Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s standard edition is “is the full, complete experience”, Ubisoft insist in response to Steam DLC furore
Ubisoft has publicly defended the standard edition of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced after some Steam users left negative reviews over the number of purchasable extras available at launch. Responding directly to the criticism, the publisher insisted that the base game is "the full, complete experience", with every mission, island and story element included and nothing withheld behind paywalls. The row reflects wider unease about day-one downloadable content in modern Ubisoft titles.
At the time of writing there are nine DLCs listed on the game's Steam page, the majority being cosmetic gear for protagonist Edward Kenway and matching decorations for his ship, alongside a map pack that makes tracking down collectables easier. Ubisoft framed these packs as "entirely optional extras" that are never required to enjoy or complete the game, and pledged to keep listening to feedback. The article's author, who reviewed the deluxe edition, agreed that the extras make little difference to a playthrough, ignoring the included Master Assassin gear in favour of base outfits, while acknowledging players' frustration at paying more for additional gear sets.
In short
- Ubisoft says Black Flag Resynced's standard edition is complete, nothing held back.
- Nine mostly cosmetic day-one DLCs sparked negative Steam reviews.
- Publisher calls the extra packs entirely optional, not required to finish.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Players are right to be concerned about cosmetic DLC at launch, as it reflects a worrying shift in game design philosophy. Where developers once rewarded players by unlocking cosmetics through play, paywalling them at day one transforms the experience into a shop-front, reducing the sense of progression and earned reward. Even if cosmetics don't affect gameplay, this represents a measurable degradation in the base value proposition compared to how similar games operated years ago. The principle matters: once cosmetics are monetized at launch, expectations creep toward ever more content being held for payment.
The case against
So long as the complete game—all missions, story, and core progression—is genuinely included without payment, cosmetic DLC represents a legitimate business model that funds ongoing development, server costs, and future support. Game development costs have risen dramatically; cosmetic sales enable publishers to keep games alive for years. The review itself proves the point: the full experience was enjoyed whilst ignoring cosmetic DLC entirely. Expecting all cosmetics to be free unlocks ignores the economic reality of modern production, and dismisses players' freedom to ignore optional purchases without consequence.
Explained simply
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a new version of a 2013 pirate-themed action video game being released by publisher Ubisoft. Some players on Steam have left negative reviews criticising the number of additional paid items for sale alongside the base game, raising questions about what content is included in the standard edition.
The purchasable extras are mostly cosmetic—outfit options and ship decorations for protagonist Edward Kenway—plus a map pack that makes finding collectible items easier. Ubisoft has stated that all main story missions, islands and gameplay content are included in the base game with nothing withheld, though some players remain concerned about having numerous paid extras available at launch.
This issue reflects wider unease in the gaming industry about day-one paid extras. Players have become increasingly scrutinising of such offerings, concerned that games might be incomplete or deliberately designed to push additional purchases beyond the initial game price.
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