions are to carefully organize the store, provide detailed explanations of why someone might want a particular piece of content, or just making some content available only for a limited period of time. (You can always bring it back later for a special event.)

DLC Marketing Done Right

What does DLC do for marketing? A tremendous amount. First of all, DLC is another reason for you to communicate with the players. The best DLC for marketers is exciting and unusual, and perhaps topical so it’s connected to the events of the day. We often see DLC connected with holidays, for instance, as games add in content based around Halloween or Christmas or other recognizable dates.

Going a step further is Rocket League, with its recent release of Hoops mode—it’s a new game, essentially, based around basketball instead of soccer. This is timed for the NBA playoffs and the high point of the basketball season, getting lots of attention.

Another fine example is what League of Legends has done with its steady stream of new skins and champions. Riot Games regularly builds videos around these new items, and teases them ahead of time—using the DLC to build renewed interest in the game. The DJ Sona skin, for instance, was so beautifully done that it generated immense interest and comment among League fans, and plenty of media coverage as well.

The Future Of DLC And Marketing

We’ve seen how DLC can generate renewed engagement with a game’s fan base, and provide a great opportunity for marketing to connect with players. There’s certainly room to innovate with pricing and timing, though. Could we see subscription pricing for DLC that can be generated regularly and reliably? How about more experimentation with limited availability? Sales? Or working the fine line of the random element, as we already see with games like Hearthstone where you buy packs of cards not knowing exactly what you’ll get? Or the Japanese favorite “gachapon” technique where you try to collect sets of items through a random mechanism (be wary of that one, though, as it can easily be abused).

Marketers should be involved with the creation of DLC, perhaps even coming up with the ideas for some DLC. The extension of a game world is something that, done correctly, means the game can live for years, generating revenue regularly. World of Warcraft has made billions of dollars, and the regular introduction of DLC is the primary reason for the game’s longevity and profitability. Remember that as you plan for the next piece of DLC—the marketer’s friend.