User Generated Content (UGC)

UGC or User Generated Content is the term given to material that is created by consumers, for games, to enhance the creativity and variety of the gaming experience. An example of UGC would be Little Big Planet, which allows the player to have a multitude of different experiences as they are free to build and share their own levels.

UGC is having a positive effect in the sense it can prolong the life span of a game, as it allows the player to simply create new features (to a certain extent) which will allow for a new experience. The inclusion of content generation feature promoted creativity and gain popularity solely for this feature. UGc has had some negative effects however, with a main one being the possible decline of DLC. If a player can create their own levels/characters/ items etc for free as a part of the game, why would they pay money for DLC? They wouldn't. Although in reality, these fears are somewhat limited, as players often become bored and simply find it more convenient to just purchase rather than replicate the work of professionals.