Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

@Bolt_Strike What about the Switch successor though, you may have gotten decent software sales for MK9 on the Switch but you screwed over the launch window for the Switch's successor. At best there's a MK9 Deluxe type release in the launch window but that won't be as successful if the Switch successor plays Switch games via backwards compatibility. At worst, you have a Wii U type situation where Mario Kart appears too late in the system's lifespan and the system flops.

Let's be honest here, Switch would've been nowhere near as successful as it was if instead of MK8 Deluxe in the launch window you had MK9 in like 2019.

@Grumblevolcano If MK9 releases in 2021, MK10 should be ready by 2024. This would probably be about the first or second year of the system's lifespan. i see the following titles releasing within 2023/2024 based on the scheduling:

-Splatoon 3
-2D Mario
-2D Zelda
-Mario Kart 10
-Prime 4 (cross gen release)
-Yoshi
-Fire Emblem? (not sure if this will be late Switch or early Switch successor)

There's some heavy hitters in that lineup that should drive early sales of the system.

Long as they don't do something stupid like skipping over Mario Kart 9 and going straight to 10 (or X) like everyone else does.

I've been thinking, does it really make sense to be following up all this big next gen news with a Partner Showcase? I mean next week is the big one, Sony is finally going to show PS5 stuff on Wednesday and given Phil Spencer said the Series X/S news that was leaked was planned for next week it seems reasonable to think there'll be Series X/S game announcements next week too.

Sure Nintendo does have 3D All Stars but all signs are pointing towards that collection not even being available physically after Friday.

So looking ahead, here's what I think the lineup will look like in the transition to next gen (I changed my mind a bit on some things, but I think the schedule will generally look like this). I'll stick with first party for this, they're easier to predict that way):

2021:
BotW2
Mario Odyssey 2
Mario Kart 9
Metroid 5
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl remakes
3D World + Bowser's Fury
Zelda 3D remasters

Again, this is probably going to be a jam packed year with a lot of the development teams who released stuff in 2017 releasing new games, along with a Switch Pro will release this year along with them. Thinking about it again, it is possible 1 or 2 of these releases get delayed to 2022, but I do think this is generally the plan. There should be a lot in the works for this year and this should serve as the Switch's second wind much like how the Wii saw many titles like Super Mario Galaxy 2, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, and Skyward Sword breathe new life into the Wii in 2010/2011.

2022:
3D Kirby game
DLC for Diamond/Pearl remakes
New Pokemon Snap
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Fire Emblem
Warioware

Here's where the schedule gets a little lighter as they prepare for next gen. Prime 4 was likely planned for this year after the Reboot but gets pushed back due to COVID, so this is when Prime Trilogy releases to hype people up for that. Pokemon also pushes next gen a year due to COVID and backlash from SwSh. That leaves us with a handful of titles for the year as their development teams are preparing for next gen. Most notably, Kirby realizes a dream years in the making by going full 3D. I was thinking New Pokemon Snap releases in 2021, but considering the scale of the game, it's possible it gets pushed to 2022.

2023:
9th gen Pokemon (Switch)
2D Zelda

The Switch's successor isn't quite ready yet so the schedule again remains pretty light. 9th gen Pokemon anchors the year and takes some steps forward from SwSh but still isn't quite the dream open world Pokemon game people want, but still sells gangbusters as usual. Zelda also squeezes in one last 2D game on the Switch due to not having a new release (as Link's Awakening DX is a remake).

2024:
Splatoon 3
2D Mario
Metroid Prime 4
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Yoshi
9th gen Pokemon DLC

The Switch successor releases this year and we get a blowout of new releases at launch. Splatoon 3 and 2D Mario finally release giving the year some heavy hitters out of the gate, with 2D being a grand new entry in the series that finally moves on from the NSMB/Mario Maker rut they've been stuck in for the last decade and a half. Prime 4 also gets pushed to this year to release cross gen BotW-style and while it doesn't sell gangbusters, it does do very well by Metroid standards and gives the series more mainstream appeal. Xenoblade and Yoshi also launch this year rounding out a packed year. Meanwhile, 9th gen Pokemon gets its DLC still remaining on the Switch. If they want to be bold, they could possibly release a definitive edition with the main game + DLC that year on the successor and make it compatible with the Switch version as well as adds in some enhancements for the new console. I was thinking Mario Kart 10, but that game might get pushed to 2025.

