Considering Nintendo was fashionably late to the online-focused, DLC-releasing party, having a look at the company's current lineup of post-release content is rather surprising. Major releases like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey have received DLC expansions or regular content updates, online multiplayer games like Mario Tennis Aces and Splatoon 2 have been treated to fresh updates from day one, and even the primarily offline game Kirby Star Allies has seen multiple additions since release.
On top of this, in a move that would have been unthinkable from Nintendo just a handful of years ago, the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has already received a fully detailed DLC schedule and season pass before the main game has even hit store shelves, signalling quite the shift in business strategy over that period of time. Recently described as a "critical tactic" for the company by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, though, it looks like this new vision is here to stay.
Fils-Aime's words come from a recent interview with Kotaku, where the president has noted that “our developers understand that smart post-release content can drive ongoing engagement both with that particular game and to the platform”. It's a statement that certainly makes a lot of sense, with games such as Splatoon 2 benefitting heavily from constant updates, tweaks, and additions that make you want to come back for more.
From a consumer point-of-view, free updates like those might be a much easier change to accept than paid-for DLC, but paid expansions appear to be doing rather well for the company, too. Reggie says that Breath of the Wild's additional, paid-for content “has done exceptionally well in our marketplace.”
Do you like this trend of regular updates and content additions? Are you happy to receive free updates and pay for bigger expansions, or would you rather games were left untouched after release? Let us know your thoughts with a comment below.
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 43
It fits their evergreen strategy well, the core games have a lasting appeal and will sell for the duration of the system's lifespan, and the prospect of added content adds to the appeal.
Releasing added content, even something as minor as an added costume in Super Mario Odyssey, is enough to put these games back in the public's mind and wring out a few more sales or at least bring people back to play.
Heck, even odd things like Nintendo Labo support in Mario Kart 8 does that!
I hope for more boards in Super Mario Party.
I will say that through Nintendo's faults, post game content seems to be handled very well. Free updates are always welcome, but even paid for content, you definitely get bang for your buck. Now if we could just have some proper Super Mario Odyssey DLC!!!
Honestly, I'm not sure it's good that the BOTW DLC has done "exceptionally well" given how underwhelming it was. I would hope Nintendo stay hungry and ambitious rather than realizing they can coast on the bare minimum.
I hope that Super Mario Party will get a free update to make it so you can play the boards online.
Then I will buy it.
I think some of their paid dlc has been done very well. A smash bros season pass though, announced before the game has even released, at that price for five characters - that’s pretty disappointing for me.
As long as they give us a complete game so that dlc is completely optional
Still waiting for proper Odyssey DLC.
The freebies are ok, but i just want/need more out of this game. Wanna keep on playing it.
With Zelda i'm happy with the original content and Mario Kart 8 does not interest me as i already played it a lot on Wii U. Mario Kart 9 is what i want now.
Got me excited about the idea of more Splatoon 2 content for a second there.
The Mario Kart 8 DLC was very well executed, and if that's where they've set the bar for future game DLC then I'm content with that.
Smash Bros DLC sounds fine to me. They haven't begun working on the characters yet, they are promising all new characters, and the base game has so many characters already that it's clear the DLC is entirely optional. That's a good and fair approach in my opinion.
Super Mario Odyssey is an exception where I don't want to see DLC worlds... Just put them in the inevitable sequel, and bring me that sequel in time for the holidays 2019 please!
@luke88
Let's be honest : studios plan that stuff ahead and know before a game is released if they'll do a DLC. The anouncement before release isn't shocking, it's just them letting us know where the game is going before we buy it.
Ok but the thumbnail and header lead me to believe they were extending the Splatoon 2 free DLC support for a little longer than planned.
My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined /s
Did anyone see the Smash DLC on the eShop outside of the ultra mega hyper deluxe version? Buying on cart. I saw options to purchase each character/stage/costume individually, just not at the discounted price outside of the bundle
I wonder if they will end up going down the route of packing the games and dlc on a cart and reselling as a complete edition or game of the year edition.
