Downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content that is distributed to a video game over the Internet by the game's publisher. DLC is often offered as an additional purchase, however some can be given away as a free download from an online market space such as the Nintendo eShop. Free content updates are also a commonality, being given away as full update data instead of a manual download and are usually described as "DLC" in non-official spaces.
Similarly, Pokémon has given away distribution events, typically through Mystery Gift, that allows the player to download certain event-exclusive items, clothing or even Pokémon through external means.
History
Since Pokémon Red and Green, there have been a number of event distributions for the core series Pokémon games that allowed players to obtain Pokémon or items that could not otherwise be obtained through normal gameplay. The Japanese version of Pokémon Crystal was the first Pokémon game that could download additional content from the Internet by connecting to the Mobile System GB via the Mobile Game Boy Adapter. The Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube games allowed additional content to be loaded to the games from e-Cards through the e-Reader, but did not connect to the Internet. Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon Channel had additional on-disc content that could be unlocked using a separate GameCube disc by modifying the game's save data on the Memory Card.
With the advent of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service for the Nintendo DS and Wii, all Nintendo consoles have since natively supported connecting to the Internet. The first game for these consoles to receive additional content via the Internet was Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia with the Special Mission Recover the Manaphy Egg! on March 20, 2008, while the first to receive a major update over the Internet was the Japanese version of My Pokémon Ranch with its Platinum-Compatible Version on November 5, 2008. While patches have been released online to fix bugs in the core series games since Pokémon X and Y, Pokémon Sword and Shield was the first to receive additional paid content with the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass. Daybreak would be the first free content update in the core series, being released for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
List of DLC for Pokémon games
Related articles
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Core series • Side series • Spin-off series • Standalone spin-offs • DLC • Pokémon mini • Betas • Demos
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |