<s>
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
is	O
a	O
tactical	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
and	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
's	O
Kou	O
Shibusawa	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sixteenth	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
series	O
and	O
the	O
first	O
one	O
for	O
home	O
consoles	O
since	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Radiant	I-Application
Dawn	I-Application
,	O
originally	O
released	O
in	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
maintains	O
the	O
turn-based	O
tactical	O
gameplay	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
titles	O
,	O
while	O
incorporating	O
social	O
simulation	O
and	O
time	O
management	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
production	O
was	O
challenging	O
for	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
,	O
who	O
attributed	O
its	O
success	O
and	O
timely	O
release	O
to	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
partnered	O
with	O
the	O
company	O
for	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
school	O
system	O
and	O
a	O
time	O
skip	O
later	O
in	O
the	O
story	O
took	O
inspiration	O
from	O
the	O
fourth	O
installment	O
,	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Genealogy	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Holy	I-Application
War	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Warriors-style	O
spin-off	O
,	O
entitled	O
Fire	B-Device
Emblem	I-Device
Warriors	I-Device
:	I-Device
Three	I-Device
Hopes	I-Device
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
on	O
June	O
24	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
is	O
a	O
tactical	O
role-playing	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
control	O
a	O
player	O
character	O
whose	O
gender	O
and	O
name	O
are	O
chosen	O
at	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Network	O
play	O
and	O
Amiibo	B-Device
functionality	O
are	O
also	O
supported	O
,	O
with	O
network	O
play	O
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
passively	O
visit	O
other	O
players	O
 '	O
monasteries	O
online	O
,	O
and	O
compatible	O
Amiibo	B-Device
figures	O
to	O
be	O
scanned	O
for	O
additional	O
materials	O
and	O
bonus	O
music	O
tracks	O
for	O
scanning	O
Fire	O
Emblem-specific	O
Amiibo	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
games	O
,	O
Three	O
Houses	O
uses	O
a	O
turn-based	O
battle	O
system	O
;	O
players	O
take	O
control	O
of	O
a	O
set	O
number	O
of	O
unique	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
entries	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
"	O
Classic	O
"	O
mode	O
where	O
characters	O
who	O
fall	O
in	O
battle	O
are	O
subjected	O
to	O
permanent	B-Application
death	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
"	O
Casual	O
"	O
mode	O
where	O
fallen	O
characters	O
are	O
revived	O
after	O
each	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rather	O
than	O
the	O
previously-established	O
Weapon	O
Triangle	O
of	O
earlier	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
games	O
,	O
different	O
units	O
have	O
weapon-based	O
skills	O
called	O
Combat	O
Arts	O
they	O
can	O
be	O
taught	O
during	O
the	O
school	O
segments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
series	O
's	O
titular	O
"	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
"	O
appears	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Crest	O
of	O
Flames	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
Crest	O
associated	O
with	O
the	O
Progenitor	O
God	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
their	O
journey	O
Byleth	O
is	O
aided	O
by	O
Sothis	B-Application
,	O
a	O
strange	O
and	O
initially-amnesiac	O
girl	O
who	O
appears	O
in	O
their	O
dreams	O
and	O
can	O
only	O
be	O
heard	O
by	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
attack	O
,	O
Byleth	O
is	O
saved	O
by	O
the	O
mysterious	O
Sothis	B-Application
,	O
who	O
remains	O
within	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Various	O
conspiracies	O
meddle	O
with	O
the	O
monastery	O
and	O
plot	O
against	O
the	O
Church	O
:	O
masked	O
warriors	B-Application
called	O
the	O
Flame	O
Emperor	O
and	O
the	O
Death	O
Knight	O
,	O
the	O
Western	O
branch	O
of	O
the	O
Church	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
hostile	O
cult	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
those	O
who	O
slither	O
in	O
the	O
dark	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Sothis	B-Application
"	O
within	O
Byleth	O
is	O
the	O
original	O
Progenitor	O
God	O
,	O
implanted	O
by	O
Rhea	O
into	O
Byleth	O
as	O
a	O
baby	O
so	O
that	O
Sothis	B-Application
would	O
be	O
reborn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
magical	O
attack	O
by	O
one	O
of	O
their	O
leaders	O
forces	O
Sothis	B-Application
to	O
merge	O
with	O
Byleth	O
,	O
allowing	O
them	O
to	O
survive	O
and	O
defeat	O
the	O
cult	O
members	O
with	O
a	O
newly	O
empowered	O
Sword	O
of	O
the	O
Creator	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rhea	O
makes	O
a	O
futile	O
attempt	O
to	O
awaken	O
Sothis	B-Application
within	O
Byleth	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
Flame	O
Emperor	O
attacks	O
the	O
ceremony	O
with	O
allies	O
from	O
the	O
Adrestian	O
Empire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
Nemesis	O
is	O
awakened	O
from	O
his	O
tomb	O
by	O
the	O
cult	O
;	O
he	O
and	O
his	O
Ten	O
Elites	O
were	O
a	O
band	O
of	O
thieves	O
who	O
took	O
power	O
from	O
Sothis	B-Application
and	O
her	O
dragon	O
kin	O
after	O
they	O
were	O
slain	O
by	O
the	O
cult	O
in	O
the	O
ancient	O
era	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Byleth	O
nearly	O
dies	O
,	O
but	O
Sothis	B-Application
's	O
Crest	O
Stone	O
embedded	O
in	O
their	O
heart	O
dissolves	O
,	O
reviving	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aelfric	O
theorizes	O
that	O
the	O
mercenaries	O
are	O
looking	O
for	O
the	O
Chalice	O
of	O
Beginnings	O
,	O
a	O
key	O
object	O
in	O
a	O
ritual	O
attempted	O
during	O
Garreg	O
Mach	O
's	O
early	O
days	O
with	O
the	O
aim	O
of	O
resurrecting	O
