'Fire Emblem: Heroes' update brings new chapter, with more expected to follow

Nintendo’s free-to-play mobile game Fire Emblem: Heroes has been updated with a new selection of playable heroes, along with an additional storyline chapter that runs parallel to the game’s core campaign.

Nintendo also promises an array of future fixes and balance tweaks in response to player feedback, indicating that the app has a long life span ahead of it.

Released for iOS and Android platforms earlier this month, Fire Emblem: Heroes is a turn-based, tactical role-playing game in which players guide custom-built squadrons of Fire Emblem characters in battle. While the game is available as a free download, playable characters must be summoned using in-game currency, and many of the game’s best units are only available as rare drops.

This week’s Fire Emblem: Heroes update adds a new Paralogue chapter featuring three playable maps. The game’s storyline content was previously limited to a nine-chapter campaign, and additional Paralogue chapters will roll out on a regular basis in the months ahead.

Players can also summon several new characters as part of the recently launched “New Heroes: Family Bonds” promotional event. Featured five-star characters appearing in New Heroes: Family Bonds include Restoration Lady Lirika, Heir of Light Seliph, Restoration Lord Ephraim, and Julia of Naga’s Blood. Each of these new characters has a 3 percent chance of appearing during randomly distributed player summonses.

Nintendo also outlined its future plans for Fire Emblem: Heroes in an update sent to players Wednesday. Nintendo revealed that it has scrapped plans to make certain gameplay elements more difficult in the weeks after Fire Emblem: Heroes‘ launch, announcing that Training Tower stamina costs will remain halved indefinitely, and players will suffer no penalty for equipping skills.

New Training Tower rewards will also be refreshed on a weekly basis, and the game’s App-Release Bonus Period has been extended, giving newcomers more time to build up their armies. Following a planned March update, players will also be able to earn experience from defeating enemies who are lower in level than friendly units, marking a change in long-standing series tradition.

Fire Emblem: Heroes players will continue to earn bonus summoning orbs and stamina restoration items as the game’s App-Release Bonus Period continues through March 14.