Nintendo of America has just taken to Twitter in order to share the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 DLC release date. The inaugural expansion for the superhero beat ’em up from Japanese developer Team Ninja introduces the Marvel Knights to the game’s already 36 members strong roster. Four classic Marvel Comics characters comprise the Marvel Knights, now bringing the playable character count to an impressive 40, and they will make their way to the game on September 30.
Those who purchase the Curse of the Vampire DLC — which, it should be noted, is not available as a standalone product, but only as a part of the game’s Expansion Pass — will be able to take control of Blade, Moon Knight, Morbius, and The Punisher starting at the end of next month. Blade and Morbius are particularly relevant additions to the game following recent reveals that the vampire hunter Blade will be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, whilst the Living Vampire Morbius (presumably he and Blade can set their differences aside) has a motion picture from Sony currently in the works.
Characters aren’t the only new content coming as part of the game’s first expansion, however. Nintendo’s tweet (below) also makes mention of an “intense” new set of cooperative missions, which will be accessed through a new Gauntlet Mode. Since there’s no mention of new story content, presumably these new missions will fall closer to the game’s optional Infinity Rifts, which pitted players against challenging odds in short skirmishes kept separate from the main campaign.
DLC Pack 1 of the @MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order Expansion Pass launches 09/30, as the Marvel Knights join the alliance! You can also take on an intense series of co-op missions in the new Gauntlet Mode! #MUA3
Buy now: https://t.co/IFW1nNPG8P pic.twitter.com/IRg0u7w8tT
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 20, 2019
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Before the Marvel Knights join the fight on September 30, a Marvel Games San Diego Comic-Con panel already revealed that X-Men Colossus and Cyclops will be made playable (they are already in the game but are unplayable) courtesy of a free update on August 30. Thereafter we can expect to see a DLC expansion relating to more X-Men characters later in 2019, and also the addition of the Fantastic Four in 2020. Again, it’s an all or nothing situation, with the $20 Expansion Pass your only means to access any of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3‘s paid post-launch content.