Wild Cards:
Pikmin 4
Donkey Kong
Smash
Star Fox

I have no idea when or if these will release anytime soon, so I'm listing these separately. Pikmin 4 was supposed to be released ages ago, but has gone MIA. It might be cancelled, or it could be imminent. Donkey Kong could use a new release, but with Retro tied up with Prime 4, who's working on it? Smash is a heavy hitter, but Ultimate seems to be a definitive edition and Sakurai may be close to retirement, so we may not get another one. Star Fox seems to pop up every once in a while, so could we see one again? Maybe, maybe not. We did get a pseudo-Star Fox game in Starlink: Battle For Atlus, so that might hurt the chances a bit, but you never know.

Direct rumours have gone kinda quiet. Meanwhile I am playing the original borderlands.

@DannyBoi I’m glad the rumors are somewhat over. People can shut up and get real facts before pulling something outta their @ss and claiming it real.

Sorry I’m salty. I really hate leakers.

I think it’s gonna be quiet for the rest of the year. We will get a partners showcase, a Pokémon direct and a Sakurai presents

@DannyBoi Seems that the only major Nintendo rumour left is the one about a Switch Pro in 2021 but the Switch Pro has been rumoured every year since 2016.

@Grumblevolcano There's been some rumblings about 2D Metroid lately, it's definitely plausible that MercurySteam could be doing more with that next year. They haven't done anything since 2017 and Nintendo probably thought they did well enough with Samus Returns to earn another chance with 2D Metroid.

There won't be three Mario Karts on one system, come on now...

@Bolt_Strike Sorry, but I disagree. Home Circuit lowers the likelihood of a Mario Kart 9 in 2021 (though I wouldn't count out it coming in a later year) significantly. When I say something Splatoon related, I'm mostly expecting a spin-off of some sort, not another main series title. I don't think we'll see a second Mario Kart spin-off two years in a row, while a Splatoon spin-off has little to nothing suggesting it won't happen. The fact that there's a main series Splatoon entry on this system does nothing to suggest we won't get a spinoff of one of their best selling franchises.

@Grumblevolcano I constantly see 2D Metroid, Skyward Sword HD and Prime Trilogy as major recurring rumors in multiple places. Persona 5 on Switch also used to be a pretty big one but it's died down significantly as of earlier this year

@TheFrenchiestFry Well, we do know the P5 Switch rumors were based on Persona 5 Scramble, so it's definitely only a wish list item now instead of a genuine rumor. The other 3 still have people believe they came from legitimate sources (and well, it's impossible to disprove they weren't at least).

@TheFrenchiestFry Skyward Sword was an Amazon listing of which stuff like Mario Odyssey for PC has appeared on Amazon before and the other 2 died down recently (especially Prime Trilogy, that died down after the restart of Prime 4).

@link3710 Actually initially the P5 Switch rumors were all about how certain people thought that Persona 5 Royal (when the P5R website domain was registered) was going to be a Switch exclusive in light of Joker's Smash inclusion, and some of the same people also predicted that Persona 5 Arena was in the early stages of development at that time as well. the Persona 5 S rumors about THAT being a Switch port only started up after P5R was teased in December 2018 as a PS4 title.

@Grumblevolcano There was also that one Zelda concert where Aonuma teased a potential Skyward Sword remaster, so rumors about it definitely went back further than just this year with the Amazon France listings, especially given that both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess got similar remasters by that point.

@TheFrenchiestFry Right lol, though I think my point still stands that everyone's aware it was never more than wishful thinking because, well Atlus.

...At this point, I just want the real P5S to come to the west already, I need more Phantom Thieves in my life already.

@TheFrenchiestFry He later said Skyward Sword HD would be impossible without motion controls. Given we now have a handheld only Switch, being able to work without motion controls is essential (see the Galaxy workaround for example).

I'd also guess the next Mario Party (whenever that happens) ditches Joy-Con controls in favour of standard button controls like Mario Party 1-7.

@link3710 I'd honestly expect a P5S announcement later this year now that P5R is completely out there. New SMT games being on the way hasn't stopped Atlus from announcing Persona content before and I suspect we're probably getting at least one more Persona 5 spinoff before they eventually move on to teasing Persona 6