Valhalla proved something about free DLC

A year ago, Santa Monica delivered a surprising addition to one of the best games of 2023, God of War Ragnarokwith the significant and emotional Valhalla expansion. Unlike most post-launch content that comes with a hefty or unnecessary price tag to add something worth noting to a game, God of War Ragnaroks Valhalla DLC was both free and precariously ambitious, from the reveal to the content. In part, Valhalla extended the lifespan of God of War Ragnarokwith a DLC completion run potentially taking upwards of 20 hours to complete. But perhaps more than anything else, God of War RagnarokThe Valhalla DLC redefined what post-launch content could be, even if it didn't cost players anything.




To this day, the legacy of God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC lives on, with praise still telling its compelling story involving the franchise's most beloved and familiar face, Kratos himself. This, in addition to its challenging yet rewarding roguelite gameplay, allows it to stand a year later as a symbol of video game DLC done right and an example of what DLC should be.

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God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC is still the gold standard a year later

God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC was a free update to the base game

While the quality of God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC arguably didn't need any help to be successful, it still benefited from a number of variables tied to its reveal, its content, and its price tag. First, Valhalla was a completely free update, so that in itself was a huge surprise, especially since more and more games are charging players for all post-launch content. But any DLC can be free and still be objectively worthless if it adds nothing of value to the base game experience. Fortunately for God of War RagnarokValhalla was a completely different story.


God of War Ragnarok
's Valhalla DLC was also a surprise reveal, as it was released just 5 days later, so there was little time for too much criticism to swirl around what it could or could not be, giving it a more welcome reception.

God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC offered significant and memorable content

God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC didn't just add new cosmetics to the game, new weapons and armor, or new side quests like many video game DLCs do. Nor was it just a New Game Plus mode with added benefits. Instead, Valhalla delivered what could be considered a whole separate gaming experience, an epilogue of sorts, not just for the story of God of War Ragnarokbut mainly for Kratos' long and emotional character arc that began with the release of The God of War restart in 2018.


The beginning of The God of War The reboot saga saw Kratos grapple with his violent past, his relationship with his son and the death of his wife, Faye. As the story of the first game and its sequel progressed, it also saw Kratos learn to separate himself from the shame of his past and embrace his new role as a father to his son, Atreus, while dealing with the issues at hand . Then, God of War RagnarokThe Valhalla DLC effectively tied up Kratos' character arc by forcing him to accept that his past cannot be erased, to make peace with it, and to embrace his new role as a caring and compassionate father.

Valhalla delivered what could be considered a whole separate gaming experience, an epilogue of sorts, not just for the story of
God of War Ragnarok
but mainly for Kratos' long and emotional character arc that began with the release of
The God of War
restart in 2018.

This story was pitched to players in a roguelite post-death scenario, where Kratos had to navigate various trials that remind him of the man he once was and confront them through introspection and dialogue with familiar characters. Game off God of War RagnarokThe Valhalla DLC itself may have been a bit shallow in terms of its roguelite elements, but it was still an engaging, action-packed and rewarding loop, and the fact that it was all free only added to its value all the more.


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Future video game DLC should look to God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla for inspiration

In an industry where paid DLC is often met with significant criticism (simply because a price tag itself merits comparisons of cost vs. quality), future video game DLC should look to God of War Ragnaroks Valhalla DLC for inspiration because it's a great example of how post-launch content can be free and still premium and can enhance a game without feeling like an afterthought or a fragment of story and gameplay that should have been present from the start. By focusing on the quality of the DLC and the story it has shown it cares so much about, Santa Monica Studios showed that DLC can be both meaningful and accessible with Valhalla, fostering goodwill among fans of the game who wanted more time in Kratos world but perhaps didn't have or wanted to front the means that such content often requires.


Being a roguelite DLC and therefore very different from the typical third-person action-adventure gameplay of the base game, God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC also showed that it is possible to offer a distinct experience in post-launch content without compromising the core of what the base game is. Rather than being a simple continuation of what players had already become familiar with God of War RagnarokValhalla gave them a whole new playground with refreshing gameplay elements for them to learn. This is yet another thing that future video game DLC can learn from Valhalla, as it gave players even more reason to invest time into the story. Finally, Valhalla's emotional expansion of Kratos' character arc made it an outstanding addition in the DLC space to enhance a story that was already considered masterfully executed.

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