Rumours surrounding a potential Switch successor have been swirling for a little while now, and although there's been no concrete information from Nintendo on when a new console might appear or even what it might entail, we know that an eventual "next-gen" system will indeed crop up at some point... probably.
One developer hoping for an eventual successor is Wild Bunch Productions, which has recently launched a double Kickstarter for its video game project Armed Fantasia, alongside Yukikaze's JRPG horror title Penny Blood. The Kickstarter has gotten off to a pretty good start, funding £565,801 of its £616,686 goal (automatically converted from Japanese yen) at the time of writing with 31 days yet to go.
As part of the Kickstarter's stretch goals, the creators are looking to launch both games on as many platforms as possible. Currently, this includes PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, but what's particularly interesting is that the Kickstarter will tentatively allow for users to choose 'Nintendo' as their chosen platform, in the hope that a successor to the Switch will be revealed during the games' development:
"If our Console Stretch goal is reached, then we will release both games on current gen hardware (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC), but will tentatively offer an option for backers to select Nintendo as their platform of choice in hopes that new hardware becomes available during production.
Should no new hardware be released/announced during this time and/or we discover that we are unable to port both games to the Nintendo hardware available at the time, then we will reach out to backers who requested Nintendo as their platform of choice to discuss alternatives."
It should be noted, of course, that the likelihood of Armed Fantasia launching on the Switch's successor is very much up in the air until Nintendo itself makes an official announcement. At the time of writing, the Kickstarter project has an estimated delivery window of March 2025, which seems like plenty of time in theory, but there's really no knowing of when a new console might be announced.
As for the game itself, Armed Fantasia is a project from the creator of the classic JRPG Wild Arms and is being described as a "Westernpunk RPG". It takes place across a sprawling wilderness filled with dungeons and treasures, with a battle system that Wild Bunch Productions dubs as 'Cross Order Tactics', which seems to blend turn-based mechanics with real-time action gameplay, much like modern Final Fantasy titles. Looking at the trailer and accompanying images, we have to say that it looks positively gorgeous, so we're certainly hoping to see the game appear on a Nintendo system at some point!
Are you hoping to see Armed Fantasia or Penny Blood on an eventual Switch successor? When do you think a new console will be announced? Let us know!
[source kickstarter.com, via automaton-media.com]
Comments 24
Awe I thought it said wild guns and I got excited.
The game looks pretty from those screenshots. Not much to say about the Switch's successor besides it will be ready when it is ready.
This looks pretty amazing. I’ll definitely be looking at the review and picking this one up. I just started on Kickstarter though. That might be a while.
I don't think we're looking at a Switch 2 until March 2024 at the very earliest. We would have been getting rumblings this year if a new Switch was comimg in 2023, so 2024 seems more likely. Either way, as a Wild Arms fan, I'm super excited for Armed Fantasia.
This game looks really good and now my cup of tea after playing Xenoblade 3 - if there was a sure option of a Switch release I'd back this. I am not one for the random toys and game related objects though if you are, their Kickstarter has nailed it - they have game engraved pocket watches!
Considering these games didn't even start full development yet and both of them are more than likely 4-5 years away from being released at minimum, it's a pretty safe bet that the next gen Nintendo console will be out by that time.
Games are estimated for March 2025 so with the standard kickstarted delay it will be December 2026 when they actually launch so a Switch 2 will be knocking around by then. I think we will be getting the new hardware in 2024.
A yes, a turn based RPG that won't run on Switch....
Release date wise it makes sense for them to say that but to pretend that what we saw can't run on Switch now is a bit silly.
Over the top has become the new generic. I want something more down to earth but I guess I am a niche.
Well, still 3 years again.
lol this is the second JRPG kickstarter I've seen where the developers were openly hoping for more powerful Nintendo hardware.
This game looks gorgeous. Great artstyle. I'm down.
Looks great, though that title reminds me how much I would love to see a new Wild Guns game myself (seriously, play it on NSO, it's utterly fantastic)!
Im really hoping that the switch successor still keeps the "switch" aspect, though it does seem like nintendo are treating it like one of their handhelds and those usually have a follow up (GB>GBA DS>3DS) so i hope the switch is the same.
Ha I was wondering why the Wild Arms games all but suddenly disappeared. Sony doesn't know what to do with that franchise for some reason. May as well sell the IP to Square Enix or Atlus at this point. The last time I play a Wild Arms game was on the PS2 back in 2007, that's like forever ago. Glad the team is making a successor keeping the spirit of Wild Arms alive but it's too bad the Wild Arms name is forever own by Sony.
First Kickstarter I ever backed. Shadow Hearts was my favorite game series. (now it's Xenoblade)
@Rika_Yoshitake Uh...you realize this is pre-alpha gameplay right? The game won't be ready till 2025 at earliest so this game will almost certainly be too much for the Switch to handle, and even if it could, it's pretty safe to say that the Switch's successor will launch before the end of 2025. I'm in the likely 2024 release club lol. @Serpenterror The Wild Arms dev team GameARTS went out of business while developing Wild Arms 6 on PS3.
A return of Wild Arms is THE game announcement I have been waiting for (well that and Gex). Looks like this is the closest we'll get. Thank you Nintendo Life for bringing this to our attention. I'll be backing this.
@TowaHerschel7 GameARTS has nothing to do with the Wild Arms franchise. Wild Arms was developed by Media.Vision, a company which is still around and currently is responsible for the Valkyria Chronicles series.
GameARTS is the company responsible for Lunar and Grandia.
Watch people somehow say this is confirmation Nintendo is releasing a Switch Pro next year.
@Rika_Yoshitake 1) they didn't say that they don't know it will be able to run on Switch or not, they just left the door open in the event that this game wouldn't be able to. which is a sensible thing, cuz that is possible (if not likely implausible).
2) game's at least 2+ years out. it's entirely possible that it doesn't work out on the Switch for any number of reasons.
'2025'...... ...you and i both know that ain't gonna occur very well, and i highly doubt realistically anybody gonna have cash around said time to even afford anything at all, or just out right do much of stuff they love to do.
things are occurring around the world that is important, and will end up basically taking this off the side; that is if gaming even survives for that long lol. if it does then whoopie.
either or i would've loved if the game would release next year T_T i do love it..sigh
@Penlab Thanks for the correction, I always mix those two devs up lol. xD
@LacesOfClouds8 Unless every single country ends up at war with every other country simultaneously there will be a market for games. Also doubtful if things will get THAT bad and if they do 99.9999999% of us would be dead at that point anyways.
@TowaHerschel7 "Unless every single country ends up at war with every other country simultaneously there will be a market for games" - you want to be delusional by the matter that each country is suffering from the economy crashing, japans economy crashed and they acknowledged it - are you okay? reality is reality, things are really going bad worldwide, africa is suffering horrendously ; wow you seriously need some mental help mate, i get that things are going to full blown crap in countries including yours just like mines but that doesn't mean you need to ignore such serious important factors.
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