It really feels like Nintendo is primed for one hell of a 2025 with the Switch 2 launch + Epic Universe

RPGam3r · May 5, 2024

PaulLFC said:
This is going to sound silly, but although I have a Switch, for the last while I've mostly been buying games in sales and "saving" them to play on Switch 2. More powerful hardware can't come soon enough.

I don't know if I would assume they will run better. Firstly, the games have to be coded to take advantage of the better hardware, unless they go the Xbox way and brute force some improvements, which seems super unlikely for Nintendo to do.

My guess is that Switch games almost entirely, or even all, run the same way on the Switch 2.

LinkStrikesBack · May 5, 2024

Metro Cow said:
Honestly, I wish Nintendo did have a B team working on 3D Zelda as well. I don't see why every game has to be produced by Aonuma and take 6 years to release. 3D Zelda used to be my favourite franchise but I honestly got so burned out by BOTW and TOTK that I've fallen out of love with it a bit. I'd love a smaller, more focused side game while we wait until 2029 for the next inevitably massive open world game.

I look at From Software releasing incredible games every 3 years or even less (sometimes every year which is crazy) and I wish Zelda was more like that. I'd love Nintendo to have faith in another studio or even another production team of EPD to make a 3D Zelda game.

The problem facing Nintendo is that in terms of the main 3d Zelda games, there's no realm where it's financially sensible to develop anything other than the massive open world games; even if they had a second team, they'd only be to have two open world Zelda's in development, and given the absurd scale of teams already on 3D Zelda, that's probably not feasible for Nintendo. The elephant in the "why not make older style side games" room (apologies if this wasn't what you meant by smaller games in your post), is those also took almost as long to make. Twilight princess was almost 4 years after wind waker, and skyward sword 5 years after that, and these weren't even HD console games yet. But as demonstrated by skyward sword hd, a large chunk of the audience from BOTW/TOTK weren't that interested in the previous game from the A team, in the old style, so it's fair to presume a new B team without the people who've been spearheading the franchise would have an even more muted reception. This makes it difficult to justify the large budget a new ocarina of time/twilight princess game would need.

They've come up with a solution, and that's currently in the form of external spin offs, primarily Hyrule warriors, and remasters, and that's pretty likely to continue. At this point, they've likely sat on WWHD and TPHD solely so they can use them at a opportune moment between development of the open world games.

(Side note: skyward sword hd at 4.15m in Dec 2022 was barely ahead of age of calamity, at >4m in Dec 22, last numbers we got, which is , oof.)

404LinkNotFound · May 5, 2024

Metro Cow said:
Honestly, I wish Nintendo did have a B team working on 3D Zelda as well. I don't see why every game has to be produced by Aonuma and take 6 years to release. 3D Zelda used to be my favourite franchise but I honestly got so burned out by BOTW and TOTK that I've fallen out of love with it a bit. I'd love a smaller, more focused side game while we wait until 2029 for the next inevitably massive open world game.

I look at From Software releasing incredible games every 3 years or even less (sometimes every year which is crazy) and I wish Zelda was more like that. I'd love Nintendo to have faith in another studio or even another production team of EPD to make a 3D Zelda game.

Classic 3D zelda was starting to take 5 plus years to make even before the series went HD. They arent gonna waste resources having a team do 5 plus year dev cycle to just have a game sell 4 million copies vs a game thatll sell 20 million

I dont get where people had this idea that classic 3d zelda is this short side thing that could be made. Fromsoftware games Arent like zelda. The games dont have intricate large dungeons like zelda too plus the zelda games are way more polished as well and take longer to debug (as seen with totk taking a year to go thru QA alone)

Also got a feeling Fromsoft pumping on games fast might be cuz of classic crunch lol

entut1 · May 5, 2024

Zan said:
Isn't Mario Movie 2 also 2025? So it's very Nintendo packed.

April 2026, altho that opens the door to the teaser being released in the fall before (most likely September/October 2025) like for the first one. 2025 is the 40th anniversary of the mainline series though, so I'd expect a lot of Mario stuff during that year.

Charcoal · May 5, 2024

Looking forward to the "Man, 20xx sure is stacked" threads.

