ARMS Version 5.0 Update is Coming This Year, With Another New Character

I love how Nintendo keeps adding the type of content in free updates that most developers charge extra for. Honestly ARMS is an underrated game and I always thought it was the best fighting game I have played this gen.

Was that a Green Evil Spring Girl / Man ??

By far my favourite fighting game of the year, wasn't expecting this before the year ends which just makes it sweeter.

Agreed

Lord Boxman?

Have been meaning to go back to this and Splatoon 2 for the new stuff, but damnit Nintendo you gave us so many great games this year....

Nothing personal Max.

Wow..... That's crazy. Another Villan, that's awesome!
Adding more characters in 6 months than other games in 6 years
I definitely have to freshen up on my ARMS skills

Amazing! Can't wait to try her out!!

Very Samus-esque. And with her NES Metroid green hair, no less. I like.

I’m guessing this character is the one code named “Coil”.

Moira in Arms confirmed

Impressed, as always.

I was planning on Splatoon being my first MP purchase this xmas but 2 new characters in as many months has me thinking maybe I should give this a go. How large is the online community for this, I won't be wasting my money waiting around for online players will I?

Love ARMS. The roster is getting to be pretty big now.

I can't stand the ad scripts on this site. I can't even type a comment without it stuttering and freezing and reloading the page and backspacing 50 times from pressing the button once...

I'm going back to AdBlock. I tried, but I just can't do it anymore.

@Ttimer5 - We had a villain?

Curious how much they plan on adding to the game all together, before stopping it.

Which will probably be right at the same time the game outright dies in population.

Arms deluxe for the future

This beautiful game isn't getting enough attention. Especially from me!

I'm hoping at least 20 characters by the end of 2018. What keeps me from buying this game is the certain lack of content. I know it's updating gradually but I am a really impatient person.

But hey still launched with more content than Street Fighter V

@shani Probably because it's being overshadowed by Splatoon 2 :/

@1UP_MARIO What would be the point? It's better if Nintendo continues to support the game over time, not abandon the current install base by making a new game.

@3dg3d3m0n Ranked matches is one on one, and it doesn't take long to find a match..the longest I've waited was 2min, but you have the option to play other modes while you wait. As for online party mode, it joins u into a lobby within seconds, and that's where most people are at. Trust me, you won't be waiting long for any online matches.

My son is getting this along with Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2 and the Switch itself for Christmas. Cannot wait, he's very excited for ARMS, loves watching YouTube videos.

@iLikeUrAttitude it was a joke. To tell you the truth. This was the only game I regret buying. I just cant get in to it. Pro controller helps. I'm just more into street fighter style mechanics

Edit. I'm really glad Nintendo is continuing to update it and it's doing well.

@1UP_MARIO Oh sorry re-reading your comment again it was obvious you were just telling a joke.
I hope in the future you find some enjoyment out of your game. But for now I would suggest just waiting for more updates.

@iLikeUrAttitude I doubt I'll go back to it with all the games coming. I've also stopped playing splatoon 2. I gotta stop buying games and start finishing the 3ds and Wii u backlog

@iLikeUrAttitude - That suggests that the game re-released would be incompatible with the game as it is now.

Releasing the game with all the stuff on cart can warrant a name subtitle. But a comment like that is like being anti-sequel.

@Paraka What would be the point of a re-release? ARMS is good as it is supporting the game with monthly updates.

That would be the equivalent of receiving Mario Kart 9 when Mario Kart 8 deluxe already exists. It would split the fanbases and sales would obviously take a toll.

Awesome news!

@Alex0714 Thanks for that, will get myself a copy then for some Xmas fight acrion

@iLikeUrAttitude - Same reason they release other games of similar likeness (for instance, Splatoon 2 and ARMS). Cause going by your statement we shouldn't have had this many online games due to splitting the Nintendo fan base so much as is. Clearly that isn't a good excuse cause sequel reasons.

Also releasing the game with all its content on-cart would be appealing to those who either don't wish to have internet on the system, save digital space on their probably limited data space, or that they may see an ability to enjoy the game outside the timeframe the Switch online was supported.

I like the game well enough, but I am just not that big into fighting games. It's great that they are continuing to support the game despite somewhat underwhelming hype.

I think the biggest loss for me is that the game really is only multi-player and people playing online are, honestly, much better than me. lol

@Paraka It was a smart move of Nintendo to bring it over to the Switch because it was massive success on the Wii-u despite the low install base (especially in Japan). I'm not against the idea of sequels/ports it's just this case for ARMS when we're so early in its lifecycle, it just seems pointless to make a sequel when it's doing well right now.

That does't seem practical. Can you name instances where deluxe versions were released for the reasons you specified? Why would anyone want to buy a multiplayer focused without using internet?
If the consumer wants to save digital space just buy the version physically, the download sizes for the updates are also almost non existent. And for the timeframe can't they just choose to buy the game at a later date until the Switch online is released?

