Free DLC for indie games: financial suicide — or smart marketing?

In the dawn of the success of CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3 and its welcomed, arguably innovative, or perhaps retro attitude toward free content, it is easy to see why even the little guys may want to follow those giant footsteps. But is it viable for indie developers to do so? And more to the point, why do it at all?

As the quest designer and writer of a small indie studio, it fell to me to share our wisdom and folly with the indie community. I will dissect our recent experience with free DLC and talk about our own journey: the good, the bad — and the damn right ugly.