Nintendo planning paid DLC for Wii U

During an earnings briefing on Friday, Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata shared plans to introduce paid item transactions on the Wii U and the 3DS. This would allow players to purchase extra content for their games, new courses, new characters etc.

Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto both expressed interest in extending the life of their games through downloadable content. However, they will be selective about how they implement it. Iwata noted that low quality DLC like unlocking keys or stat increases would likely increase short term profits but might not be beneficial in the long run as it does not allow Nintendo to build long term relationships with the customer.

Even though Nintendo might not implement low quality DLC this doesn’t mean that third party companies won’t.

Iwata also addressed the idea of free-to-play games where you are charged for item purchases. He feels that this type of content would damage the premium value of Nintendo’s content.

Paid item transaction will be available for the 3DS later this year and the Wii U when it comes out.

So, are you happy that Nintendo are implementing DLC in the Wii U? New vehicles in Mario Kart? Yes please.

We can deliver all the latest Wii U news straight to your inbox every morning. Want in?

Comments, Reactions, and General Hooliganism

  1. bamby

    yes i am. this is the right road to finaly be at the same level of MS and sony and drop the kid face nintendo has for more than 15 years. i really dont care about download cuse is another way of easy money but is good as a company stratergy for business and changes of image in this video game world where everybody since to think that online is what make games cool when video games always was about my personal time

  2. Zchnullmund

    Very very nice imo. Making you pay for DLC’s somehow makes it feel more modern.

  3. Giggity3000

    Oh great lets use resident evil as a compare point.
    Re 4: Mercenaries, side missions, and costumes all included with purchase.
    Re 5: half costumes… and the rest will be in a expensive DLC.

    Whenever i see a DLC i see it as them just cutting out a portion for you to play.

    • Zchnullmund

      Aye that sucks, but as Iwata noted that low quality DLC like unlocking keys or stat increases would likely increase short term profits but might not be beneficial in the long run as it does not allow Nintendo to build long term relationships with the customer.

      Though if DLC means instead of cutting out a portion of the game, adding new stuff to the game instead, that’s great.

  4. Colin

    “Iwata also addressed the idea of free-to-play games where you are charged for item purchases. He feels that this type of content would damage the premium value of Nintendo’s content.”

    What exactly does this mean? Like, there will be a game to play while your DLC downloads, like how they have Snake on YouTube?

  5. AMAC

    I’d like to see paid DLC on the Wii U and 3DS. I’d rather pay £10 for updates in sports games, than pay £30-40 for a new game.

  6. Gotta_Love_Pikmin

    It’s a good thing Nintendo’s only going to sell DLC to increase the playability of the game. Like new stages, new items on Mario Kart. New powerups and stages on Super Mario.
    They can literally do anything to, like I said before, increase the playability.

    That’s great news from Nintendo.

  7. zxride64

    I have trust in Nintendo when they talk about how they will carry out their DLC. But companies like Capcom and Activision are a different story. Also, i think Iwata will allow Free to play games that charge you for items on the wii u but nintendo will not adapt these kind of games.