Fire Emblem: Three Houses Update Adds Maddening Difficulty, Expansion Pass Maps, Replaces Male Byleth Voice Actor, and More

The first major update for Fire Emblem: Three Houses has finally launched on Nintendo Switch bringing new features, expansion pass content, and more. The update unlocks the new Maddening mode as a new game difficulty option for all players. The update also changes how much renown you earn when starting a new game+ file. The update finally changes the voice for the male protagonist option. This change was made to Fire Emblem Heroes already after abuse and harassment allegations were made. Nintendo confirmed to Kotaku that the change would arrive in a future patch for Fire Emblem: Three Houses and that update has arrived today. If you don’t own the expansion pass, you can still get the items and maps included today whenever you buy the pass in the future. None of the content is time limited.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses version 1.02 patch notes

• New and Updated Features
  • Added Maddening mode to the New Game difficulty options. Note that if you clear Maddening mode without selecting New Game +, the title screen will change.
  • Increased the bonus Renown for selecting New Game + at the start of the game.
    • In addition to the usual difficulty bonus, 10,000 Pts. will now be added each time you clear a path.
    • The max threshold for bonus Renown is now 50,000 Pts.
    • If you already started playing using New Game + before applying the DLC data, 10,000 Pts. per cleared path will be added to each save slot the first time it is loaded.
    • Up to Ver.1.0.1, only the type of path cleared was saved but not the number of clears for the same path, which will now be saved applying the DLC Ver.1.0.2.
  • Added Goddess Tower to the Event Gallery in Extras. Use the ZL/ZR Buttons to select the Goddess Tower page, then choose a character event to replay.
    • The Event Gallery is unlocked once you’ve cleared the game.
  • Implemented new English voice for Byleth (male).
  • New Expansion Pass Content:
    • A new set of items 
      • You can receive this set of items as DLC Supplies from the bed in Byleth’s Personal Quarters. Each save file can receive these supplies: Sacred Galewind Shoes (Movement +1), Sacred Floral Robe (HP +7), Sacred Snowmelt Drop (Strength +3), Sacred Moonstone (Speed +3).
    • Additional auxiliary battles
      • There are five additional auxiliary battles in the Expansion Pass: Battle at Lake Teutates, Battle in the Forest, Battle at Gronder Field, Battle at the Sealed Forest, and Battle at Conand Tower.
      • Depending on your progress, one of them will be listed in the battle-selection screen.
      • These additional auxiliary battles will be marked with the yellow “!” icon in the battle-selection screen. As a bonus, these battles may give you status-up items, such as Ailell Pomegranate, and an increased Gold reward in addition to the Bullions.
      • All maps will consume one activity point to start.
    • A new song (Corridor of the Tempest)
      • You can access the new song (Corridor of the Tempest) from the System menu while you are in an auxiliary battle. You can also listen to it in the Music Library.
    • New attire/accessory (House Loungewear / Glasses for Byleth)
      • The new attire (House Loungewear) is for the protagonist and students. Swap outfits in Byleth’s Personal Quarters from the Journal. These outfits are only wearable inside the monastery, or for specific unit classes during battle (this varies by character).
      • The new attire cannot be sent along with a traveler.
      • The new accessory (Glasses) can also be put on in Byleth’s Personal Quarters. They can be combined with any other attire. The glasses can be worn in the monastery and during battle.
    • A confirmation message is now displayed when you abandon an item during battle.
• General
  • Fixed the bug that caused the game to freeze when Fortify was used while equipped with a certain skill. 
  • Addressed the incorrect character design in event still images. 
  • Fixed the bug that incorrectly displayed a Caspar line as Linhardt’s during the White Heron Cup.
  • Fixed the bug that displayed a “TBD” message when mastering combat. 
  • Fixed the bug in the cut-in sequence for a CRITICAL attack.
  • Fixed the bug that prevented Rescue magic from working properly to move an ally to a space near the user.
  • Fixed the bug that accidentally let the player enter the closed-off desk corridor in the Cardinals’ Room. 
  • Some text has been revised.
  • The gameplay has been improved by addressing a few additional bugs.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses Expansion Pass contents:

• Additional Story Content +
• Additional Auxiliary Battles + 
• Additional Items + 
• Additional Quests +
• New Attire + 

Officers Academy Outfits for female and Male Byleth are available now in addition to the new Maddening Difficulty and the expansion pass maps. It is worth noting that content is planned until the end of April 2020 for Fire Emblem: Three Houses in terms of updates and DLC.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses Expansion Pass price and bundle details:

The Expansion Pass is priced at $24.99 and is also available in a bundle with the base game for $84.98.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is now available on Nintendo Switch.