Game Expansions That Became Standalone Titles

DLCs are extremely popular, but there have been cases in the past where certain DLCs were so good that they became standalone games.

Some of these games are now household names, like GTA Vice City, but initially, they were either meant to be DLCs or planned as such. The common theme with most of these games is that they were either too popular or had so much content that putting them in a DLC just wouldn’t have done them justice.

8 Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Release: 2013

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is the result of what happens when a game director loves his B-movies. Director Dean Evans’ passion for 1980s B-movies led him to initiate this parody of the 80s’ cheesy charm and over-the-top action. The game was made in only six months, and Ubisoft truly embraced the “so bad it’s good” mentality. And we have to say, it was a success. The game initially started as a DLC for Far Cry 3 but soon became a cult classic in its own right.

Blood Dragon is set in the “distant” future of 2007, where players take control of Sergeant Rex “Power” Colt, a cybernetic soldier thrown into a dystopian world overrun by cyborgs, mutants, and blood dragons. If you’re a fan of Far Cry 3 and have not played this game yet, we strongly recommend giving it a go.

7 Infamous: First Light

Release: 2014

Infamous: First Light was supposed to be a DLC for Infamous: Second Son. The game would follow the character of Fetch but offer more details about her origin story and her powers. But that’s where things took a turn.

As the project grew, it became clear that it was better off as a standalone game, and thus, in 2014, the game was released. Infamous: First Light follows Fetch’s character, especially her ability to manipulate neon. The game was definitely a success, with more than 140,000 reviews rating it above 4 out of 5.

6 Wolfenstein: The Old Blood

Release: 2015

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is similar to Infamous: First Light in the sense that it was supposed to provide a backstory for the protagonist, B.J. Blazkowicz, and his earlier adventures. The game was not just planned as a DLC but also released as one.

Owing to its resounding success and the positive reception of the Wolfenstein reboot, the developers decided to convert it into a standalone title. The Old Blood is an action-packed story set in 1946, combining first-person shooter mechanics with an extremely engaging narrative, while retaining the signature feel of over-the-top action and dark humor of the series.

It’s worth pointing out here that although the game is connected to the events of The New Order, it is more of a prequel than an extension of the main plot.

5 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Release: 2002

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City needs no introduction. It’s safe to say that if you’re reading this, you’ve played it as well. But did you know that it was supposed to be a DLC? The game’s producer, Leslie Benzies, admitted that the goal was to create a mission pack. However, the project expanded so much that it was released as a standalone game.

This is easily observable if you’ve played both GTA 3 and GTA: Vice City. Both games are extremely similar and sometimes can give a person a feeling of déjà vu if you’ve played one of them already.

Vice City ended up becoming one of the most popular games of all time, especially due to the 1980s’ colorful version of Miami it took players to.

4 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Release: 2017

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was to get a downloadable expansion that would focus on Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. But as with most games that started as DLCs, the developers quickly realized the potential the game had and decided to instead develop it as a standalone.

And thus, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was born. The Lost Legacy is based in the jungleks of India, introducing players to a completely new adventure with new combat mechanics and puzzles, while still retaining the Uncharted style at heart.

The game was received quite well and was praised for the strong performances from the new cast. Although the game was supposed to be an expansion, in many ways, it seemed more like a spin-off with a compact and focused adventure in comparison to the main Uncharted games.

3 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Release: 2023

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was often compared to Breath of the Wild, earning its reputation as a DLC, but the truth is that it turned out to be one. This was later confirmed by the producer, Eiji Aonuma.

The team’s original plan was to create a DLC, but due to the growing ideas, that plan was abandoned and ultimately led to Tears of the Kingdom, with two more landscapes added.

2 Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare

Release: 2010

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare was basically a zombie-twisted version of Red Dead Redemption, fused with the Wild West setting of the game. It offers a full storyline of RDR but with much darker themes, set in a world overrun with the undead.

Undead Nightmare was released as an expansion and was received extremely well. It added new weapons, enemies, and a completely different style. In fact, the game is considered one of the best DLCs in the history of gaming. Due to this reason, it eventually was treated as a standalone video game.

1 Mafia 2: Jimmy’s Vendetta

Release: 2010

Unlike Mafia 2, which had a rich narrative and immersive atmosphere, protagonist Jimmy’s Vendetta offered a much more action-packed, score-based gameplay. The player took on the role of Jimmy rather than Vito Scaletta, who was driven by revenge. The missions were fast-paced, with an arcade-style mechanic prioritized.

Although it was supposed to be a DLC, the game’s contrasting style and theme to Mafia II ended up earning its title as a standalone game, marking its clear departure from a cinematic video game approach.