How to Fix Fire Emblem Engage DLC Not Working

So you’ve picked up Fire Emblem Engage and the Expansion Pass, but you find the DLC not working when you boot up the game. What gives? Well, it could be a few things.

Before we go any further, you should first know that the items, accessories, and emblems in the first pack of DLC for Fire Emblem Engage (and conceivably the next three waves) unlock at various stages throughout the game. They won’t simply appear when you first enter Elyos. It’s also worth pointing out that Nintendo released a Day 1 update (patch notes here) for Engage that tinkered with Expansion Pass compatibility and Internet options. 

Potential Fire Emblem Engage DLC Not Working Fixes

As Nintendo points out, be sure to play Fire Emblem Engage with your primary profile or, more specifically, the account on which you purchased the game and DLC Expansion. This is especially important if you are not using your primary/registered Switch, which should automatically default to your primary profile. You can choose your profile when first booting up Fire Emblem Engage.

Indeed, it’s also possible that your Switch isn’t automatically choosing your primary profile if there are multiple users on the same Switch. If this is the case, you can keep this from happening in the future by: 

• Going in to System Settings.
• Scrolling down to Users. 
• Then choosing Change Order, which will make sure your primary profile is set as the default profile on your Switch. 

If you’re unsure which profile purchased the DLC content: 

• Go to this Nintendo Accounts webpage. 
• Select Shop Menu on the left side underneath Family Group beneath your profile picture. 
• You’ll be taken to a new window.
• Scroll down, and select Purchase History beneath Wish List.
• You’ll be taken to a new window with your complete purchase history. 
• If the Fire Emblem Engage DLC doesn’t appear, it’s possible it was purchased on a different account.

Also, be sure that you’ve downloaded the Day 1 update for Fire Emblem Engage mentioned above; it’s important for DLC compatibility purposes, patching the game to Version 1.1.0. Note that Engage‘s extra content is not part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack like some DLCs for Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Splatoon 2, so you don’t need a membership to access it.

Though the patch should have downloaded automatically, I’ve personally had times when my Switch wasn’t connected to the Internet, and I though it was. To make sure your Switch is connected properly, confirm that the Wi-Fi icon in the top right corner of the Home screen isn’t empty. If it is empty (showing no bars): 

• Make sure that your router is working properly and that there are no outages from your ISP. 
• If your Internet is working properly elsewhere, go to System Settings.
• Scroll down to Internet (beneath Parental Controls). 
• Choose Internet Settings.
• Connect to the correct network.

You can also choose Test Connection to make sure your Switch is able to connect to the Internet.

If the download doesn’t start automatically, highlight Fire Emblem Engage on the Switch Home Screen, then press the “+” button on your Joy-Con. Then choose Software Update underneath Software Information. Then tab over to Via the Internet and press A.

Your Switch will check for updates. If you get the message, “You are using the latest version of this software,” then you should be good to go. 

With all of that taken care of, the next thing you should do is simply play the game. Again, the DLC for Fire Emblem Engage doesn’t unlock at one time, and it’s possible that you can even miss picking it up if you don’t know where to look. Here’s when and where each Wave 1 DLC item set unlocks: 

• Emblem Bracelet (Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude): Available after the Lookout Ridge event in Somniel. This is in Chapter 6, after receiving the alert that “Something has been found at Lookout Ridge.” Pass time or continue until you receive this alert at the top of the screen. 
• Emblem Bracelet (Tiki): Complete the Divine Prologue (also part of the DLC). This is after the above, from Ch. 6 forward. 
• Various Support Items: Reach Somniel in Ch. 5; you will receive an alert at the top of the screen that the “Smithy and Boutique” are open. 
• Various Accessories: Visit the Somniel Boutique from Ch. 6. forward. 
• Silver Card: Find its location in Tiki’s Divine Prologue. 

Of course, if the DLC still isn’t working for you and you’ve done all of the above, it’s best to follow Nintendo’s general troubleshooting guidelines: Restart your system, redownload the DLC, relaunch the game, and play. If you can’t find the DLC but bought it from the eShop and the above doesn’t work, try this out to resolve the DLC not working issue for Fire Emblem Engage.