Expansions and DLCs have long been part of the gaming industry as developers and publishers continuously seek ways to monetize a successful release beyond the initial purchase. While some gamers may scoff at the mere thought, the best examples of expansions and DLCs have delivered truly incredible gaming experiences that built upon an already great foundation and elevated it even further.
Last year brought excellent pieces of additional content to amazing titles like God of War Ragnarök, Resident Evil 4, and Cyberpunk 2077, to name just three. At the dawn of 2024, we’ve already got an equally if not more impressive list of expansions to look forward to, each one transporting fans to a brand new and exciting place.
Previously in Wccftech’s most anticipated games of 2024: Action, RPG, Horror, Fighting, Adventure, Platform, Indie
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (Early 2024 – PC, PS4, PS5, XB1, XSS|X)
Fans of FromSoftware games are an avid bunch, and they’ve been starving for information about the Elden Ring expansion ever since they finished the base game in 2022. The Japanese studio finally unveiled Shadow of the Erdtree in late February 2023, and there are rumors that it could launch around the same time this year, to coincide with the second anniversary of Elden Ring. Other rumors point to an April launch window. Whatever the case, Shadow of the Erdtree isn’t far off, so the first official details on the expansion should be coming even sooner. Stay tuned.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred (Fall 2024 – PC, PS5, XSS|X)
Whereas Diablo III only got one expansion (Reaper of Souls) and one DLC (Rise of the Necromancer), Blizzard is planning a much more aggressive rollout of premium post-launch content for Diablo IV. At BlizzCon 2023, the developers unveiled Vessel of Hatred, which will bring adventurers to the jungle region of Nahantu, previously seen in the fan-favorite installment Diablo II. They’ll pursue the Prime Evil Mephisto and his machinations there. Additionally, we know Blizzard will introduce a never-before-seen class to the Diablo franchise with Vessel of Hatred, slated to launch in the Fall season.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape (June 4 – PC, PS4, PS5, XB1, XSS|X)
The eighth Destiny 2 expansion may very well make or break the online multiplayer first-person shooter for much of the community. The previous DLC, Lightfall, wasn’t well received to say the least. Moreover, Bungie has repeatedly disappointed fans lately, and the recent layoffs certainly didn’t help the mood at the studio.
The Final Shape was previously scheduled to launch on February 27, but Bungie has delayed it to June 4 to ensure it would be the expansion Destiny 2 needs. Story-wise, it is expected to finally close the Light and Darkness saga, with players pursuing the long-time villain, The Witness, for one last time. New content includes roaming around the Pale Heart, new missions, new PvP maps, and a new raid.
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail (Summer 2024 – PC, PS4, PS5, XSS|X)
Square Enix, on the other hand, has already closed its Final Fantasy XIV Hydaelyn–Zodiark saga with the previous expansion, Endwalker. Dawntrail will put players of the highly popular MMORPG onto an entirely new journey to the Western continent of Tural, reportedly inspired by Aztec and Mayan culture. We already know a great deal about Dawntrail: it’ll increase the level cap to 100, add two jobs (the Viper and the Pictomancer), a new playable race (female Hrothgar), new variant dungeons, Alliance raid, 8-player raid, and Ultimate raid. It is also expected to upgrade the game’s visuals. Moreover, Xbox users will finally join Final Fantasy XIV once this expansion ships.
World of Warcraft: The War Within (Late Summer 2024 – PC)
World of Warcraft may not be the juggernaut it once was, but it still has a substantial player base of loyal fans, and they haven’t been this excited about the future of the nearly 20-year-old MMORPG in a very long time. That’s mostly due to franchise creator Chris Metzen coming back to Blizzard to oversee the game’s ‘next generation of adventures’. At BlizzCon 2023, Metzen went on stage to announce not just one but three expansions linked in the so-called Worldsoul Saga.
The first of these expansions, The War Within, is scheduled to begin Alpha testing in Spring ahead of the launch at some point in late Summer (likely September). Players will venture into Khaz Algar, the home of the Earthen race, all the way down the long-forgotten depths of the Nerubian empire. The War Within features four new zones (Azj-Kahet, Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, and Hallowfall), eight new dungeons, the brand new Delves (mini dungeons), a new raid, and Heroic Talents.
Honorable Mentions
There are a lot more than just five exciting expansions or DLCs due in 2024. Here’s another five that we’re eager to play:
