Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I love the parallels here between Scarlet (reddish color) and Violet (blueish color) and the original release of Pokémon Red and Blue. Appropriate given this is something of a reboot for the mainline series, taking it in a new direction for the modern era.

Also, both Scarlet and Violet have "let" at the end, which makes them feel more connected.

After Pokémon Legends Arceus, I'm genuinely excited for this. Though I do hope, as Ralizah mentioned, they keep the seamless battle mechanics of Arceus. That went a long ways toward making it feel less tedious and more streamlined. I also hope you can still catch Pokémon with gyro aiming. That was my favorite mechanic of Legends.

The biggest question, if Pokemon Scarlet/Violet have official anime someday, will Ash Ketchum still a 10 years old boy again?
Come on, just make him a handsome dude in 30's years old.

@Anti-Matter Not everything need to serve a fetishious need right?

check out the all confirmed Pokemon so far in Pokémon Scarlet e Pokémon Violet

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/listed-every-confirm...

@Zuljaras
But every Pokemon games have at least one handsome dude. 😛

@Anti-Matter the region of Pokémon Scarlet e Pokémon Violet seen to be based on the iberian peninsula, theres a building that is very similar to the cathedral of Sagrada família

I’m looking forward to the new Pokemon but I shall wait until after launch to pick one up. I want to see what QoL changes from Legends that they keep. And that gives me time to work on Bank/home.

That being said this year is already crazy. I have to put off Triangle Strategy because the backlog is nuts (I am trying to grind FE3H asap). I do hope that BoTW2 gets a date but with the current line up, Nintendo doesn’t need Zelda to boost sales so it would make sense for them to sit on it until next year (hoping March 2023).

What I think the year will look like for Nintendo published games based on what's happened so far:

• January - Pokemon Legends Arceus
• February - Nothing
• March - Triangle Strategy, MK8 Deluxe DLC, Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• April - Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, Switch Sports
• May - 1-2-Switch sequel (announced outside of a Direct like Ring Fit and Big Brain Academy)
• June - Mario Strikers Battle League, Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes
• July - Live a Live, MK8 Deluxe DLC, Wind Waker HD/Twilight Princess HD
• August - Splatoon 3
• September - Xenoblade 3
• October - Bayonetta 3, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• November - MK8 Deluxe DLC, Pokemon Scarlet/Violet
• December - Style Savvy 5 (announced outside of a Direct like Ring Fit and Big Brain Academy)

I definitely don't see BotW 2 releasing in 2022 because if it was releasing before Xenoblade 3 it would've been in the February Direct but if it was releasing afterwards but still in 2022 it would overshadow Xenoblade 3, ports however can just be announced and released very close together hence why I put Wii U port in for July. As for unannounced games, I feel that it's difficult to add more without delaying more otherwise you just have a load of games that get overshadowed.

Looking back at E3 2019, that was considered a strong E3 by many with very little unknown 1st party stuff being announced (2 3rd party characters announced for Smash and BotW 2) so maybe you have something like that for E3 2022 where BotW 2 takes the role of Animal Crossing, MK8 Deluxe takes the role of Smash and an unannounced 2023 or later game taking the role of BotW 2.

@Grumblevolcano I think if there is a 1-2 Switch sequel it'll be launched in the Fall/December. I don't see them cramming it in between Switch Sports and Mario Strikers like that. I think they simply won't be releasing anything in May.

As for Zelda, yeah I think BotW will slip to March 2023. They'll release either Wind Waker HD or Twilight Princess HD in either August or October. They're not gonna do a combo pack lol

Edit: Also I think of the rumored titles for this year (Metroid Prime remaster, Donkey Kong, mainline Fire Emblem), we see the former two slotted in somewhere. Maybe Metroid Prime doubles up with Bayo 3? Nintendo does seem committed to releasing 2 games a month this year, with one being a more niche appeal title and the other being a mainstream appeal title.

So like Splatoon 3/Live A Live in July, MH Sunbreak/Zelda port in August, Mario + Rabbids/Xenoblade 3 in September, Metroid Prime/Bayo 3 in October.

And some may ask or wonder, but why?

Why is Nintendo cramming so many games into this one year, rather than spreading them out into next year?

And it's a reasonable question to ask- one I've pondered myself. But I think the answer is, second wind hype to reinvigorate life into Switch and ensure it doesn't fade off into obscurity.

5 years into the lifespan, the appeal of the system begins to wane. Especially with new PS/Xbox consoles having released, a new SteamDeck handheld having released, and the onslaught of games for those systems ramping up

I'm convinced they're intentionally cramming double the games they normally would to create a lineup so unbelievably epic people just have to talk about it. Paired with the OLED Switch which already injected some much needed hype back into the Switch train, this year is crucial for them to extend the Switch lifespan. They don't want interest dropping off- they need Switch to remain just as relevant as its been.

And the best way to do that? Games. Lots of them.

@Grumblevolcano i think Nintendo Switch Sports is the casual ip sequel many leakers mentioned, and Nintendo never show big 3D Legend of Zelda on Nintendo Direct, only on E3 Direct/TGA, yes with Pokémon Scarlet e Pokémon Violet been the holiday games for Switch this year, i expect to see Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 be delayed to spring 2023(march/april 2023) and @JaxonH i am a bit worried with Nintendo releasing all it bigest games in 2022, they will not have nothing left for 2023 or final years of Switch.

@X-Slayer When Grumblevolcano said MK8D will take the roll of Smash, I think they meant now that Smash's new content updates are done, Nintendo will now use MK8D's 6 waves of dlc tracks to fill that void of regularly having new content updates for Directs & creating buzz/marketing hype. Although, I would agree the tracks updates are not as big of a deal as new Smash characters were.

@JaxonH It’s a great strategy honestly. It keeps the nonenthuasist from sitting on purchasing to wait for PS5/seriesX stock as they will go after the hottest available thing first, especially folks with kids and it allows Nintendo to take advantage of the game droughts/gen straddlers that plague every new system’s launch years. Games aren’t exclusive to the new sony and MS systems yet, which means a person with 800 burning a hole in their account may pick a switch and games over a new rival system and a game or two. I know I’ve stopped saving for either because I can’t keep up with the switch line up as is. Even more they are focusing on a nice mix of games that appeal to long time owners, new owners and lapsed Nintendo customers. Just about everything this year has got some form of positive word of mouth and we haven’t even gotten to e3. And with a new traditional mainline Pokemon on lock for the holiday? The system is set to sell well even if they packed it in and said "that’s all that is coming out now folks" (which we all know they won’t); a lot of the E3 darlings like Bayo3, Metroid Prime4 and BoTW2 should be getting getting release date announcements this year and some big Nintendo exclusive franchises are already getting new entries. Perfect way to keep momentum. At this point I am slowing purchases (in part due to the eshop closures, which will also generate revenue and lower next years OPEX costs ) because it will be cheaper to wait until BF and do a mega haul. And provided the Russia attacks on the Ukraine don’t escalate in a way that majorly disrupts travel, shipping and supply (on top of the current shortages) the theme park endeavors should also generate money. As a fan and a shareholder, I am pleased as punch.

@WoomyNNYes The updates aren’t as big of a deal but they will reach more users. Smash is big but the game usually bought or bundled with a switch is Mario Kart. And with a sitting install base to bring back that’s free word of mouth as well. I know I have already started telling people about It and I haven’t touched MK in years.

So if they delay BotW2 into 2023, why haven't they said so already? Didn't they reconfirm that they want to release it 2022 just recently? Nintendo should have known about the new Pokemon game releasing late '22 back then obviously...?!?

@IceClimbers I think it could go either way about the Wii U ports given Wind Waker HD is a Nintendo Select. Tropical Freeze of course had that gigantic controversy in 2018 and Pikmin 3 suffered a similar controversy in 2020 but 3D World added Bowser's Fury which separated it from the Wii U's Nintendo Selects discounted price. As for other stuff, the Splatoon 3 segment of the Direct made me think August (seemed odd to only show Salmon Run and have "Summer" rather than a month if it was in July) and I think the rumoured stuff is more likely for 2023.

@X-Slayer I was meaning in the sense that @WoomyNNYes describes. Every general Direct and standard Direct Mini from March 2018 to September 2021 had some info on Smash whether showing new fighter reveals, announcing when the next fighter will be revealed or just teasing new modes but with Sora released in October 2021 that's it for Smash outside of the amiibo and perhaps the N64 game being added to NSO Expansion Pack. The February 2021 Direct pretty much confirmed MK8 Deluxe DLC is taking Smash's place. You'll likely see something like:

• February 2022 Direct - Wave 1 revealed
• E3 2022 Direct - Wave 2 revealed
• September 2022 Direct - Wave 3 revealed
• February 2023 Direct - Wave 4 revealed
• E3 2023 Direct - Wave 5 revealed
• September 2023 Direct - Wave 6 revealed

Maybe even the same trick as Smash is used where alongside revealing the penultimate wave it's announced that the final wave isn't actually the final wave (the September 2019 Direct announced release date for Banjo, revealed Terry and announced more fighters were coming after Fighters Pass 1 was over).

@Budda The release list provided when earnings report happen is just repeating previously announced info so is not necessarily accurate. A good example of how things can change is Fire Emblem Three Houses, on January 31st 2019 the release list along with the earnings report had that game as releasing in Spring 2019:

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/01/nintendo_reconfirms...

2 weeks later the February 2019 Direct happened which revealed the precise release date of Three Houses to be July 26th 2019 which is well into summer.

(23:50 in the video)

@Budda @X-Slayer @Grumblevolcano Would not be surprised if Nintendo waits until whatever they do around what would normally be E3 to make any announcement on delays. But then also show a new gameplay trailer to counter the let down.

@X-Slayer When is Fire Emblem: Three Hopes releasing? And is there anything about the game that would cause enough reason to delay it?

Sorry, with how what's being restricted particularly, @X-Slayer ....? It's always possible any game can get delayed, of course but I'm not sure what made you pick that one, specifically

I'm pretty sure Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes is the last game that will get delayed.

Because they've still got a brand new Fire Emblem to announce and squeeze in this year or next, and a remake (provided the info is true). They can't afford to push it back and potentially have three FE games release next year.

Nintendo almost never delays these games they announce a few months before release. And K-T can churn these musou games out pretty quickly anyway.