- Primary Subject: Fire Emblem Fates (Conquest & Birthright Versions)
- Key Update: The split-version release model of Fire Emblem Fates forced a financial choice on players that unintentionally made the Nohrian storyline far more compelling than Hoshido.
- Status: Confirmed / Opinion
- Last Verified: July 6, 2026
- Quick Answer: Fire Emblem Fates' Conquest route is considered superior because its "found family" dynamic creates a more tragic, earned, and engaging emotional narrative than Birthright.
Fire Emblem Fates is one of the most ambitious releases we've ever seen from Nintendo, but was it worth it?
Fire Emblem Fates came out with not one, not two, but THREE versions. Birthright and Conquest were the flagship titles, while a third "secret" route, Revelation, could be purchased digitally. The game's routes branched out depending on which version you bought, forcing you to make a moral decision the moment you purchased the game.
Was it the right approach? How did this split-version release end up affecting player reception? Let's discuss.
How Fates’ Split-Version Marketing Made Nohr the Superior Story
When Fire Emblem Fates came out in 2016 (2015 in Japan), Nintendo shocked players by barring all routes behind a pay wall. Birthright and Conquest were released as physical cartridges, while the third route, Revelation, could be bought digitally. However, Revelation is now sadly lost media due to the closure of the 3DS eShop.
This was ambitious. Each cartridge cost $40, and there was no guarantee people would purchase both to see what each ending brought Corrin. It made the emotional weight of Corrin's choice appear even more dire.
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Choosing Conquest meant Corrin was abandoning her blood relatives and siding with the "evil kingdom." Selecting Birthright meant returning to Hoshido and leaving the family that raised you. Players had to buy their choice before even opening the game, which meant the organic weight of "Blood vs. Bond" was instead replaced by the thought of "Which story makes my money more worthwhile?"
And honestly, if your selection was based on what made your money more worthwhile, Nintendo made it an easy decision.
From the start, Birthright was marketed as the morally correct choice. You are immediately introduced to Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura as Corrin's "real family." Instead of character building and fostering a relationship, Nintendo relied on biological obligation to get you to side with them. The narrative assumed you'd just immediately love them because you're blood family. The Hoshidan route was poised to be the right choice.
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Meanwhile, Conquest had a steeper narrative hill to overcome. Selecting Conquest meant siding with Nohr, an "evil empire" run by the malicious king Garon. Because the kingdom was seen as evil, the Nohrian siblings were written to be fiercely protective of one another and intensely loved Corrin as the sibling they grew up with, even if it's revealed they are not biologically related.
They are flawed, yes, but the desperation to stay with one another is a more compelling narrative than Birthright. Conquest did the "found family" trope extremely well. As Corrin, you were never fighting to save Nohr; you were trying to protect your siblings from the man they called father.
Did the split-version marketing hurt what could have been a genre-changing narrative? Absolutely. However, it's also interesting how consumers reacted to it. Since a financial choice was (unjustly) thrust upon the player, it fully showed what you'd be picking between: the obligatory blood bond or the earned one.
It's no surprise Nohr ended up winning fans' hearts. The story seemed more tragic, and Nintendo worked twice as hard to make the characters likable. Perhaps if Fates remained one big game with multiple routes, there would be more Hoshido sympathizers.
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