Nintendo Unveils Fire Emblem Engage Expansion Pass, Wave 1 DLC Launches 20th January 2023

Nintendo has been racking up quite a lot of awards in The Game Awards haven't they

Honestly the Fire Emblem franchise does absolutely nothing for me.
Great for those that do enjoy it, however.

I have never played a fe game before, but this looks really fun to me, can’t wait to see more.

Great to see more content coming to the game. Can't wait to play this one.

Have to admit it that music pulled me in more than anything else.

Is it now normal for modern games to announce paid DLC before the game even has come out?

Remember when people complained about season pass when the game wasn’t out?

It’s interesting that the same people are quiet when Nintendo does it.

Nintendo has been doing this a lot lately. Splatoon 3 and Xenoblade 3 also were announced to have paid expansions before the games even released. Breath of the Wild did it too; they'll probably pull it yet again with Tears of the Kingdom.

I'm sorry, why are you announcing DLC before it's even arrived? Now the game feels incomplete, or that you purposely left things out to make a bigger buck. Ew.

Love Fire Emblem. Don't love this.

Well, nice of them to go ahead and confirm a month before release my theory that the only reason they're doing the tacked-on Emblem system is because it's a convenient excuse to sell DLC.

Day 1 DLC? C’mon, man…

DLC announced before a game launches is a disgusting practice.

@Ade117 I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with, "We're doing DLC," since that's just like the realities of the industry at this point and it's not like it's generally content that would have still been made otherwise.

That said I do still find it dumb having this all ready to download on day one, and just the whole nature of how the Emblems are basically just using, "You like nostalgia, seeeeeee?" as a plot point to justify selling models of characters from other games to stand next to you like that's supposed to mean anything.

Good lord, just add it to the game!
You're still working on the game, the game isn't released yet, just add it to the game!

Cool, Hector might get a chance after all. Wish the season pass came with the divine edition though.

@Not_Soos BotW was different though. Yes, they announced the DLC when the base game released, but the DLC wasn't actually released for another 4 months (wave 1) and then again 5 months after that first DLC. That was plenty of time for Nintendo to develop the paid content. Meanwhile, they wanted to get the base game out for the system launch, which felt complete anyway.

But this day one BS for FE shouldn't be excused and people need to speak with their wallets.

What did they do to my girl Edelgard’s face…

Most series that dabble in waifu go gacha pretty quick. I don't know if this is that.

While I understand people being against day 1 paid DLC, this is Nintendo so I few them a little differently because they generally aren’t going to chop a game just to sell DLC. The game will be full and robust and have plenty of content on day 1. Also no one does more free DLC than N. Games like Arms, AC, Kirby, Mario Tennis and Golf and Switch sports have all had lots of free DLC. This is a season pass which is getting more prominent on Day1. So just don’t but it on day 1, play the game and after wearing it out by the Season pass and play on. As long as those season passes deliver good content across all waves I am fine with it. The DLC from 3houses was well worth the buy in the end.

@Arkay I would suggest the earlier titles. No waifu or highscho BS.

I sure do miss the Tellius Fire Emblem games.

@QuickSilver88 Honestly man, I don't know. Folks seem to give Nintendo a free pass with this stuff, but not so much the competition.

I was going to buy Engage day one, but will be crossing it off for now. Did the same thing with Xenoblade 3, and will do it for Breath of the Wild, if that's how they want to so it.

You are right with it becoming more prominent though. Development is becoming more expensive - it's arguably justified as well.

Still, I'd much rather shell out 80 to 100 bucks for the full experience, which isn't realistic. I'll wait. The fomo isn't going to phase me. It's hard to say "no". The game looks fun.

For me, it's a pass for now. (It kinda sucks seeing Nintendo act exactly like the other companies now. Can I blame them? No, but it sucks anyway.)

@MrHonest
Nintendo has been doing this all the time, going back to Zelda Breath of the Wild and Smash Bros Ultimate. Even just this year alone, Xenoblade 3 and Splatoon 3 had their paid DLCs unveiled before those games officially launched.

