Yesterday’s Nintendo Direct presentation may have focused entirely on Switch games, but one big reference to mobile was clear to Fire Emblem fans. In Wave 3 of Fire Emblem Engage’s DLC, a Heroes original character will be joining the cast, crossing into the main series of console games for the first time.
Veronica was Heroes’ first antagonist and the game’s mascot at launch, able to summon series characters from across worlds. She remains an important character in the main story and was redesigned late last year with the new moniker “Princess Rising”. Now, her updated form is being added to Switch title Engage as DLC, crossing worlds herself.
A Princess Rising
Coming from a game most consider non-canon, Veronica’s inclusion further establishes the impact that mobile gaming has had on the franchise and the popularity of its characters. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems must be confident in Veronica’s popularity, at least, to be including her in the Switch title as a paid DLC exclusive rather than a free character.
And if the Heroes references weren’t apparent enough with her inclusion, shown off in the Nintendo Direct was Veronica’s ability to summon fighters into Engage – appearing as five-star units, the highest ranking in Heroes.
Of course, the base game already drew heavy inspiration from Heroes in its legacy characters’ designs, and even has items and weapons that are unlockable only by playing Heroes and connecting accounts. But this is the first time an original Heroes character will be joining a mainline game in such a prominent way.
With all of the in-game cross-promotional events, Nintendo’s plan to use mobile gaming as a way of introducing a wider audience to its IPs has been perhaps most evident in the Fire Emblem series. It is likely that Heroes’ success has led many players to enter the main series for the first time with Engage, and Veronica’s inclusion as DLC further supports this; for many newer fans, a familiar face may well be worth the additional purchase.
