DC Universe Online is an interesting MMO to come back to after fifteen years. The fact that it is still running and receiving regular content is genuinely impressive, especially in an industry where online games are increasingly being shut down and disappearing altogether.
The basic concept is still excellent. Creating your own superhero or villain and playing alongside characters from the DC Universe remains something that works incredibly well. There is a huge amount of content, plenty to explore, and the game can still be a lot of fun.
However, fifteen years of development has also created some problems.
The Community
The community is probably one of the biggest issues. DCUO has a reputation for trolling, arguments and toxic behaviour, particularly in public chat. There are reporting systems and moderation rules, so it would be unfair to say the developers do nothing, but the problem clearly has not disappeared.
There is also a strange paradox to it all: people complain about the trolls, the trolls respond to the complaints, and suddenly everyone is arguing about everyone else.
Sometimes you do not even have to participate to be surrounded by it. Personally, my solution is simple:
Turn off public chat and IMs. Ignore everyone unless you specifically know them.
That is what I do in other MMOs. I would rather enjoy the game than spend my evening watching somebody else's argument unfold. Even if some players are unfriendly towards new players, you do not have to engage with them.
Monetisation and Progression
The other major issue is monetisation.
For a fifteen-year-old game, there is a lot of it. Paid DLC, Membership, Marketplace purchases, upgrades and various shortcuts can make the game feel increasingly expensive and complicated.
Character progression has also accumulated a huge number of systems, including Skill Points, Artifacts, Allies, Augments and other mechanics. Some of these are genuinely interesting, but there comes a point where you have to ask whether the game really needs another layer of progression.
There is also a noticeable element of FOMO surrounding regular events and limited-time rewards. Like Star Trek Online, DCUO regularly gives players another event, reward track or temporary item to keep up with.
Keeping an MMO active is one thing, but constantly having something limited-time can make the game feel like something you need to keep up with rather than something you simply play when you want to. When progression can also be accelerated through the Marketplace, the whole system becomes even more questionable.
The developers deserve credit for keeping DC Universe Online alive for fifteen years, but I would rather see more effort put into improving and simplifying the existing game than continually adding another system, currency or progression mechanic.
At some point, an MMO needs to ask whether adding more layers is actually improving the experience or simply making the game increasingly difficult for new and returning players to understand.
What I Don't Like
PvP Without Proper Warning
One of my biggest criticisms is that the game can push players into PvP missions from around level 15 without making it sufficiently clear that they are entering PvP content.
That can be a nasty surprise for a new player. You can suddenly find yourself fighting another player who may be a long-term, maximum-level veteran with vastly more experience, equipment and knowledge of the game.
The problem is not PvP itself. PvP should absolutely exist for people who enjoy it.
The problem is that the game should clearly tell players when a mission involves PvP before throwing them into it.
A simple warning such as:
“This is a PvP mission. You will be fighting other players.”
would make a huge difference.
New players should be able to make an informed decision rather than accidentally discovering they have entered competitive content against experienced veterans.
Creating a League Is Locked Behind Premium
Another decision I dislike is the restriction on creating your own League.
You cannot simply create a guild-like community from the beginning. Instead, you need Premium status, costing around £8.99 per month.
For an MMO that is fifteen years old, locking the ability to create your own League behind a payment requirement feels unnecessarily restrictive.
Guilds and social groups are an important part of keeping an MMO alive. Putting the ability to create one behind a payment barrier seems counterproductive.
Only Two Character Slots
The game also only gives you two character slots unless you purchase more.
For a superhero MMO, that feels particularly restrictive.
The entire appeal of DC Universe Online is creating your own heroes and villains. Different powers, weapons, personalities and character concepts are a major part of the experience.
Limiting players to two characters therefore feels like an artificial restriction designed to push Marketplace purchases. Character slots also feel expensive compared with many other MMOs, where experimenting with multiple characters and classes is simply part of the game.
Creating characters should be one of DCUO's greatest strengths, not another monetisation opportunity.
Powers, Weapons and Cosmetics Behind Paywalls
The monetisation also extends beyond convenience features such as character slots and League creation.
Some powers, weapons and cosmetic clothing options are also locked behind paid content or Marketplace purchases.
None of these things individually destroy the game, but together they create a familiar problem: a game that is free to download gradually starts feeling as though restrictions have been deliberately placed in front of you, with a payment option conveniently waiting behind each one.
Want more characters? Buy character slots.
Want to create your own League? Buy Premium.
Want to accelerate progression? Visit the Marketplace.
Want additional content or benefits? Consider Membership.
I have no problem with an MMO making money. Servers, developers and continued content all cost money.
But there is a difference between monetising additional content and making basic parts of the MMO experience feel artificially restricted.
Verdict
Great concept. Huge amount of content. Still fun to play.
DC Universe Online deserves genuine credit for surviving and continuing to receive content after fifteen years.
But the community can be unpleasant, public chat can become toxic even when you are not participating, progression has become increasingly complicated, and the monetisation and FOMO elements can feel excessive for such an old game.
The PvP issue is a design problem. The restrictions around Leagues, character slots, powers and cosmetics are monetisation problems.
Turn off public chat, ignore the trolls and only interact with people you actually enjoy playing with. Do that, and there is still a very good superhero MMO underneath all the accumulated systems and Marketplace restrictions.
DC Universe Online has survived fifteen years. Now it needs to make sure it is building a game worth surviving for another fifteen.
