Topic: Initial Fire Emblem DLC Costs No Money

[Webmalfunction]

3DS owners can get their hands on new episodes and maps starting April 19.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/29349

The first round of Fire Emblem: Kakusei DLC will be free of charge, as reported by Iwata during Nintendo Direct.

The downloadable content includes new maps and episodic content, and will cost no money until May 31. Nintendo will also release prepaid cards to purchase content with at a later date.

Fire Emblem is set to be released April 19, the same date content will first become available.

[Da Jarvis]

Man, I hope this new Fire Emblem get's a US release, as it might push me to finally get a 3DS.

[the asylum]

Seeing how it won't be a remake of an 20-year old game (that still played like a 20-year old game), I have high hopes for this to be released stateside.

[Mop it up]

If the DLC is free and available from day 1, why make it DLC to begin with? Why not include it on the game card?

[Shaymin]

To get people used to checking for DLC so when they start announcing the pay stuff, you'll know to look for it.

[Luigi Dude]

If the DLC is free and available from day 1, why make it DLC to begin with? Why not include it on the game card?

To force more people to buy the game right away at launch instead of waiting a few months to buy it cheaper or used.  Unlike in North America were Nintendo can keep the price high for years, in Japan stores will lower the prices for Nintendo sometimes after just a few weeks if the sales aren't to hot, plus the used game industry is pretty huge in Japan as well.

Basically this will be Nintendo's way to try and maximize profits in Japan by making people either buy the games at full price for free DLC or buy it cheaper or used later on but will have to pay Nintendo for the DLC so Nintendo will still end up making around the same amount of money with each sale.

[Ceric]

If the DLC is free and available from day 1, why make it DLC to begin with? Why not include it on the game card?

To force more people to buy the game right away at launch instead of waiting a few months to buy it cheaper or used.  Unlike in North America were Nintendo can keep the price high for years, in Japan stores will lower the prices for Nintendo sometimes after just a few weeks if the sales aren't to hot, plus the used game industry is pretty huge in Japan as well.

Basically this will be Nintendo's way to try and maximize profits in Japan by making people either buy the games at full price for free DLC or buy it cheaper or used later on but will have to pay Nintendo for the DLC so Nintendo will still end up making around the same amount of money with each sale.

I will also add it alleviates the fear of accidentally buying something when your just looking.  This way it will encourage people to try to get the DLC.  Once someone now that they can do it and it isn't complicated there more apt to on the Pay DLC.

I'm wondering if they left space on the cart to store the DLC on there.

[ejamer]

First hit is free.  Effective marketing tactic and addiction starter that's been used for generations.

[TJ Spyke]

Do you need the game to get the DLC? I have a tendency to download any free DLC on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, even if I doubt I will ever buy the game. LOL

[MegaByte]

I'm wondering if they left space on the cart to store the DLC on there.

Doubtful. They have SD cards for that now. It doesn't make sense to waste money on extra storage chips.