Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Cindered Shadows announced, coming February 13 for Expansion Pass owners [Update]
Update (January 17)
More details on Fire Emblem: Three Houses' side story DLC 'Cindered Shadows' have surfaced on Nintendo's Japanese official website. Notably, the page mentions that once this DLC has been downloaded, a Side Story entry will be added to the game's main menu, and its save data will be completely separate from the main story. The maps in this DLC are also said to have a lot of gimmicks, making the overall difficulty a bit more challenging from the base game.
This side story will have a different gameplay flow cycle from the main game's monthly training and end-of-month battles. While you could scout and recruit other students in the main story, Cindered Shadows will have you fight with a pre-determined set of members. Note that according to Nintendo of America's trailer description, once you complete the side-story, you'll be able to recruit the new characters into the main story.
Some screenshots and artwork can be found in the below gallery.
Original (January 16)
On the back of announcing Byleth as a DLC Fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo has announced that the last part of the expansion pass content for Fire Emblem: Three Houses, titled 'Cindered Shadows', is arriving on February 13 for expansion pass owners. A side story featuring a new house and new characters, Cindered Shadows will explore the secret Abyss below Garreg Mach Monastery alongside introducing a new house in the Ashen Wolves.
The trailer gives an introduction to the four characters that comprise the Ashen Wolves, as well as a vague overview of the general tone of the side story. There is also some footage previewing possible new classes, weapon arts, and the like. We also know to expect new gambits, quests, and paralogues. It is not yet clear exactly how this side story will integrate into the main game, though the trailer shows pre-timeskip character designs, for what it's worth.
You can check out the trailers linked below to get a preview of what to expect next month.
English
Deep in the shadow of Garreg Mach lies Abyss, the underground den of Fódlan’s outcasts and home to the monastery’s secret fourth house, the Ashen Wolves. In this side story, you can freely explore Abyss, battle alongside four students from the Ashen Wolves house, take on new quests, and uncover the secrets that reside beneath the surface.
Progress through the story to bring your four new subterranean students to the main story as recruitable units and enjoy the new classes, quests, paralogues, and activities that are also added with this DLC. – Part of Fire Emblem: There Houses Expansion Pass. DLC wave 4 will be available on February 12th 2020 in the US.
Japanese