The Ultimate Guide to How Zelda's Tears of the Kingdom DLC Unleashes a Golden Opportunity!

After the phenomenal success of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, both critically and financially, fans eagerly demanded a sequel. However, it seemed unimaginable to create a Zelda game that could match the high expectations set by its predecessor, which revolutionized open-world game design. Nevertheless, after a six-year wait, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom not only met those expectations, but exceeded them. With its intriguing Zonai creations and a captivating story that challenges the concept of saving Princess Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom is a strong contender for many fans' Game of the Year.

Yet, one question arises: how much does The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom strive to emulate its predecessor's success? Breath of the Wild had an entire expansion pass of downloadable content (DLC) for players to enjoy after its release. While Tears of the Kingdom is undoubtedly an incredible and fulfilling standalone experience, Nintendo would undoubtedly be neglecting a lucrative opportunity if it did not release its own expansion pass in the future.

How DLC Can Be the Icing on Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Cake

While it may seem unnecessary to have DLC for Tears of the Kingdom, the same argument could be made for Breath of the Wild. Both open-world Zelda games offer extensive content and a complete story in their base versions. Any additional content would simply be an added bonus to an already substantial and immersive experience. This led to speculation that Breath of the Wild's Expansion Pass was just another example of an "unfinished" release by Nintendo.

However, the Expansion Pass for Breath of the Wild introduced numerous new features that not only enhanced gameplay but also expanded upon it with challenging additions like Master Mode and the Champion's Ballad. The Champion's Ballad in particular showcased the potential for DLC to surprise players long after the main storyline has concluded. This raises the question of what kind of new experiences Tears of the Kingdom's DLC could offer if given similar opportunities.

Nintendo's Gains from Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom DLC

Although there is potential for the TOTK DLC to surprise players, it ultimately needs to provide a benefit for Nintendo. While it's difficult to determine the exact sales of Breath of the Wild's Expansion Pass, it is highly unlikely that a pass for such a popular game performed poorly. Furthermore, even without DLC, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently the fastest-selling Zelda game ever, which suggests that an Expansion Pack will likely sell well if it entices players to purchase additional content.

Additionally, TOTK has the advantage of utilizing something that Breath of the Wild couldn't. Given the introduction of the Nintendo Switch Online Plus Expansion Pack tier to their online subscription service, the company now offers fans the opportunity to access DLC for other Switch games, including expansions for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Splatoon 2.

Offering the DLC for Tears of the Kingdom as part of the Expansion Pack, without any additional fee, would attract and retain subscribers. The higher tier of Nintendo Switch Online is already favorable for Zelda fans, featuring a wide range of games. Fans who may not subscribe to the Expansion Pack solely for TOTK's bonus content would still likely buy it if the DLC is comparable to the bonuses in Breath of the Wild. Therefore, Nintendo would have no downside if TOTK followed in BOTW's footsteps by offering DLC. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently available for Nintendo Switch.