Mephissto · May 5, 2024

Metro Cow said:
Honestly, I wish Nintendo did have a B team working on 3D Zelda as well. I don't see why every game has to be produced by Aonuma and take 6 years to release. 3D Zelda used to be my favourite franchise but I honestly got so burned out by BOTW and TOTK that I've fallen out of love with it a bit. I'd love a smaller, more focused side game while we wait until 2029 for the next inevitably massive open world game.

I look at From Software releasing incredible games every 3 years or even less (sometimes every year which is crazy) and I wish Zelda was more like that. I'd love Nintendo to have faith in another studio or even another production team of EPD to make a 3D Zelda game.

I just wish Nintendo didn't scrap their 2D Zelda team but that seems to be the case as well.

Juryvicious · May 5, 2024

Agreed. I haven't been this hyped for a console since the Wii back in '06.

Ant_17 · May 5, 2024

Or it will be another WIIU. Or worse, a 3DS that they have to cut the price in half again.

Kozy · May 5, 2024

Powerofthecloud said:
Switch was announced in October and launched in March.

Mirev said:
Switch 2 first trailer was in october and released in march. And this time they don't have to promote a new kind of concept

The difference is that Nintendo announced the NX and its release date way before that first Switch trailer.

Mephissto said:
I just wish Nintendo didn't scrap their 2D Zelda team but that seems to be the case as well.

Grezzo is probably the new 2D Zelda team now. I can see a new game from them coming in the next 12 months.

Mephissto · May 5, 2024

Kozy said:
Grezzo is probably the new 2D Zelda team now. I can see a new game from them coming in the next 12 months.

Yes, but they only do remakes, no? A brand new 2d Zelda would be great again.

Advance.Wars.Sgt. · May 5, 2024

Ant_17 said:
Or it will be another WIIU. Or worse, a 3DS that they have to cut the price in half again.

3DS worse than the Wii U???

No wonder some of you think Nintendo "killed" handhelds

Kouriozan · May 5, 2024

And here I'm just constantly waiting for them to announce a new Tomodachi Life.
It's been 10 years, it's way past time for a new one.

Kozy · May 5, 2024

Mephissto said:
Yes, but they only do remakes, no? A brand new 2d Zelda would be great again.

They've done remakes before, but I don't see any reason why they couldn't do a new 2D Zelda game if Nintendo asked them to.

LinkStrikesBack · May 5, 2024

Mephissto said:
Yes, but they only do remakes, no? A brand new 2d Zelda would be great again.

They basically doubled the amount of content in four swords dsiware edition from the original gba game, so it's not like they don't do new content at times.

Also they've done fully original titles in triforce heroes (co-developer), ever oasis, and some other smaller stuff, so it's not like they're purely 100% only interested in remakes

Mephissto · May 5, 2024

LinkStrikesBack said:
They basically doubled the amount of content in four swords dsiware edition from the original gba game, so it's not like they don't do new content at times.

Also they've done fully original titles in triforce heroes (co-developer), ever oasis, and some other smaller stuff, so it's not like they're purely 100% only interested in remakes

I would hope so. To me it seems like Nintendo replaced the 2D releases with remake/remaster releases.

Metro Cow · May 5, 2024

LinkStrikesBack said:
The problem facing Nintendo is that in terms of the main 3d Zelda games, there's no realm where it's financially sensible to develop anything other than the massive open world games; even if they had a second team, they'd only be to have two open world Zelda's in development, and given the absurd scale of teams already on 3D Zelda, that's probably not feasible for Nintendo. The elephant in the "why not make older style side games" room (apologies if this wasn't what you meant by smaller games in your post), is those also took almost as long to make. Twilight princess was almost 4 years after wind waker, and skyward sword 5 years after that, and these weren't even HD console games yet. But as demonstrated by skyward sword hd, a large chunk of the audience from BOTW/TOTK weren't that interested in the previous game from the A team, in the old style, so it's fair to presume a new B team without the people who've been spearheading the franchise would have an even more muted reception. This makes it difficult to justify the large budget a new ocarina of time/twilight princess game would need.

They've come up with a solution, and that's currently in the form of external spin offs, primarily Hyrule warriors, and remasters, and that's pretty likely to continue. At this point, they've likely sat on WWHD and TPHD solely so they can use them at a opportune moment between development of the open world games.

