Topic: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct

@Grumblevolcano @Bolt_Strike From my understanding, the remakes are the gen divided by 2 (every other gen). Gen 2 had gen 1 remake, gen 4 had gen 2 remake, gen 6 had gen 3 remake, gen 8 had gen 4 remake (I think). We got gen 1 remakes in 7th gen but that could be because it's been since GBA those previous remakes came out (and it had some similarities to Pokemon Go)

I think we could see Gen 5 remakes after Holiday 2026/Gen 10, as well as a related Legends game.

@PikminMarioKirby GSC Kanto isn't really a Gen 1 remake. It's a sequel which changed a lot about Kanto so that's not a remake. The true Gen 1 remake came in Gen 3. So that pattern doesn't really hold.

@Bolt_Strike my bad, thought firered/leafgreen were gen 2 for some reason. I think they'll probably still follow this route, I still expect gen 5 remakes to happen during gen 10.

@PikminMarioKirby Remakes so far has been:

• 2004 - Fire Red/Leaf Green (GBA Gen 1 remakes during Gen 3)
• 2009 - Heart Gold/Soul Silver (DS Gen 2 remakes during Gen 4)
• 2014 - Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire (3DS Gen 3 remakes during Gen 6)
• 2018 - Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee (Switch Gen 1 re-remakes during Gen 7)
• 2021 - Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl (Switch Gen 4 remakes during Gen 8)

The gaps would suggest remakes around 2025/2026 of which the most likely choice seem to be Gen 5 to follow on from Gen 4 or Gen 6 to tie in to Legends Z-A.

Best case scenario is remakes for the 30th anniversary allowing Gen 10 to have extra time in the oven for a more polished game and release in 2027. Worst case scenario is remakes for the 30th anniversary as a result of Gen 10 being the big Holiday 2025 release.

@Grumblevolcano Never count on Game Freak to stick to a pattern. They've broken so many patterns in the last 10 years that it feels like they're on a personal mission to shatter every pattern possible. They used to always have some kind of third version/follow up game to their new generation... but then they skipped one for Kalos and went straight to SM. They used to only include new Pokemon in new generations... until USUM. They used to always debut on new hardware with a new generation... until LGPE. They used to never do DLC... until SwSh. Main series games were always made by Game Freak... until BDSP. Patterns are no longer strong enough to predict the next game, you need stronger reasoning than that now. And a remake? Doesn't really make much sense at this point in time.

They're prepping for a hardware transition and an anniversary, they'll want something major for that time. They don't typically like remakes during a hardware transition, and LGPE is likely the exception not the rule (LGPE was spawned because of the success of Go and fears that the mobile market would overtake the Switch, circumstances that do not exist anymore), and arguably different from a typical remake anyway. Other than that they typically try to avoid remakes during a hardware transition. For example, the pattern around the DS->3DS transition was a remake 2 generations after the original game and that led a lot of people to assume a RS remake was coming after BW2, but that never made much sense because Gen 5 itself was released just before the 3DS so prolonging it would cut into Pokemon's tenure on the 3DS. And lo and behold, they did jump to 3DS with XY next and saved RS until afterwards. Likewise, we're in a situation where we have an impending hardware transition and prolonging the Switch with a remake doesn't make much business sense.

They need Switch 2 Gen 10 relatively soon and that should be their biggest concern since it's the one that will likely be their highest selling game of the next 3-5 years, and 2026 is the best time for it for marketing reasons such as the 30th anniversary and the newness of the Switch 2. So they'd prioritize that over everything else in their schedule. BW remakes are going to do well, but probably nowhere near as well as Gen 10, so they're not going to be too fussed over holding these off for a bit. Meanwhile, a 4 year gap between SV and Gen 10 would already be more time in the oven, so they're throwing fans a bone there. Every new generation since XY has been a 3 year gap, so this does give them more time to address the complaints fans had with SV being too rushed. They're not going to wait a 5th year because they're impatient and greedy (and the fans kind of are impatient too, because they've tended to complain about nothing to do/no news in gap years like 2015 and 2024), and again, the 30th anniversary is a nice time marketing wise to put out a shiny new generation on new hardware. 2026 Gen 10 feels like both the best move and the one they'd actually make.

I feel like they may do a repeat of the Pokemon density we got in 2021/2022 — e.g. Legends mid 2025, gen 6 remake early 2026 to pair with Legends, gen 10 late 2026.

This thread is just turning into an argument about Pokemon releases. Let's get this thread back on topic shall we?

My predictions for the Direct:

• Starts with a more in depth hardware overview where they talk about the mouse functionality, the new Joy-Cons being magnetic, and whatever that mysterious "C" button does. Lasts roughly 5-10 minutes
• NSO and backwards compatibility talk
• Transitions into the games, starting with Mario Kart and a new 3D Mario
• 3rd party games get shown off in the usual headlines format for more notable titles. Xbox has a notable presence here, and is one of the biggest supporters.
• More 3rd party games get shown in a sizzle reel
• Direct ends with a 1st party tease, and then the price and release date reveal for Switch 2.

@IceClimbers I feel like 3D Mario will be the One More Thing at the end.

@IceClimbers Not bad, but 3 first party games feels pretty low for a new console launch. They have to show at least 5 I think.

@Bolt_Strike I'm not saying they're going to fully reveal it before Z-A launches, but a tease with more info coming in August wouldn't surprise me. I don't think Gamefreak is going to make it an anniversary game. Especially given how the TCG is lining up. There's no way we're getting a year's worth of Z-A sets, and they already exhausted most of the filler Gimmicks they have for the TCG.

I also don't get why they'd leave November wide open without any games if they didn't have another game slotted for this year. They literally could just move Z-A there.

@Grumblevolcano Given remake patterns, Unova remakes are going to be in Gen 10. After Gen 10 releases.

@FishyS The last things in recent previous Directs have been TOTK, Mario Wonder, TTYD, and MP4, which have all been really hyped up games. Since we know nothing about the next 3D Mario, it’s a perfect way to close the presentation and would definitely capture a lot of attention!

T-minus 55 days, give or take depending on your region, April 2nd - 8am CST.

The rumors will continue to swirl until then.

Folks out here talking about a new 3D Castlevania game?

@Magician 1 month, 25 days and 15hr for me rn. I have a countdown on my locked screen with a little widget haha

Can we hope for a “Pre-order now” announce in the Direct??

i really need Ocarina of Time Remaster/Remake

I would assume so.

OG Switch preorders went live during the January 2017 Switch Presentation.

T-minus 27 days and counting.

@Magician Man that would be really annoying if they decided to do that. Not ideal for those of us who aren't able to watch it live.

@Bigmanfan
Yea. I'm actually considering switching one of my days off just in case haha

GTA 6 confirmation… that is all.

Just 23 days. How time flies. I just hope it releases on June.

@Akeratsu

At the earliest, should be.

That would follow the same six-month timeline the OG Switch had.

Announcement in October 2016, Presentation in January 2017, launch in March 2017.