[StreetsAhead]

http://andriasang.com/con0ks/fire_emblem_marth/

Nintendo has shared details on Fire Emblem Awakening's first round of download content. Classic Fire Emblem character Marth will appear in the game as a ¥300 download. Clear a map, and you'll get to make Marth into a party member. Marth will be available for download on April 19, opposite Awakening's release. The DLC will be free through May 31.

Sounds alright to me.

First 1st party DLC, right?

[UberTag]

http://andriasang.com/con0ks/fire_emblem_marth/ Sounds alright to me. First 1st party DLC, right?

Is it preloaded on the cartridge? Or is it actually something to download? ;)

[RyougaSaotome]

Completely free at first? I'm in. Planning on grabbing it day one anyway.

[StreetsAhead]

Is it preloaded on the cartridge? Or is it actually something to download? ;)

Does it matter?

[Drkirby]

I do sort of like Nintendo's "Free for the first few months" incentive to get people to buy products. Its roughly the same idea of a Pre-order bonus, except far better.

[Watch Da Birdie]

Any word on if we can marry DLC characters?

That Marth chick always caught my eye in Smash Brother.

[DR2K]

Does it matter?

Yes, a lot.

[djplaeskool]

Does it matter?

Oh boy...

[Allan Holdsworth]

Hopefully the US version (ha!) has everything built in. Fuck DLC.

[Wario64]

Free timed release DLC is basically another spin off on online passes. Except you can't wait for bomba pricing...smart

[fernoca]

Guess some missed the ";)" Uber posted at the end of that question. :p

But just to clarify, it will be an actual download.
Iwata (and members of the dev-team) already talked about their approach to DLC (i.e. new content that is not in the retail game and as much content in retail games as possible; so that DLC is not seen as "stuff cut from the game").

[Anth0ny]

Free DLC for a limited time is pretty genius.

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Good old Marth VS Masked Marth!

[Hansel]

I do sort of like Nintendo's "Free for the first few months" incentive to get people to buy products. Its roughly the same idea of a Pre-order bonus, except far better.

I agree. Very cool way to do it.

[Fantastical]

Guess some missed the ";)" Uber posted at the end of that question. :p But just to clarify, it will be an actual download. Iwata (and members of the dev-team) already talked about their approach to DLC (i.e. new content that is not in the retail game and as much content in retail games as possible; so that DLC is not seen as "stuff cut from the game").

So they are doing that by offering Marth as a downloadable character and announcing it more than a week before the game is out?

[fernoca]

So they are doing that by offering Marth as a downloadable character and announcing it more than a week before the game is out?

Many developers tend to talk about their online plans, so that people now that they do have..well, online plans. The game may be released soon, but was finished some time ago; and they talked about starting that content after the game was finished.

Same way there will be "smaller DLC" for free through Spotpass like every day (like a new character every day or something).

[Fantastical]

Many developers tend to talk about their online plans, so that people now that they do have..well, online plans. The game may be released soon, but was finished some time ago; and they talked about starting that content after the game was finished. Same way there will be "smaller DLC" for free through Spotpass like every day (like a new character every day or something).

In this game? Isn't this just a downloadable character.

[Sandfox]

In this game? Isn't this just a downloadable character.

This also seems to come with a map judging by the description and I'm guessing Marth is one of the bigger characters in the FE universe.

[Femmeworth]

Is there any guarantee that the rest of the DLC will be free at first too? A ~$3 character doesn't sound like much of an incentive to buy it around launch.

[fernoca]

Yep, the translation makes it sounds as if you finish a map/mission to unlock the character.

Re: Spotpass:
Players will receive a "Spot Pass Team" on a nearly daily basis.
This team will consist of characters made in the image of past Fire Emblem characters.
You'll be able to fight them, make them into allies, and so-forth.
You can expect to receive around 120 teams through Spot Pass.

And the pic of Marth posted at AndriaSang:

[Oni Link 666]

Wait, wasn't Marth already confirmed to be that masked character? Would that make this on-disc on-card DLC?

[IntelliHeath]

Marth look great. I wonder if Sakurai planning to use that model for SSB4.

