Nintendo will offer DLC on first-party games, but retail must provide 'complete experience'

Nintendo plans on releasing an update for the 3DS that will enable microtransactions to be purchased from the eShop. While DLC is nothing new for Microsoft and Sony, this will mark a major milestone for Nintendo, a company that has traditionally avoided the growing sector.

According to Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, the company has been reluctant to pursue DLC because of concerns raised by various key members of Nintendo's internal development studios. "When we sell a game, we want the consumer to feel that they've had a complete experience," Fils-Aime said, contrasting recent efforts of publishers to restrict content behind DLC.

For example, Warner Bros. received a lot of flak for partitioning Catwoman's part in Batman: Arkham City as day-one DLC. While the game was playable without the feline anti-hero, some people undoubtedly felt like they weren't getting the "complete experience" without her presence.

"We're unwilling to sell a piece of a game upfront and, if you will, force a consumer to buy more later," Fils-Aime told Games.com. "That's what they don't want to do, and I completely agree. I think the consumer wants to get, for their money, a complete experience, and then we have opportunities to provide more on top of that."

While Fils-Aime's strong stance against for-pay DLC might suggest the company won't pursue add-ons for its upcoming games, he says that the company will "participate" in offering "additional digital content." He elaborates: "We'll do it is that whatever we sell initially, we will feel that that is a complete experience. And if that's all the consumer wants to do, that they'd be satisfied."