Zelda: Breath of the Wild just announced a DLC pass and people are flipping out
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won't just have paid DLC, it will have a full expansion pass worth of extra stuff. Nintendo made the surprise announcement with a special video from series producer Eiji Aonuma today, and the reaction was… well, not everybody hated it.
But first, here's what's actually included in the $19.99 / £17.99 pass:
So some extra items at launch (including an in-game shirt with the Nintendo Switch logo, so that's kinda weird), then extra features for challenge-seekers over the summer, and a bigger update with a new dungeon and "original story" in time for holiday 2017. Oh, and you can't purchase the packs individually on Switch or Wii U, it's all-or-nothing. Now here's what folks are saying.
People were mad, obviously
DLC in the new Zelda 👎🏽February 14, 2017
I love the Zelda games more so than any other, and I am deeply excited for BotW, but really? Season DLC passes for items and a new story??February 14, 2017
It sucks to see a sacred property such as Zelda getting DLC, especially it being announced before the game is even outFebruary 14, 2017
The DLC hard mode was a sore spot
If it turns out that the only Hard Mode in BotW is locked behind DLC then I might be cancelling my Switch pre-order.February 14, 2017
Hero ModeY'know, the thing that comes with a majority of the 3D Zeldas https://t.co/VzG5YHfdFyFebruary 14, 2017
The only thing that seems bad about the Zelda DLC is that hard mode is DLC.February 14, 2017
We don't know the "New Hard Mode" coming in DLC Pack 1 is the only hard mode that will be available in Breath of the Wild. In fact, calling it "new" makes it sound like there may already be one in the base game. Typical hard or "Hero" modes in Zelda games make you take extra damage and rely on potions to heal yourself, so maybe this "New Hard Mode" could crank up the game's survival elements as well, like Fallout 4 Survival Mode.
Some people were excited about further Zelda-ing
I am 0% mad about #Zelda #BreathOfTheWild having DLC 'cause Mario Kart 8's DLC was also $20 and added 50% more to the game long after launchFebruary 14, 2017
This Zelda DLC seems like a FINE way to reward fans who want more out of an ALREADY HUGE GAME, and a great way for fans to support NintendoFebruary 14, 2017
I am SO down for some Zelda DLC. It's not really the game I would expect to include DLC, so I'm curious as to what we'll get.February 14, 2017
While others had their own ideas for DLC add-ons
This new Zelda DLC is worth every penny af pic.twitter.com/QUgdhO1OGGFebruary 14, 2017
hold on nintendo just announced even more zelda dlc pic.twitter.com/JfYhXiENwJFebruary 14, 2017
Aonuma says that "new story" included in Zelda DLC will "deliberately contradict whichever timeline theory about BotW becomes most popular".February 14, 2017
Me? I'm just looking forward to DLC Pack 2 as an excuse to dive back into Breath of the Wild over the holiday break. Assuming the game's good, that might be worth $20 to me all by itself.
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I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer here at GamesRadar.