Microsoft Didn't Get Thunder's Look Just Right in Killer Instinct, New DLC Fixes That

It's been a big week for Microsoft's free-to-play fighting game, Killer Instinct. A new character, Kilgore, was confirmed, and a major patch arrived, introducing balance changes, new features, and more.

Now, Microsoft has launched free DLC for the Xbox One and PC game in the form of the "Legend of Thunder" costume for the character Thunder. Everyone who owns Thunder gets the costume for free (you can buy the character right here for $5).

This is the first time that Microsoft has ever offered a third costume for a Killer Instinct character, the company said in an Xbox Wire post. This one has special significance, too. Microsoft worked with a cultural consultant for the Nez Perce to ensure that the costume came across as genuine and representative of the real-world group.

"When we rebooted Killer Instinct in 2013 for the launch of the Xbox One, we knew Thunder needed to be more culturally representative, and the Nez Perces were our partners in making that happen," Killer Instinct senior marketing manager Nicole Fawcette said in a statement. "However, the rush of launching a game during a console release, plus the pressure of maintaining a nostalgic look that KI fans remembered, meant we weren't able to get everything right."

"Now, with three seasons under our belts and a community of fans that embraces our game for the chances we take, we knew it was time to make things right," she added. "It was time to take care of the Nez Perce community that took care of us."

According to Microsoft, the Legend of Thunder costume is "100 percent authentic" to the Nez Perce warrior tradition. Read this in-depth blog post to get all the specifics. You can also watch the video above to learn more about how the new Legend of Thunder costume came to be.