@sleepinglion It's unfortunately standard with Switch that if you're buying physically you can't buy the DLC until the game's launch. At midnight December 7th you'll be able to buy the Fighters Pass.
Probably too old-skool and too much of a purist for my own good, but I'm not really a fan of it. I preferred the days where you bought a game and that was the complete game for the complete price and when you beat it you could move on to the next game, rather than said game then expands afterwards and you now haven't had the complete experience after all, so you have to go back to it. And then it gets further bloated again and I'm like "Oh my God, would you just stop now!" There's barely enough time to play all the games anyway, it doesn't help if they all keep expanding...
Only in video games would such a thing be seen as good, because sadly, for some reason, quantity is everything, but I believe that often; less is more. It's clearly already conditioning gamers into thinking that nothing is ever enough; "More Mario Odyssey worlds plz!" "More Mario Kart 8 tracks plz!" etc...
Obviously people say that DLC is "optional". True, but a) everything is optional. Buying the game in the first place was optional, and b) if you're a fan of the game then you kind of feel you have to get it to get the complete experience. I've bought DLC, but only ever out of FOMO (which I guess is what DLC preys upon). I just think it's quite vulgar and it's all a slippery slope really (well unless EA and the like have already lead us to the bottom, or maybe there's further depths to plumb, I don't know).
Hoping Let's Go will get some of this love. It's an interesting game but the Kanto titles are pretty short by modern standards and I think it's going to need all the postgame it can get to stay interesting, especially for people who bought the 65 CAD ball.
That’s good, because some games could really use DLC. I’m glad they use Splatoon 2 as an example, as it’s grown exponentially since it’s release. As long as they give Odyssey a new kingdom, I’ll be happy.
MORE MARIO KART DLC!
I don't really like the culture of DLC. Super Mario Odyssey is a good example, but the same goes for MK8 too really. This perpetual uncertainty as to whether the game you bought is the complete article or not is unsettling.
I'd rather buy a complete game, knowing what I'm getting at the point of purchase, and then any future ideas the developers create goes into a follow up game.
@kuromantic oh my god that has to be the sequel!
The DLC content that we got for Breath of the Wild, Xenoblade 2, and Splatoon 2 were all absolutely fantastic! If Nintendo and it's second party studios can continue that level of quality, I have no qualms about throwing them more money for additional content in their games.
But if they devolve to the more mainstream route, like how COD, Halo, and Battlefield all traditional have several, 20+ dollar map packs each game, while still having yearly releases... NO. Just NO!
As long as Nintendo continue offering substantial DLC and free small updates, I'm happy with this model.
@Haywired At the end of the day, it is optional. Especially in Nintendo’s case when the game you get is pretty much the full experience. And I’ve certainly skipped over DLC on games I absolutely loved. I didn’t buy every bit of DLC for Smash Wii U/3DS and I absolutely love that game. Some DLC practices in execution are of course shady. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal responsibility and not being driven by some fear needing to buy every last bit of DLC. I mean, if you drop 100 hours into a game and feel like you’ve got your money’s worth and have experienced the base game as a full experience, that should be enough to tell you it’s time to move on if you have no interest in continuing that game. At the end of the day, I guess it’s nice to have those options
I’m all for paid DLC and free content updates, but what I’m very surprised we haven’t got is proper Mario Odyssey DLC in the form of new worlds. I couldn’t care less about whimsical outfits or balloon hunts – well okay, just a bit – but I do want Isle Delfino and Ghost House, etc themed worlds with new power moons to find.
Having said that, for me, Odyssey still doesn’t compare to the Wii U’s utterly glorious Super Mario 3D World. Now a 'Deluxe' Switch edition of that would certainly help keep my pining for Odyssey DLC to a minimum.
From a consumer point of view, DLC can be set up in a way to potentially be a great way to tier pricing by interest level. I'm pretty happy with how Nintendo has handled it.