[jj984jj]

Wait, wasn't Marth already confirmed to be that masked character? Would that make this on-disc on-card DLC?

Pretty sure this won't be the one in the story. Whether or not the data is on the card.

[Ridley327]

Yep, the translation makes it sounds as if you finish a map/mission to unlock the character. Re: Spotpass: Players will receive a "Spot Pass Team" on a nearly daily basis. This team will consist of characters made in the image of past Fire Emblem characters. You'll be able to fight them, make them into allies, and so-forth. You can expect to receive around 120 teams through Spot Pass.

So, these SpotPass Teams will essentially be CACs that Nintendo will send out, while the DLC characters are more fleshed-out with portraits and dialogue and whatnot?

[@MUWANdo]

So, these SpotPass Teams will essentially be CACs that Nintendo will send out, while the DLC characters are more fleshed-out with portraits and dialogue and whatnot?

That's the gist of it, yeah.

[Aostia]

That's the gist of it, yeah.

probably I'm idiot, but I don't understand the difference between DLC and Spotpass >_<
can you help me out?

[Ignis Fatuus]

Yep, the translation makes it sounds as if you finish a map/mission to unlock the character. Re: Spotpass: Players will receive a "Spot Pass Team" on a nearly daily basis. This team will consist of characters made in the image of past Fire Emblem characters. You'll be able to fight them, make them into allies, and so-forth. You can expect to receive around 120 teams through Spot Pass. And the pic of Marth posted at AndriaSang:

Damn he looks fabulous.

[Oni Link 666]

Pretty sure this won't be the one in the story. Whether or not the data is on the card.

That was a joke. I don't know anything about what kind of Marth either Marth is or if they are the same kind of Marth.

probably I'm idiot, but I don't understand the difference between DLC and Spotpass >_< can you help me out?

SpotPass downloads automatically and puts a little blue circle by the game icon. DLC you go to the eShop to download.

[Aostia]

SpotPass downloads automatically and puts a little blue circle by the game icon. DLC you go to the eShop to download.

So, there will be characters/maps for free (via Spotpass) and for 300 yen (via DLC)? basically the same thing, but probably the best characters will be DLC and through Spotpass we'll get other "secondary" characters?

[Crewnh]

Call me when we get Hector.

[@MUWANdo]

So, there will be characters/maps for free (via Spotpass) and for 300 yen (via DLC)? basically the same thing, but probably the best characters will be DLC and through Spotpass we'll get other "secondary" characters?

More or less, yeah. The free SpotPass characters will be create-a-character units based off past FE characters, whereas the paid DLC characters will be proper, unique units with individual models, portraits etc, or at least that's what I can gather from the info so far.

There will be no free maps, as far as I know; from the sounds of things the DLC will be released as packs, with a character and one or more maps to a pack.

[Aostia]

More or less, yeah. The free SpotPass characters will be create-a-character units based off past FE characters, whereas the paid DLC characters will be proper, unique units with individual models, portraits etc, or at least that's what I can gather from the info so far. There will be no free maps, as far as I know; from the sounds of things the DLC will be released as packs, with a character and one or more maps to a pack.

Ok, thank you. We'll see if the final details will be these, but up to now I can dig it as they are presenting the DLC issue.

[kayos90]

Why does this Marth look so BA. seriously... omg.

[Laughing Banana]

Damn he looks fabulous.

I seriously thought that screen pictured a female character before seeing your post o_O

[vareon]

Yep, the translation makes it sounds as if you finish a map/mission to unlock the character. Re: Spotpass: Players will receive a "Spot Pass Team" on a nearly daily basis. This team will consist of characters made in the image of past Fire Emblem characters. You'll be able to fight them, make them into allies, and so-forth. You can expect to receive around 120 teams through Spot Pass. And the pic of Marth posted at AndriaSang:

Okay now somehow I wanted an Umakoshi-designed characters for Fire Emblem.

[Soneet]

I do sort of like Nintendo's "Free for the first few months" incentive to get people to buy products. Its roughly the same idea of a Pre-order bonus, except far better.

