Nintendo has announced plans to release additional content for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in the form of two DLC packs scheduled to release this year that include an original story, an additional difficulty setting, and more.
While this isn’t the first time Nintendo has offered paid DLC for one of its flagship franchises— the Wii U’s Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. each saw their share—this marks the first time it has done so for a main, non-spinoff Legend of Zelda game.
For $19.99, Breath of the Wild players will be able to grab an expansion pass that grants access to both DLC packs when they release, as well as an instant in-game bonus that places three treasure chests into the game containing a Nintendo Switch shirt for Link and some other useful items.
The first pack, announced for the summer of 2017, includes a new “Trials of Challenge” cave, a new hard mode, and adds an additional map feature into the game. The second pack, coming during the holiday season, promises a new dungeon to explore, a new original story, and “additional challenges”. The two packs are a package deal, however; players won't be able to buy just one of the packs or even purchase them individually.
Nintendo hasn't said if this first round of DLC will be the only paid additional content coming to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in the future, but this newfound shift to post-release support certainly is a fitting change for the expansively open-world Zelda game that already seems to be redefining the series.