@iLikeUrAttitude - I know quite a few who prefer the much latter of the list. It's one reason I hold out on Rocket League for Switch is simply cause the physical cartridge will allow me use of the offline mode outside of the Switch's finite lifespan. Something I am sure people do now on games like Melee, Goldeneye, and even the original Mario Kart. All multiplayer, and offline. To say that we now have online that it should be a rule of thumb to always play online is faulty.

I know a couple who practice the no-online for the Switch (among a few other consoles) simply for easier control of the children and what they play. I have a third Switch (outside my own and my GF's) that is purposely left offline for gatherings or for the aforementioned children decide to visit.

Grant it these listed aren't online supported, but the fact they support an offline structure long after would be appealing to those who do enjoy these games. If they were to release a version later (meaning after the game is done being updated) with the content on the cart it would definitely be more of a plus across the board than somehow slowing down Nintendo for some reason (really it's just going to be a cartridge print and shipping that will mostly be the concern). I don't buy DLC packs and shouldn't be punished for not getting them because the practices of other companies re-release games a year or two later with a complete package. Namely cause those DLC packs aren't "mine" when I buy them for my game. And free feels the same way in a sense, but less harsh of a pill since in the beginning, it's free.

There is differences though, if something is promoted to be used entirely online (like MOBAs and original Rocket League), I will opt to eventually play those games digitally. Simply cause when they're no longer supported, they're useless to own physically. Splatoon kind borders both, but I feel the same way in order to have the ability to host the new modes and maps wherever I am. And many places I would go doesn't magically have online to do so. That alone is a flaw in the Switch's portability that some don't understand.

@Paraka Well you learn something new every day and I just learned a multitude of new things from that one comment you wrote.

But just to make sure digital copies are useless after the services are shut down?

@JayJ well.. it only included 10 characters at launch. Even if it breaks 20 by the time they stop supporting it, it will still have less characters than the underwhelming MvC Infinity launch. It's safe to say they purposely locked characters behind future updates so they aren't free updates, just things that you paid for but are unlocked by time. Either that or they released an incomplete game for full price, hence the paltry disk space it took up at launch. I like the game but this game is unusable as an example for some of Nintendo's pro-consumer actions.

Wow, another arms character! I was sure we'd seen the last of them and here we are getting a new one. Very cool, I love this game.

@thesilverbrick I was thinking the same thing. Those shoulders look very similar to Samus's.
And now I'm thinking Samus would make a cool character in Arms. I bet if Nintendo did that they would sell a few more copies.

Honestly I hope ARMS just dies off. Punch-Out would have been much better. Could have used the characters in ARMS as other boxers honestly.

@brutalpanda The amount of actual new characters introduced in MvCI is comparable to the completely from scratch ARMS. Even then, characters are only half of the picture in measuring the latter's roster, the customizable arms significantly alter playstyles as well.

Measuring the value of fighting games based on their content feels a bit off to me. You can stuff them with as many modes and characters as you please, but most will only be played once or require just as much repetition as simply fighting others to get the most out of them, and chances are you'll stick to playing a handful of the massive roster at most. The only questions worth asking if judging a fighting game's worth is if you're willing to learn and master it's mechanics, or have a group of friends also willing to play it with you.

@1UP_MARIO Arms is not easy to get good at because the mechanics are so different from other fighters. That said, if you do get good at it, I imagine you will enjoy it much more.

@Nomad If dataminers are to be believed, we’re only halfway through the additional characters. There were code names for ten characters beyond the original roster, and we only have five DLC characters as of version 5.

And as much as I’d like to see Samus in the ring, I think it’s important to let ARMS breathe on its own as an IP, like they have with Splatoon. They could’ve filled Splatoon with Mario stages and costumes but they wisely let it be its own thing and grow its own identity.

@iLikeUrAttitude - Not entirely, they do become inaccessible to you if your data is corrupted and need to download again but the game is removed due to a myriad of potential reasons. Several being out of the consumer's control, like a company going under, game does not meet X or Y legal requirement (or in some rare cases, became too "offensive" to some market) or just a console no longer a viable market for online upkeep.

What I was saying that is "useless" is more that owning a game physically when all its content is online renders owning the physical version pointless. Though my little post may been lost in translation since we're talking DLC for most of that response.

I'm telling you... ARMS is the Switch's best exclusive and one of the most unique and best fighting games ever made. I play it every week and it keeps getting better.

They should really add a proper story mode, this character almost proves it

I wonder if this is the last update? I hope not and that the data miners are right

I'm hyped for the new character, she looked so badass. ARMS is awesome, once you get the hang of it, it became really fun.

@meleebrawler 10 characters is small for any fighting game priced at $60 even if you can choose the weapons in the game. The weapons you can say are similar to items in Super Smash and this game launched with less characters than the original Smash which had 12 characters. MKX also has 3 different styles for each fighter and had 24 fighters, a full story campaign with cinematics, and multiple single-player and multiplayer modes at launch. There is no justifying this game's paltry amount of characters at launch and it is fanboyism to think the updates are "free". The updates are the rest of the game that you already paid for but was locked behind time.

