There has been a disturbing trend in the gaming industry for the past few years regarding additional downloadable content (DLC) and the steady increase in remasters, special, ultimate, and game of the year editions.

In the past DLC consisted of substantial expansions to the base game as additions to the main story or more maps/missions for multiplayer. Furthermore, these additions were often released periodically as the game aged to provide dedicated players with more content or freshen things up in the multiplayer sphere of the title.

Now DLC is being downright abused - content that SHOULD have been included in the base game is now being packaged and sold to the player. Sometimes under the so-called moniker of "Day One DLC." This is perhaps a cue taken from the successful implementation of the micro-transaction system used in mobile games. Small purchases add-up and are made more frequently - it's less jarring to spend five dollars a month for five months than it might be to shell out fifteen or twenty dollars at a time. "Cosmetic" items such as extra outfits or aesthetic accessories follow this model.

Now, I'm guilty of contributing to the problem by purchasing said items but the distinction must be made between truly "extra" (i.e. auxiliary content) and what SHOULD have been in the main game but was intentionally cut to later sell back to the player.

There is a big difference buying retro personas from past series for Persona 5 or additional character creation for "Soulcalibur V" because those are absolutely extra, it's quite another for me to have to separately buy the Wood Elf or Chaos Factions for "Warhammer: Total War." In fact, it's more accurate to say that you're unlocking them because they are, indeed, already in the base game. You're just charged for the privilege of actually playing as them.

These special editions are another issue, one to which I hope more gamers will catch on to. As a result of all these DLC's, some games (many) are later released as these "Special," "Game of the Year," or "Ultimate" editions, which contain the game along with all the DLC.

This is why I've started waiting at least two to three years to purchase a hot title because I know there'll eventually be a special edition. I did it with "Shadow of Mordor," "Fallout 4," and "Dark Souls 3."

Why pay the $60 for the game plus however much you decide to spend on DLC when you can instead be patient and only spend $60 for the entire enchilada? Moreover, these special editions, in addition to the readily available DLC, will contain exclusive items that were either pre-order bonuses or not available in the marketplace (or PSN Store).

So take it from me, wait for the special edition.