Difference between DLC and Season Pass?

So the way it works in Destiny 2 at least, is there is/was a season pass for "Year 1" which had the Curse of Osiris DLC 1, and Warmind which was DLC 2, essentially. Coming up here in a few weeks is the "Year 2" expansion called Forsaken. Forsaken is it's own expansion, and is considered "different" from these other DLC's. Now with Forsaken, you have the option to buy the Season Pass or Annual Pass along with it, which covers the next three DLC's released, which is anticipated in Winter 2018, Spring 2019, and Summer 2019. The pass just means you sort of have preordered the DLC's well in advance of when they come out. You will not have to buy anything else to access them once they come out.

Hey BoomDaddyS, 

So I'll use Forza since I'm most familiar with it to explain the difference. 

DLC or Downloadable Content is extra content that can be purchased to enhance a game's experience by adding more feature or extending the storyline. For Forza, this can be Car Packs or Expansions. They can be bought separately as you wish, however, to purchase all of it would be costly. 

A Season Pass grants you all or almost all (up to the developers) of the DLC of a game to a certain date. This allows you to get all the DLC as it is released for a discount. Saving will vary based on the game. 

For Forza, 

They have what is known as a car pass (like a season pass for other games that offer say maps). 

Here is one for Forza 4 via the website:

"Get 42 extra cars at one low price! The Forza Horizon 4 Car Pass will deliver two new cars to your game every week over a 21-week period, beginning October 2, 2018. If you start playing the game after this period has begun, all previously released cars included with the Car Pass will be available for your game garage. All cars included in the Car Pass grant you a one-time only, free addition of each car to your Forza Horizon 4 garage, with no additional in-game credit cost. The Forza Horizon 4 Car Pass is included with Forza Horizon 4 Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. "

The Season Pass for games vary depending on what the developer wants to include. For Call of Duty, it may be access to all the released skins and maps pack for the entirety of the game on release.

Hope this helps!, 

Best, 

Nozzle :)

Season pass typically includes most/all additional DLC that's released, or that's released for a period of time.  Some games if you purchase the season pass it includes any DLC they ever release for it.  Others it includes it for a period of time such as all DLC for the first year.  Typical DLC is additional game content, map packs, characters, levels, etc. Usually the season passes do not include bonus skins or cosmetics unless it's specifically mentions that it includes them.

to add to the other responses;

there can be Full expansion(s) that will be not included in the season pass.

for example Halo wars 2 got an additional DLC that wasn't included in the season pass,  named Awakening the Nightmare.

Always look in the what's included to see what you will get before purchasing.

The Season Pass DLC is not meant to be special or limited time. Usually it is a pass that grants you however many DLC content it provides at a cheaper price instead of buying each seperately. I don't have either game so I can't tell you what the Season passes get you specifically but if it follows tradition it is simply a way to get the rest of the content at a cheaper price.

Edit: Many games offer the pass at launch (Like BO3, COD) to again, let you buy the content cheaper, and to guarantee you the upcoming DLC content they will release so you don't have to worry about missing out. 

Season Passes are typically a collection of multiple DLCs. Nothing pertaining to time. Once you buy them, they are yours. Usually when looking at a seasons pass on the store, you can see a breakdown of what it comes with.

DLC is when you buy extra game content in a separate way a season pass means you get all the dlc for 1 year for that specific game on year 2 if the game is still running you need to buy a year 2 season pass or buy them separate from that point on

Season pass DLC normally means that when the DLC is released you will get it for free if you brought the season pass. Some DLC can be released that is not apart of a Season Pass

Season pass lets you get all the DLC for free while DLC is bought one at a time.

DLC and Season Pass are thensame thing but with an important distinction.  DLC gets sold a piece at a time, while Season Passed included all DLC for a given length of time.  Usually Season Pass saves you a little money.