Nintendo has expressed interest in adopting the games-as-a-service business model that has become so popular in this modern age of gaming. Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima stated during an earnings hearing that the company is planning on releasing “even more” DLC for it’s titles. They also plan on holding more in-game events so that players will have more reason to continue playing. “To promote longer gameplay for individual software titles, we plan to implement even more downloadable content and events that build excitement for games.”
Nintendo has used this method in order to keep some of their big titles fresh for players. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild is a very recent example with two big expansion packs. The first being The Master Trials, which added a new trial that boosted the player’s weapon stats, two new modes, and new armor. The second, The Champions Ballad, which launched in December, included a total of nine new armor sets as well as a motorcycle for players.
Not only will this model allow players to get more entertainment out of a single title, it will also be a way for companies who use this model to make more profit off the game overall. Another big developer who is taking advantage of this model is Square Enix, as we have seen the give a steady supply of DLC, updates, and events for their action RPG Final Fantasy XV. They’ve also announced that they will be continuing to supply new content for the game into this year. So it looks like there is a good chance we will see Nintendo put forth more post release content for future titles down the line for players to enjoy.