You should expect Nintendo to talk about post-launch DLC content before their games launch (assuming said game even gets DLC) and be surprised when they don't.

Uh didn't Fire Emblem have day 1 DLCs since Awakening? At any rate I highly doubt that this is content that was cut from the game or would make the game feel incomplete if you don't have it. Although Tiki is quite tempting of course...

Hard pass ...
You don't take my money, Nintendo. Not this time.

This practice is so exhausting and p's me off to no end.

I actually wouldn't mind the practice if a complete edition with all DLC + updates on the cartridge would be released once all of the content is complete, but buying a base game with no guarantee that I will ever own a complete version of the experience physically is increasingly turning me off from buying certain games entirely. I'm happy to own Breath of the Wild and Pokémon Sword and Shield in complete physical form, but these are in the extreme minority of Nintendo-published releases.

I've bought virtually every other Fire Emblem game since Awakening on day one, but I'm skipping this for now, just as I skipped Fire Emblem Heroes: Three Hopes and Xenoblade 3 until some kind of announcement is made regarding a Torna-style physical release of the DLC story content. Your move, Nintendo.

@Sisilly_G I've pretty much decided that this will be the last console I'll ever collect for. I get that DLC is not a new thing anymore, but when even Nintendo is committed to piecemeal releases of content after the supposed main course is unveiled, it's clear that the market is solidly shaped in such a manner. More than ever, games feel like a commodity.

@farrgazer : Games have almost always been commodified, but there is no longer respect given to how they are delivered as a product nor to their preservation.

For all of the faults of day one updates and the like, Nintendo have at least had the forethought to include the ability to wirelessly transfer that data between consoles, which serves as a small consolation as we can effectively back up all of the patches in this way.

No such thing can be done with DLC, not even free DLC, without taking the modding/hacking route.

So is this DLC supposed to keep alive a dying game that's not been released or is there a new defense why this crap is okay that I missed?

Day 1 character DLC. I see Intelligent Systems have finally gone the full Atlus. They cut out content for DLC every game now. I stopped buying their games and I'll stop buying yours.

Figured that this of all games would be guaranteed to get extra character DLC, and I welcome the heck out of this.😄 All the moreso with Tiki in the first wa- hol' up, you mean she wasn't in the main game already?👹

Still not excited for this one. If anything, the DLC has practically guaranteed my non-interest for the time being. I might get omce all the DLC releases with a sale, but eh.

I don't know. In terms of presentation, definitely a step up with animations, but still not a fan of the artstyle, and the emblem mechanic still hasn't been sold to me.

I'm not even that bothered by the fact that this is day 1 dlc as much as I am that this just doesn't look very... expansive at all. It's just 2 character summons as far as I can see. I think they're treating the 3 lords from 3 houses as a single character. Also 4 waves? I think everyone will be done with the game before even the second or third wave releases.
I didn't even have it in me to finish the ashen wolves DLC in three houses, and I played that game four times through. I loved that game, but the expansion there didn't do it for me either.

Wouldn’t be a FE article without the usual rollercoaster of excitement then hate then excitement and now currently back on hate.

So excited about this. Possibly my most anticipated game for next year, and that's even after TGA announcements!

@Dom_31
Funny you'd say that, personally I strongly prefer Edelgard with this artstyle.

It'll end up with DLC being announced that has a day one game to buy too eventually.

I guess dlc in waves is a regular thing now for them lol

Hahah. They have no shame do they?

Nothing sums up the same face syndrome that this game has better than Tiki and Edelgard stood next to each other.

It's like they shortened the generic face by 20%, slapped on some ears and called it a day.

ngl - when I read the title I pretty much knew what was coming - a couple waves of new characters, followed by new story content in the last wave. those passes have become predictable

These expansion passes from nintendo always annoy me, by the time they release the 2md and 3rd waves most people including myself have already completed the game. I'd rather have the dlc characters, items and costumes straight away so I can use them during my play through.

