In a Legend of Zelda first, Breath of the Wild will receive an expansion pass, adding new DLC content to the game.
Producer Eiji Aonuma announced The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will receive three packs of DLC. The first pack will be available at release on March 3rd, the second pack will arrive in the summer, and the final pack will release during the holiday season.
The first pack is considered bonus DLC and only contains three new treasure chests players can find within the game. These chests will house “useful items” and exclusive in-game clothing. The second DLC pack will add a Cave of Trials challenge, a new hard mode difficulty level, and a new map feature. The final pack will include a new story, a new dungeon, and new challenges.
DLC is commonplace in modern video games, but Nintendo has only recently started to include DLC in its games. Spinoff titles such as Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros for the Wii U/3DS contain paid DLC characters and stages, while third-party games such as Monster Hunter Generations receive free DLC. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the first non-spinoff, mainstream Nintendo titles to receive paid DLC.
Starting March 3rd, players can purchase the expansion pass for $20. The pass will include all three DLC packs.