(Side note: skyward sword hd at 4.15m in Dec 2022 was barely ahead of age of calamity, at >4m in Dec 22, last numbers we got, which is , oof.)

Yeah I know it's a pipe dream on my part that they would ever do what I'm suggesting. And I know a game more like traditional Zelda would still take a few years to make, but I reckon it would still sell pretty well now that Zelda as a brand has blown up in popularity. But I do accept they wouldn't sell as well as the big open world sandbox games.

It could still have open world elements, even the other 3D games have explorable hubs like Hyrule Field or the Great Sea. I just think it would be cool if there could be new Zeldas by different teams every 3 years instead of the massive long waits we have at the moment. There have to be developers working at other studios who grew up playing Zelda and would jump at the chance to make their own, if Nintendo would give them the opportunity.

I actually look at Skyward Sword remaster selling 4m as being really impressive, given that it's not a new game and also it's a remake of a very divisive game. Even with the new button controls it can still be kinda awkward to play, which probably put some people off buying it.

FEVER333 · May 5, 2024

Melhadf said:
Having your theme park attraction in Florida is on brand sadly. Why have it somewhere that LGBT and women aren't having their rights removed when you can set the tone for your Saudi Investors (2nd largest shareholder).

If any company is big and beloved enough to setup a successful theme park somewhere safer for people it's Nintendo. Especially with how much is getting removed by Universal for Nintendo stuff.

What is getting removed? Epic Universe is an entirely new park. Universal don't have The Simpsons license anymore after the Disney-Fox merger, so they were never going to re-up on a new deal. The Lost Continent has long been a dead area of the other park that was badly due for a refresh.

Kahhhhyle · May 5, 2024

Kanhir said:
They're opening up a theme park in Paris? /s

Kidding aside, this has all the ingredients of a strong year, but I'm still somewhat worried because nobody can mess up a console launch quite like Nintendo.

This is actually the biggest factor working against them, not for them; historically, when a console is extremely popular on a grand scale, the publisher has always struggled to sell the next one.

The 3DS and PS3 came out on the heels of the best selling consoles of all time, and both had gloomy first years where the console was sold on promises and middling lineups because publishers were sticking to the established install base of their predecessors. For both, it took a very long time for console sales to finally pick up the pace - for the 3DS, it even needed a price cut.
The PS Vita and Wii U were both basically dead on arrival - they had to contend with being the successors to top 10 consoles, they once again had middling lineups because their predecessors were stronger, and Sony/Nintendo completely failed to communicate to consumers why they should pick the new consoles over the ones they already had.

So the real question is, how will Nintendo convince consumers that the Switch 2 is worth the extra purchase when every household already has a Switch?
But more importantly, how will they convince publishers to deliver killer apps for a new, unproven console, rather than the console every household already has?

The success of the previous hardware isn't the primary reason why any of those consoles had issues. It was because in all of those cases the new hardware was too expensive and didn't have the software to get people to buy it. And this is proven out by the 3DS and PS3 selling very well after price cuts and compelling software released.

Conversely with Wii U and Vita we see the opposite. The only good year for the Wii U was 2014, with the rest being barren of compelling games. And the Vita from what I understand was pretty quickly abandoned not only by third parties but by Sony themselves.

Disclaimer that I'm a Wii U loser not a Vita loser. I can comment first hand as a person who bought a Wii U at launch and rode that wave all the way to BotW's release. I have zero first hand experience with the Vita.

MasterYoshi · May 5, 2024

Just give me the Ocarina of Time remake and I'm solid

vio55555 · May 5, 2024

Kanhir said:
They're opening up a theme park in Paris? /s

Kidding aside, this has all the ingredients of a strong year, but I'm still somewhat worried because nobody can mess up a console launch quite like Nintendo.

This is actually the biggest factor working against them, not for them; historically, when a console is extremely popular on a grand scale, the publisher has always struggled to sell the next one.