Every FE game since the 3DS entries have had DLC, but I am starting to dislike the Day 1 DLC thing. I mean, you've just released the game, let people play the base game first and then talk about DLC coming down the line 3-6 months after release? I love FE and this game will probably be great for me from what I've seen so far, but Nintendo really need to start cooling down on their practices. That also includes selling half finished games and then releasing "free content updates", which should've just been part of the game at release. These days one of the few ways to truly get a finished game is by buying an indie title, it would seem.

"Look at this content that isn't in the game you're buying; you need to give us even more money for it" is a strange way to market a game.

No one is forcing u buy the expansion pack does not change the game. I will be getting day 1 it my money I can spend it how I want

CLAUDE VON RIEGAN YES

Nintendo season passes add very little value. Adding new characters months after those who would want new ones have already comleted the game is very weird.

@C25CLOUD You can spend money however you want, but your post does seem like a poor attempt at baiting.

There are many ways season passes like these could be improved to serve as a better proposition for those who enjoy the base game and want more. Too bad you have nothing to add to that discussion.

had the special edition pre ordered, but cancelled it as soon as I saw day 1 DLC

Its a bad look to show off paid DLC before the game actually launches.

If the game isn't out, why isn't this included in it?

I mean the Emblem system was just asking for that unfortunately...for me, it boils down to how much this will all cost on top of the base game. Times are tight! Other games will be out by the time all the waves are released.

@CharlieGirl So you're asking them to delay the game by 6-12 months? Is that it?

It won't be done by the release date. It's stuff they begin working on later. Extras.

@Blizzia I mean, why not?

It might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't get why everyone is so up in arms about this - FE has been doing Day 1 DLC since Awakening (so pretty much literally for the past decade) and it has kind of become an intrinsic part of their sales model. The game will be complete without the DLC, just like all the others were - if people don't like it, they don't have to buy it.

Besides, many other great games on Switch have had expansion passes announced prior to release with the first of several waves of content releasing with the game, and yet have not felt incomplete without it. Think BotW, Xenoblade 2 and 3, FETH, DQ Builders 2, both the Mario Rabbids games, HW: Age of Calamity...I have played and thoroughly enjoyed all of them before getting the DLC, and never felt like I had to spend the extra money in order to fully enjoy the game.

@CharlieGirl Coz it means we get it 6-12 months later for 30 bucks more? What's the point?

That's disappointing for a game already disappointing me with it's art style and story. The three houses trio look awful lol

"Summon your favorite fe heroes in this $60 game! Except that one, and this one and her too. You gotta pay more on top of the $60"

@C25CLOUD

Nobody told you that you can't buy the game and enjoy it. I think that most people on here are speaking for themselves. There are plenty of "complete" editions of games on sale for like 20 bucks right now. Day 1 DLC is shameful practice, and I will pass. If you feel like buying it day one, then more power to you. Options are a wonderful thing. I'm also glad they're letting us know ahead of time, because I don't feel like wasting my money when I can spend that extra cash on a nice steak or sushi dinner.

DLC? really? The game isn't even out

@Blizzia Or they could use the extra time to add this content to the game, and keep the same $60 price tag since it will be a finished game.
Many people were understanding when Tears of the Kingdom was delayed. I'm sure people would be understanding if this was delayed too.

@Sisilly_G

XD Three Hopes never got any DLC, what are you talking about?

Anyway, I was not interested in this game, this DLC announcement does nothing for me, but it is completely expected both in content and announcement timing. After two Fire Emblem (3H and Warriors) games on Switch with season pass, I never not once read someone praising or at least describing Three Hopes for being a "complete experience" or "the whole game for 60 bucks" or something of the sort, instead you either have in one side people who got it asking for DLC, or bizarrely enough, people who never got it thinking It got DLC as we see in the example above. I suppose Nintendo can do far better research than I do, and figures that DLC announcements and comments (even if negative) is a better marketing tool to keep the games name circulating rather than releasing a game without any of that buzz.