Sothis	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
unexpected	O
success	O
of	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Awakening	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
—	O
which	O
helped	O
save	O
the	O
series	O
from	O
cancellation	O
after	O
flagging	O
sales	O
of	O
earlier	O
entries	O
—	O
the	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
series	O
gained	O
renewed	O
commercial	O
value	O
and	O
prompted	O
developer	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
and	O
publisher	O
Nintendo	O
to	O
bring	O
the	O
series	O
back	O
to	O
home	O
consoles	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
since	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Radiant	I-Application
Dawn	I-Application
in	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Concept	O
development	O
for	O
Three	O
Houses	O
began	O
in	O
2015	O
following	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Fates	I-Application
for	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
Three	O
Houses	O
to	O
be	O
another	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
title	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
scrapped	O
when	O
production	O
began	O
on	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Echoes	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shadows	I-Application
of	I-Application
Valentia	I-Application
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
Three	O
Houses	O
being	O
briefly	O
put	O
on	O
hold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
team	O
learned	O
of	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
they	O
decided	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
home	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
this	O
time	O
,	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
and	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
were	O
collaborating	O
on	O
the	O
spin-off	O
game	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Full	O
production	O
began	O
in	O
2017	O
when	O
Shadows	B-Application
of	I-Application
Valentia	I-Application
was	O
finished	O
,	O
with	O
Toshiyuki	O
Kusakihara	O
and	O
Genki	O
Yokota	O
—	O
respective	O
directors	O
for	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
EPD	O
—	O
returning	O
to	O
direct	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
three	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
scenario	O
for	O
Warriors	B-Application
and	O
were	O
brought	O
onto	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Three	O
Houses	O
to	O
help	O
assist	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
in	O
writing	O
the	O
social	O
segments	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Voice	O
recording	O
took	O
three	O
months	O
;	O
Kusakihara	O
estimated	O
the	O
amount	O
of	O
voice	O
acting	O
for	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
as	O
five	O
times	O
that	O
of	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Echoes	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
key	O
parts	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
school	O
sections	O
and	O
a	O
time	O
skip	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
were	O
directly	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
1996	O
entry	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Genealogy	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Holy	I-Application
War	I-Application
;	O
the	O
narrative	O
in	O
Three	O
Houses	O
of	O
characters	O
who	O
were	O
friends	O
in	O
their	O
youth	O
coming	O
into	O
conflict	O
during	O
their	O
older	O
years	O
was	O
almost	O
directly	O
lifted	O
from	O
Genealogy	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Holy	I-Application
War	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kusakihara	O
also	O
admitted	O
influence	O
from	O
the	O
Chinese	O
novel	O
Romance	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Kingdoms	I-Application
and	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
's	O
adaptation	O
of	O
it	O
in	O
the	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
game	O
series	O
;	O
this	O
came	O
about	O
after	O
Intelligent	O
Systems	O
looked	O
at	O
the	O
narrative	O
and	O
world	O
designs	O
used	O
by	O
the	O
Kou	O
Shibusawa	O
unit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Character	O
designs	O
and	O
illustrations	O
were	O
handled	O
by	O
Chinatsu	O
Kurahana	O
,	O
known	O
for	O
Uta	B-Application
no	I-Application
Prince-sama	I-Application
and	O
Tokyo	B-Application
Twilight	I-Application
Ghost	I-Application
Hunters	I-Application
and	O
who	O
was	O
the	O
main	O
character	O
designer	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kazuma	O
Koda	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
both	O
Bayonetta	B-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Nier	B-Application
:	I-Application
Automata	I-Application
as	O
a	O
concept	O
artist	O
,	O
was	O
contracted	O
to	O
provide	O
concept	O
art	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Her	O
influence	O
was	O
particularly	O
noted	O
in	O
the	O
hairstyles	O
of	O
characters	O
,	O
which	O
differed	O
from	O
those	O
seen	O
in	O
earlier	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
leads	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
directors	O
particularly	O
cited	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
's	O
experience	O
developing	O
large-scale	O
battles	O
for	O
their	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Time	O
limits	O
were	O
suggested	O
by	O
Kusakihara	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Pikmin	B-Device
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
skill	O
growth	O
system	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
Zill	B-Application
O	I-Application
'll	I-Application
,	O
a	O
role-playing	O
series	O
developed	O
by	O
Koei	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
toyed	O
with	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
including	O
child	O
characters	O
from	O
romantic	O
supports	O
for	O
the	O
story	O
's	O
second	O
half	O
,	O
a	O
feature	O
from	O
