Game

Bioshock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds

2013

27Score

Some Cash-Grab Signs

There are sourced concerns, but the case is limited.

What counts as a cash grab?

Commercial extraction prioritized over meaningful consumer or creative value. Profit, popularity, adaptations, sequels, remakes, high budgets, and normal marketing do not count by themselves.

Why?

BioShock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds was released July 30, 2013 as the first paid downloadable content pack for BioShock Infinite, sold standalone for $4.99 and included in the $19.99 season pass. Publisher and press materials describe it as a nonstory, arena-based combat mode built from Columbia locations with 60 challenge ribbons and unlockables. Independent reviews and outlets described it as a short, combat-focused diversion produced to tide players over before the larger Burial at Sea story DLC, opinions were mixed but there is no published evidence of predatory monetization.

Publisher disclosed a standalone $4.99 price and inclusion in the $19.99 season pass.
Developer and reviews describe it as a nonstory arena-based wave combat mode built from existing Columbia assets.
Critics called the DLC a short, combat-focused diversion, mixed reception on depth and replayability.

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It was bundled later in Complete Edition and collections, reducing friction for later consumers.

Score factors

Direction	Factor	Evidence	Impact
For	Arena mode, reused assets	Multiple sources describe the DLC as a nonstory, four-map arena-based wave mode that reuses Columbia locations and emphasizes combat over narrative.[3][2][4]	+18
For	Paid DLC pricing	Publisher Take-Two confirmed Clash in the Clouds was sold for $4.99 and was included in the $19.99 BioShock Infinite season pass.[1]	+13
Against	New challenges and unlockables	Publisher and press notes outline 60 Blue Ribbon challenges, new leaderboards, achievements, new weapons and vigors, and unlockable concept art and recordings as original content.[1][2]	-11
For	Scope versus price	Contemporary critic aggregators and reviews describe the DLC as brief and potentially repetitive, indicating some players found its limited scope a weak match for a paid add-on.[6][4][1]	+8
Against	Bundled later with full editions	Clash in the Clouds was included in the BioShock Infinite season pass and later bundled in the Complete Edition and BioShock: The Collection, improving access for consumers who bought later packages.[1][3][5]	-8
For	Use of BioShock IP for combat DLC	The DLC leverages BioShock Infinite's setting and brand to deliver a standalone combat pack while the story-focused Burial at Sea was developed separately.[1][7][2]	+7

Confidence: High · Primary publisher documentation gives explicit pricing and package details and multiple independent reviews and outlets corroborate the DLC's nonstory, arena nature, the evidence is direct and consistent, there is no sourced evidence of predatory or deceptive release practices. · Researched 2026-07-23

Sources reviewed

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