I've barely explored the BotW DLC, but I'm 100% happy to show my interest in more of that type of game from Nintendo by paying for the DLC.
He didn’t really say anything substantial (ie will or won’t Mario Odyssey/Splatoon 2/Mario Kart 8 get additional DLC?). Not sure why this one line warrents a whole click bait article.
@Xaessya If Nintendo announced a Mario Party 2 Pack (maybe even with costumes?) for SMP, my credit card would melt from how fast I swiped it at the register lol
Super Mario Odyssey would be an absolute cash cow if they released DLC worlds for it, even better if they were free dlc. But with this new DLC focus I really hope that Super Mario Party gets in on the action.
Don't forget Xenoblade Chronicles 2! They released a bunch of content and then basically an entire game with the Expansion Pass.
I only really consider it generous when it's free.
I don't buy games to have them act as a storefront for pushing more little bits of itself on me.
If my wife came up to me one day and told me she'd put on fifteen pounds, and I now I have to propose to those pounds too, with a new ring and everything, it'd be weird.
And, admittedly, weirder than buying DLC for a game. But it was the best analogy I could think up on short notice.
@Haywired Hmm. I kinda like it how it is now better than in my youth. There are some nice things about getting a complete version that you just plug into your system and play without installing anything, though.
@Haywired I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I tend to agree. I'm actually kinda glad when a game is "complete" on release. I don't need more Odyssey content; I'd prefer it if they put that time and effort towards a new game.
@FTPinkRabbit
#4
^ What they said ^
I wouldn't be too surprised if we ended up with more Splatoon 2 content. Even if it is just extending the run if monthly Splatfests.
Between the major cameo in Smash Bros, and the tournaments being held in 2019, I'm sure the boost in the IP will generate some more sales. It feels much better jumping into a game with ongoing community events, rather than the feeling of "You missed out on all the good stuff"
I'm all for "ongoing support" in the form of free DLC, which kept ARMS and Splatoon2 interesting for a long time. But the occasions when I buy paid DLC are few and far between. Even when I'm interested, I almost always prefer to just buy another game.
I know DLC is how video games work these days, but most of the time they just seem like a way for the publishers to maximize profit by milking a game and its players for as long as they can.
I mean, you know Nintendo has been planning to add those extra fighters to Smash. It didn't just suddenly occur to them. This is just a way for them to make an extra $25 per Smash sale, and we just go along with it and say "yay, they are really supporting this game!"
They're not supporting it, WE are. What they are doing is making more money off it.
@KingBowser86
Same for me lol
Xenoblade 2 had phenomenal post launch support and great bang for your buck DLC. I do wish that the patches could be saved onto the cartridges somehow so that they're not hogging all of my system memory though.
Weird how Splatoon 2 is mentioned with content seemingly ending for that game next month. Maybe a second extension of support incoming?
i dug the octoexpansion. wasn't crazy about breath of the wild's 1st dlc pack, i liked the later shrines of the 2nd pack though and i wouldn't mind if they added new enemies to that game.
hope the new pokemon games will have a option to just do a dlc upgrade rather than release another enhanced version, i haven't had access to move tutors since heartgold.
@Grumblevolcano Thanks for the tip! Crazy weird setup, but good to know the deal will be incoming for physical folks
Please don't go too deep down this rabbit hole. Straight forward DLC is the gateway drug to harder monetization strategies.
Nintendo already sniffing at season passes, saying you could quit any time. But they never do. If they start convoluting pre-ordering with alternate bonuses, we will need to have an intervention.
If we do nothing, they'll be just like the other AAA junkies. Gutting or compromising their titles' content and mechanics, financially abusing their users, all for their shareholders next fix because no amount of sales are enough anymore.
This article has 0% new content. It's not even news.
Evne though the headline suggests there is some new game content and that the article might detail what that content is.
But no, it doesn't.
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