It's actually pretty damn smart business wise, but still a pain in the ass for gamers. Forces me to buy a game early at full price if I want the full game.

[pa22word]

Seems like an interesting way of doing it.

I seriously thought that screen pictured a female character before seeing your post o_O

Same here >.>

[@MUWANdo]

It's actually pretty damn smart business wise, but still a pain in the ass for gamers. Forces me to buy a game early at full price if I want the full game.

Not really. The DLC isn't content that was cut from the game to be sold digitally, and if you wait six months (or five years, given that it's a Nintendo release) to buy the game at a reduced price and then buy the DLC it'll probably still be cheaper than buying new. It's a nice incentive to push a few people into buying early, nothing more.

[Truth101]

It's actually pretty damn smart business wise, but still a pain in the ass for gamers. Forces me to buy a game early at full price if I want the full game.

But you get the full game no matter when you buy it, you just don't get the extras for free.

Edit:

Gah, Muwando beat me to it.

[kayos90]

After wario mentioned it this is pretty smart. If you have day 1 dlc and make it free for a limited time then either a.) you have to buy the game new - sort of - at retail price or b.) you can wait for bomba and buy the dlc. Granted, this is unlockable in-game from what i'm reading but still, I think this is an excellent way of handling it. Imagine if ME3 had From Ashes free for the first week and was 10 dollars afterwards.

[pa22word]

. Granted, this is unlockable in-game from what i'm reading but still, I think this is an excellent way of handling it

Na I think what it's trying to convey is that the DLC makes you beat a battle to unlock Marth (basically just like From Ashes, funnily enough).

[Spiffy_1st]

Nintendo does everything right, once again.

[Regulus Tera]

And here's where all the goodwill Nintendo had got back from me for Kid Icarus 3 is gone. :(

I don't care if it's free at first.

[Exterminieren]

And here's where all the goodwill Nintendo had got back from me for Kid Icarus 3 is gone. :( I don't care if it's free at first.

Why?

You're still getting a full game, but now with free bits to download to go with it.

Kneejerking against DLC blindly irritates me, I have to say.

[@MUWANdo]

And here's where all the goodwill Nintendo had got back from me for Kid Icarus 3 is gone. :( I don't care if it's free at first.

So you just object to paid DLC in general rather than anything pertaining to this specific instance?

[dragonlife]

I'm liking Nintendo's approach with DLC.

[Regulus Tera]

In my days, DLC were called "unlockables" or "cheats".[/grumpy grandpa]

So you just object to paid DLC in general rather than anything pertaining to this specific instance?

Pretty much. I'm more concerned that DLC gives companies an excuse to publish unfinished games with the purpose of fixing them afterwards. But I am aware this is an unpopular opinion.

Video games are dead to me again.

[Exterminieren]

Pretty much. I'm more concerned that DLC gives companies an excuse to publish unfinished games with the purpose of fixing them afterwards. But I am aware this is an unpopular opinion.

Come on, you know that's not Nintendo's style.

They release unfinished games without the prospect of fixing them afterwards. :p

[Freezie KO]

I'm anti-DLC, but if it's free at first, then whatever, I'm fine with it.

But it still makes no sense for a strategy game. How are you supposed to balance a game when you can recruit an extra 120 characters via SpotPass, unless they're all mediocre?

Maybe this works for an RPG where gameplay is second to story, but Fire Emblem is always gameplay first in my view. Is the game balanced to have one extra powerful character? Should I keep this in mind when choosing my difficulty? Or is using Marth like a cheat mode? Or does he suck, at which point... why bother?

[@MUWANdo]

In my days, DLC were called "unlockables" or "cheats".[/grumpy grandpa] Pretty much. I'm more concerned that DLC gives companies an excuse to publish unfinished games with the purpose of fixing them afterwards. But I am aware this is an unpopular opinion. Video games are dead to me again.

Well in this specific instance they hadn't even decided on whether to do DLC until the game was pretty much finished, and there was a very real chance that it wasn't gonna happen at all... if you believe the Iwata Asks, at least.