@stevenw45 arms is not replacing smash brothers. Smash is just another Nintendo franchise. @brutalpanda the free contents are not because you paid sixty dollars, because Nintendo appreciates that you bought the game. You paid sixty dollars for botw and they have paid dlc, same as fire emblem, you have paid dlc. Now since pokken and Mario kart are previous releases, you are paying sixty dollars for the game and all the dlcs.

@stevenw45, they will release smash bros, because they know that fans want it, and it will be a money maker.

@ekwcll I know, my point is that it is not "free" updates because the launch version of the game was bare bones and that the updates are just cut portions of the finished game being added in later. It's not Nintendo being appreciative that you bought the game. They announced their will be "free" updates for one year after release so it was the plan the whole time. BotW is well worth the $60 without some updates so if the DLC is paid it's justified.

Shego is in ARMS now? I must play!

@brutalpanda MvC is a tag team game. It would be expected to have a larger character roster. Granted it got gutted by the Fox/disney merger but still that is to be expected. Also you usually don't want new fighters to start out with large rosters, for balancing reasons. (for both the gamers and the devs) also most fighting games don't offer a steady flow of free content as large as new characters. In today's era of characters of locked DLC on disk, day one paid characters, pre order only characters and expensive paid characters I much prefer the way ARMS is rolling out content (even more so because it only requires one game purchase....so glad capcom finally caught on to that with SFV) as opposed to the way the other fight game devs roll it out.

@brutalpanda I really have to argue that Marvel vs Capcom should naturally have a lot more characters as it is a fan service game for a massive comic book universe of well established characters combined with a huge variety of well established video game characters. That, and the new Marvel vs Capcom game was a big disappointment apparently so I hardly think that works as an example of what a good fighting game should be like, that every other game should try to copy.

ARMS had to come up with an entirely new universe with entirely new characters. Personally I think they did a great job, and I don't see how having over 20 characters to choose from would make it much better.

@JayJ I never said having over 20 characters is better. I'm saying this isn't "free" content to the first comment which is boasting about how Nintendo releases free content while other devs wouldn't do this. It is content cut out of the full game and locked behind timers. The game is cool and a nice new IP with plenty to do in it but to think that these content updates are "free" and say other devs are not as pro-consumer as Nintendo is just being a fanboy (like the first comment said, which I replied to first). Nintendo always charges for extra content, anything free it cuts out of the main game and puts in as an "update" later on. I personally don't even mind this practice as long as it is a good game because it keeps people engaged and the game relevant over time but it's not proof of them being any more pro-consumer than other companies.

@Ryu_Niiyama My point is that it's not free updates, it's not even extra content, it's just content cut out of the main game. It's even more obvious with the release of Springtron who was already a fighter in the game.. Yes, some companies do what you say like NRS with MKX which has some paid DLC but they release a full game at launch with 24 characters and 3 play-styles each, different costumes, amazing story campaign, tons of unlockables, tons of modes throughout single-player and multi-player. The content they charge you for is truly extra. MvC was a bad example and I was using it to say how little Arms offered at launch. MKX, Injustice 2 are better examples.

@brutalpanda I didn't see them saying anything about this content being made before the game released, got any sources for that?

Anyways, I just find it pretty funny how you used the new Marvel vs Capcom as the game to criticize ARMS with. The new MvC literally placed characters they already had behind a paywall just to charge you for a season pass if you ever hope to use them. If anything the new MvC is an example of exactly why ARMS is so great.

@JayJ I don't need sources. It's obvious because of the amount of content that was released at launch. Also, Springtron was already in the game but came out as a "free update". Either they cut the content or released an unfinished game and are finishing it over the course of its lifespan. If they charged for all this "free" stuff, the game would be scorned for doing so because it launched with so little.

@brutalpanda Yeah but that doesn't seem to stop everyone else from doing it these days. I mean look at another popular fighting game this gen; Tekken 7. It was somewhat broken and light on content when it released, took them a while to get it working properly, and every time they added something they locked it behind the season pass paywall.

Say what you want about ARMS, but the way they are going about their added content in updates is a rarity for this genre these days, while the fixing of an incomplete product is sadly quite standard.

@JayJ I never said anything bad about the game. Again, I will say it's a cool game and a great new IP. I'm just saying these updates aren't "free" at all. They are part of the $60 you paid for the game.

@JayJ Another interesting thing I just remembered is that it costs around $80 for a second player controller for this game and did so at launch until the non-official controllers came out. But hey, free updates!

@brutalpanda I don't see how hardware has anything to do with it, same thing could be applied to any other game on any other console and it's not like you need to buy a new controller every time you get a new game, it's like any other hardware investment.