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.