What is an expansion or DLC release in 2023? They used to be so easy to pick, but now there are expansions as big as the main game, free updates that could easily be charged for and games inside games that are made for creating games but are designed by the developers. What is this wild world of video game expansions and downloadable content we all live in?!

Here are picks for the Best Expansions and DLC for video games in 2023.

5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Packs (Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been a touchstone of the Nintendo Switch since its release, so it made sense when Nintendo announced the booster course packs. All of the new courses fit seamlessly into the already stacked catalogue of courses featuring both new and returning tracks. This list, combined with a streamlined release schedule, led players to consistently fire up the iconic kart racer to not only check out each of the new tracks but to confirm that, yes, they were still the undefeated champion of their couch.

– Ciaran

4. “Tren” in Dreams (Media Molecule, Beechcorp, Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Media Molecule ended their support for Dreams in style with the release of “Tren.” This toy train game is based at times in wooden-looking children’s bedrooms and at other times varying into more magical territory. You’ll either be racing through a level managing your allocation and refects, and in other slower-paced puzzle stages, you have to move cargo around to finish the level with your train hooked up with as much as possible. The fantastic game was just another reminder of how extraordinary Dreams is and what can be achieved inside its toolset.

– Dylan

3. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores (Guerilla Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The best thing about Burning Shores is that it’s more Horizon Forbidden West but in a much more contained package. You still get that same kick of open-world exploration and side activities, but we’re talking about ten hours, not 70, to complete them all. Throw in a new location, a lot of areas to explore in the air, and a tech-bro villain, and there’s plenty to like. But the standout for this expansion was Seyka, a new companion to the series, who is more than capable of looking after herself in a fight but also just as inquisitive and ready to stand up and look after the people she loves as Aloy.

– Dylan

2. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (CD PROJEKT RED)

Idris Elba, that’s it. Or at least through the promotion of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, that seemed to be the case. But along with the expansion’s launch came the 2.0 update that revitalized the game for many of the returning players. The unplayable game at launch had been brought to life within its original vision, and Phantom Liberty fit seamlessly within it. Adding new weapons, vehicles and a whole new area of Dogtown to explore. For many, it is now hard to see the mess that was Cyberpunk 2077 on release within the fantastic experience that it has become with the launch of its only DLC.

– Ciaran

1. God of War Ragnarok Valhalla (Santa Monica Studio, Sony Interactive Entertainment)

“How is this free?” seems to be the number one question anyone asks after they’ve played an hour or two of God of War Ragnarok Valhalla, a shadow drop expansion that was released at The Game Awards 2023. The trailer made it seem like a thrown-together roguelike mode, but it’s so much more. Not only are the runs exciting and well-designed, with bonuses to pick from for each of Kratos’ weapons, but the story is unbelievably high calibre. The set-up is simple, with Kratos receiving a mysterious invitation to the gates of Valhalla, but how it plays out from there and how reflective the narrative gets with Kratos and his friends is stellar. 

– Dylan