Or a Lies of P expansion?
How Long Should A Sequel Take?
As the kids say, we’re losing recipes.
That shorter timeline meant that expansions took less time, too.
What Should An Expansion Be?
That has shifted in recent years.
Weighing in at 20-plus hours, the game-sized expansion launched a full three years after the base game.
More recently, FromSoftware took a similar approach, putting outShadow of the Erdtreetwo-plus years afterElden Ring.
TheMonster HunterexpansionsIceborneandSunbreakare bigger than the majority of full games released, too.
There are benefits and drawbacks to this approach.
Obviously, a big DLC is going to make fans happy and keep them satisfied for longer.
It gives them a hefty amount of new content to play in a game they already love.
It costs less than a full game.
And, if the alternative isshortDLC, well, longer is better, right?
It’s choosing between expansions and full-length games.
If a game gets an expansion at all, it tends to be big.
It needed to be worth the time (and the comeback narrative).
It wouldn’t get another chance to make a second impression.
But Elden Ring and Lies of P didn’t have those asterisks.
So why are they opting for beefy DLCs instead of new games?
FromSoftware even releasedArmored Core 6between Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree.
But that’s learned behavior, and I suspect it can be circumvented with clear communication.
There’s a path forward here and it doesn’t have to mean spending half-a-decade on one game.
Tell players clearly that a game is smaller and that allows you to put more care into every level.
Drop the price back down to $60.
Let them know the purpose is to make more games in a shorter timespan.
That last one is a sure winner.
