It's a bit rich, given there are 14 paid DLCs for the latest Civ game, and they all have pretty negative reviews for being too expensive while adding little to the gameplay.
Ironically, I'd rather play a game where the DLC didn't add much to gameplay. If I purchase a game, I want to be able to enjoy the full experience of that game without being forced to purchase DLC. If they release DLC that is little more than different skins or supplemental music, I don't feel I've lost out on anything by not purchasing it. On the contrary, if they release a DLC that substantively changes the game and, even worse, makes it incompatible with the original version for saved games or multiplayer, then I'm more or less obligated to purchase it if I want to keep enjoying the game to its full potential.
Yep, the DLC model can be quite obnoxious. Paradox has gone hard on DLCs and cosmetic DLCs are all fine and dandy, but some of the features locked into other DLCs (No espionage in Hearts of Iron 4 without a DLC, no amphibious tanks without a different DLC) are, IMO, core gameplay components that shouldn't require payment.
But I was happy to pay for a DLC that gave Commonwealth countries unique focuses.
If you are patient Paradox games become reasonably priced over time during sales or through bundles. Also they are so much more replayable than other games, it's perfectly reasonable to spend $100-250 on them (I logged >1000 hours in EU4 before a third of the DLCs even came out).
I like that their DLC model gives them the opportunity to support and expand games for so long. I don't like that their base games pretty much stink until they get at least the first few DLC though - there's not much reason to play CK3 when it's so content-bare and CK2 exists as a "complete" game with tons of content.
It's still carrying his name and he is still creative director (of the company, not of the game) so it doesn't seem unfair to be to call him out on it. Even if he is not much involved (which I believe to be accurate)
Also, at least in civ5, if you want to play online as a DLC-only civ, you can't unless everyone else bought the same civ.
Can you imagine if you could only join fork knife games with your Spiderman skin if and only if every other player already in the game also owned it?
Can you imagine paying $5 for you favorite LoL character then the game rejecting you because you got matched with a player who is only using the free ones?
Dawn of War 2 didn't have this issue. You could choose to not buy chaos but still play against chaos players online.