Genealogy	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Holy	I-Application
War	I-Application
which	O
they	O
had	O
used	O
extensively	O
in	O
Awakening	O
and	O
Fates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
first	O
announced	O
that	O
a	O
new	O
mainline	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
game	O
was	O
in	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
January	O
2017	O
during	O
a	O
Nintendo	O
Direct	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
projected	O
release	O
date	O
in	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
receiving	O
an	O
Expansion	O
Pass	O
that	O
would	O
contain	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
for	O
the	O
game	O
that	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
launch	O
until	O
April	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
wave	O
of	O
DLC	B-Protocol
added	O
a	O
new	O
"	O
Maddening	O
"	O
difficulty	O
mode	O
,	O
made	O
to	O
address	O
concerns	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
low	O
level	O
of	O
challenge	O
on	O
"	O
Hard	O
"	O
mode	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
various	O
cosmetic	O
options	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
waves	O
of	O
DLC	B-Protocol
added	O
additional	O
playable	O
characters	O
,	O
additional	O
actions	O
within	O
the	O
monastery	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Cindered	O
Shadows	O
storyline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
has	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
holding	O
an	O
aggregate	O
score	O
of	O
89/100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
102	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brendan	O
Graeber	O
of	O
IGN	O
felt	O
that	O
its	O
depth	O
of	O
characters	O
and	O
tactical	O
options	O
more	O
than	O
justified	O
multiple	O
playthroughs	O
,	O
particularly	O
praising	O
its	O
narrative	O
as	O
being	O
superior	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Fates	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
was	O
the	O
best-selling	O
game	O
during	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
on	O
retail	O
sale	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
with	O
143,130	O
copies	O
being	O
sold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
the	O
best-selling	O
physical	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
that	O
same	O
week	O
,	O
selling	O
twice	O
as	O
much	O
as	O
its	O
second	O
place	O
competitor	O
Wolfenstein	B-Application
:	I-Application
Youngblood	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
SuperData	O
Research	O
estimated	O
that	O
Three	O
Houses	O
sold	O
800,000	O
digital	O
copies	O
through	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
eShop	I-Application
in	O
its	O
launch	O
month	O
of	O
July	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
August	O
2019	O
,	O
the	O
NPD	O
Group	O
shared	O
the	O
ranking	O
of	O
best-selling	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
month	O
of	O
July	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
and	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
was	O
in	O
second	O
place	O
counting	O
only	O
physical	O
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
March	O
2020	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
sold	O
580k	O
copies	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
2.87	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
single	O
best-selling	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Characters	O
from	O
Three	O
Houses	O
were	O
added	O
as	O
playable	O
units	O
in	O
the	O
mobile	B-Application
game	I-Application
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Heroes	I-Application
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
costume	O
based	O
on	O
Three	O
Houses	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
port	O
of	O
Tokyo	B-Application
Mirage	I-Application
Sessions	I-Application
♯FE	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Byleth	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
2018	O
crossover	O
fighting	O
game	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Ultimate	O
,	O
being	O
released	O
as	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
on	O
January	O
28	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Byleth	O
DLC	B-Protocol
also	O
includes	O
Garreg	O
Mach	O
Monastery	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
stage	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
selection	O
of	O
eleven	O
music	O
tracks	O
from	O
Three	O
Houses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Amiibo	B-Device
figure	O
of	O
Byleth	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
26	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Three	O
Houses-inspired	O
tea	O
drinking	O
minigame	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
2021	O
video	O
game	O
WarioWare	B-Application
:	I-Application
Get	I-Application
It	I-Application
Together	I-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2022	O
during	O
a	O
Nintendo	O
Direct	O
presentation	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
announced	O
a	O
spin-off	O
of	O
Three	O
Houses	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
entitled	O
Fire	B-Device
Emblem	I-Device
Warriors	I-Device
:	I-Device
Three	I-Device
Hopes	I-Device
,	O
a	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
game	O
in	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
's	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
series	O
and	O
a	O
successor	O
to	O
2017	O
's	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
Warriors	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
24	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
universe	O
as	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Houses	I-Application
along	O
with	O
the	O
same	O
cast	O
of	O
characters	O
,	O
but	O
features	O
an	O
alternative	O
story	O
where	O
Byleth	O
does	O
not	O
come	O
to	O
teach	O
at	O
the	O
monastery	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
completely	O
new	O
protagonist	O
and	O
scenarios	O
.	O
</s>
