Fire Emblem Fates, a year after international release

The release of Fire Emblem 14 (IF/Fates) was a total disaster in both the U.S. and Europe.

When that game was released to the general public, no one could get the whole game on release day.

What Nintendo had people do was have them buy the desired one-third of the game on the cart, then force them to get the other two-thirds as DLC.

The only way to get the entire game on a cart was through the Special Edition.

Not a single store had a copy of the Special Edition on release day. Even if the store did, the store would only be supposedly allocated 6 copies according to one YouTuber who went to a Fry’s Electronics store to buy it on release day in the San Jose area.

For months after release in both regions, Nintendo was seen in a less favorable light about this decision despite the silly PR videos about splitting the game up into thirds. The statements they put out was to “save up on costs.” Then assumed that everyone had outstanding internet connections as they do in Japan.

Well for us other people in other parts of the world, we were willing to pay 80USD for the complete game on release day. It’s not that difficult. People in other parts of the world want to be complete with what they do.

By splitting the game, Nintendo told the general public that ‘if you don’t have the net connections nor the electronic payment means, then you don’t matter.’

The major issue with force downloading the other two-thirds is that not everyone has a good internet connection followed by reliable electronic payment methods. Especially people who live in rural areas. Then if someone were to pick up the 14^th installment decades after release, and reached the decision point, they are most likely not going to continue playing Fire Emblem after they find out that what they picked up is only a third of a game. More the reason why all three thirds should have been released together on a cart.

The Cart did have space to accommodate all three paths with leftover space for the DLC content.

What Nintendo should have done was allow everyone to buy the entire game on one cart than cut it up.

By doing so, this problem is null and void. But since they did what they did, it’s just a sign that Nintendo is willing to sell people a fraction of a general release title, then force you the consumer to force download the rest of the game at extra costs. Much like what Capcom recently did with Street Fighter V.

Whoever at Nintendo came up with the idea to split the game has to be fired at this point.

The idea may have worked in Japan. But for the rest of the world, they want to be complete with everything they do.

This kind of behavior is unacceptable. Imagine if Westwood Studios in the 1990’s forced you to choose between GDI or Nod when C&C was released for 80USD retail? Imagine how long Westwood Studios would have lasted if that decision was made? They wouldn’t have made it very far and C&C would have been another blip on the map for this kind of behavior.

If Intelligent Systems develops another Fire Emblem game that has a decision making component that alters the game by leaps and bounds; keep it all together. People are willing to pay the extra cost to get the entire game on a single cart. Don’t force everyone to download the other fractions of the game as DLC. Be complete with what you do Nintendo.

Don’t cut games up out of convenience believing that the public will go along with it. Because now the public has record that Nintendo is willing to cut corners to make fast cash. It’s nice that Nintendo fixed it with the South Korean release of the game, but the negative reception shall remain.