In Unreal 5.3 we are trying to understand how Unreal Engine handles dependencies between .pak files, especially in the context of a modular DLC architecture.
Our goal is to create independent DLC modules that are packaged separately from the base game, while still allowing designers to use the Unreal Editor to place and configure DLC-related assets, actors, or levels. And also make it possible for element from the DLC to dépend on the base game while the other way around is impossible.
We also want to ensure that none of the DLC-specific content is absorbed into the base game package / chunk 0 during cooking or packaging. However, our understanding is that chunk 0 can still contain the shared base content used by the core game and potentially accessed by all DLCs — for example common assets, base classes, shared systems, materials, UI, or other foundational content. Is that the correct way to think about it?
Additionally, we would like to support the ability to add new DLC after the game has already been installed, without requiring the base game to be rebuilt or repackaged.
What would be the recommended strategy to organize this type of content? Should we use chunks, Primary Asset Labels, content-only plugins, the Asset Manager, soft references, or another workflow?
More specifically, we want to avoid situations where placing or referencing a DLC asset in the editor creates a hard dependency from the base game to that DLC, causing the DLC to be cooked into the base build, absorbed into chunk 0, or required at startup.
What project structure and packaging workflow would you recommend so that:
- each DLC can be cooked and packaged independently from the base game;
- no DLC-specific content ends up in chunk 0 or the base
.pak; - chunk 0 only contains the base/shared content required by the core game and reusable by DLCs;
- DLCs can depend on shared/base content from chunk 0, without the base game depending on the DLCs;
- the base game can discover, mount, and load optional DLC
.pakfiles at runtime; - new DLC can be added after the game is already installed;
- designers can still use the Unreal Editor to author, place, and configure DLC-related content?
In short, what is the recommended Unreal Engine workflow for creating truly modular, post-install DLC packages while keeping an editor-friendly workflow for level design and asset placement?