I'll get the game, but i'm holding off getting DLC right now. i'll pick the DLC up once all the waves have released.

I think people are making too much of this DLC, only 1 pack is day one with the rest coming later and with promise of extra story content showing it could be substantial.
If you don’t want it wait or skip it.

@CharlieGirl Calling a game that gets DLC an unfinished product is kinda stupid.
The game will still be a full experience worth $60 even without the DLC.

It doesn't look like there will be a passage of time where all the characters come back more grizzled and pissed off.

Maybe that's why this one hasn't hooked me yet.

Fire Emblem fans have become accustomed to Day 1 DLC, for better or worse. I'm getting the Divine Edition, so you'd better believe I'll be getting the DLC pack. I want every ounce of available Fire Emblem.

Also, that FE1 remix at the end of the Japanese trailer is awesome.

I don't know about the DLC, but the voice acting in that trailer made me ill. The first FE game I ever played was Shadows of Valentia on 3DS. It was amazing in regards to gameplay, story and voice acting. Then I bought Fates: Birthright... I can barely bring myself to play it. The gameplay feels mediocre and the story and voice acting is insufferable. This new game is giving me Fates vibes with added stomach churning levels of waifu nonsense.

I love Fire Emblem, but day one DLC ain't worth my time. This is why people emulate.

I really have very little interest in this entry from everything I've seen...the artstyle hasn't grown on me at all, I still detest it, and nothing about the other aspects of the game are really grabbing me...Think I'll pass on this entry and just wait however many years for the next FE game

I’ll get it but can’t say that I want to pay 30$ for it either. In no where near as annoyed as half of this comment section and am glad that we’ll get this at all.

Didn’t realize we’d get an additional story in wave 4 until reading this article so that’ll make it feel more worth the value.

This has been a thing since Awakening. Awakening did have early DLC, because the game was already out in Japan, and the DLC came after the release. Enough fans must have bought the 50 dollars worth of DLC for the 3DS games per entry, and spent enough money on the Season Passes for 3 Houses that a day one DLC just makes financial sense for Nintendo.

It's been over since fates... it really sucks to see success destroy this series. Three Houses gave me false hope

I'll probably get it down the road. As others have pointed out other Nintendo games have had Day 1 DLC and still been "complete" experiences. So until I play a Nintendo game which feels like something substantial is missing (I'm looking at you Final Fantasy XV) to be sold to me later I'll still gladly play the games and get the DLC when I have a better idea what it is. Announcing DLC before launch is just publishers telling consumers they're not abandoning the game after launch. It's a common practice now.

It's 2022 and we still have people who have no idea how DLC works ...

some people on here are just salty over dlc its not like their forcing you to get it on day one plus xenoblade 2 and 3 dlc has been handled really well so give it a rest.

Everyone remembers Fates happened, right? Fire Emblem has been scummy for a while. Nintendo seems happy to milk the colorful anime waifu husbando game for all its worth.

There is something to be said for respecting your audience and how you deliver a product. DLC isn't inherently bad, but announcing day 1 DLC is no different from asking more money upfront for a product you are still trying to sell someone. It's simply bad optics and nobody appreciates it.

But again, Nintendo does not care.

Can't wait for Smash 6 and half the new characters are from FE.

The thing that kills fire emblem for me, is literally how each opponent it tells you your rate of success and failure. Like takeaway the enjoyment of finding out on my own much? We're is the strategy...it saddens me. The attacks look cool but there's nothing to figure out. They straight up spoil probabilytys that a tactition should find out for himself on the battlefield thru trial n error. It sucks the entire fun out of the series for me.

I’m honestly canceling my preorder…this “DLC” is simply content that they’re withholding from the main game. C’mon Nintendo…why would you announce this before the game is even out?