The 3DS and PS3 came out on the heels of the best selling consoles of all time, and both had gloomy first years where the console was sold on promises and middling lineups because publishers were sticking to the established install base of their predecessors. For both, it took a very long time for console sales to finally pick up the pace - for the 3DS, it even needed a price cut.
The PS Vita and Wii U were both basically dead on arrival - they had to contend with being the successors to top 10 consoles, they once again had middling lineups because their predecessors were stronger, and Sony/Nintendo completely failed to communicate to consumers why they should pick the new consoles over the ones they already had.

So the real question is, how will Nintendo convince consumers that the Switch 2 is worth the extra purchase when every household already has a Switch?
But more importantly, how will they convince publishers to deliver killer apps for a new, unproven console, rather than the console every household already has?

I feel like you're on the right idea (it's easy to screw up a console launch), but the issue is actually the opposite, that they might overthink it because Nintendo is too used to "reinventing the wheel" on every console launch. They have to just think simpler now that the Switch is basically the iPhone.

i.e. Naming: it absolutely should just be Switch 2. When you create the "iPhone of gaming", don't overthink it, just iterate that forward and win the market for generations.

Switch 2, 3, 4, etc. Keep things simple. There's no reason to call it Super Switch or Switch Snap which will just confuse everyone when it comes time for the 3rd Switch (and let's be clear, they're never going to separate handheld from console at this point, the combination of all their franchises, i.e. Mario 3D + Pokemon + Zelda + Animal Crossing + Kart + etc. is why the Switch is so powerful; all the Nintendo franchises in one place moving forward together).

Second thing is backwards compatibility, from Switch on, there should be full backwards compatibility, especially digitally but also physically (possibly with adapters past Switch 3 if form changes). No reason for anybody to lose digital libraries ever again. Keep bringing the playerbase along; people will upgrade to newer Switches to play their libraries; that creates the same hold that Steam has on PC gamers or Playstation has over Xbox (i.e. Spencer's quote about losing the PS4/Xbox1 generation being the worst one to lose because of the stickiness of digital libraries).

Most important is just games; as long as Mario 3D, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Smash, Pokemon, Zelda, Splatoon, etc. are well made games, Switch 2 will be an absolute monster at the start. They have 10+ franchises that gamers will absolutely go crazy for the next iteration, just make sure they deliver on them.

Whisu · May 5, 2024

Excited for the Switch U. /s

Spinluck · May 5, 2024

Yeah it seems extremely calculated.

I can only guess they are smart moves.

A Mario theme park with a Mario Kart ride launching alongside a new 3D Mario and/or Mario Kart would probably be killer.

SpiritDusk · May 5, 2024

I'm really hoping Nintendo give us a proper sequel to Mario Kart 8 that doesn't compromise on anything - and that includes doing what 8 did, and creating new arrangements for all of the music. I would be disappointed if they started reusing music again, as I think that was a core part of Mario Kart 8's identity.

Devil · May 5, 2024

Wouldn't be surprised if the launch year would be its peak software year as well. Just like how 2017 is Switch's most defining year with BotW, Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Xenoblade 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario + Rabbids 1. Felt like downhill since then tbh.

Powerofthecloud · May 5, 2024

Kozy said:
The difference is that Nintendo announced the NX and its release date way before that first Switch trailer.

nm your right

ELEGYGHOST · May 5, 2024

Devil said:
Wouldn't be surprised if the launch year would be its peak software year as well. Just like how 2017 is Switch's most defining year with BotW, Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Xenoblade 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario + Rabbids 1. Felt like downhill since then tbh.

Totally agree with this, I haven't been interested in Switch since that launch year lol

JTSilver · May 5, 2024

Spinluck said:
Yeah it seems extremely calculated.

I can only guess they are smart moves.

A Mario theme park with a Mario Kart ride launching alongside a new 3D Mario and/or Mario Kart would probably be killer.

A Mario Kart track that is a recreation of the theme park would be a BANGER.

erlim · May 5, 2024

Nintendo has absolutely dominated this gen and looks absolutely positioned to beast well into next gen. They seriously can not be slowed down.

MrConbon210 · May 5, 2024

Y'all ain't ready for Epic Universe

Plum · May 5, 2024

Metro Cow said:
Honestly, I wish Nintendo did have a B team working on 3D Zelda as well. I don't see why every game has to be produced by Aonuma and take 6 years to release. 3D Zelda used to be my favourite franchise but I honestly got so burned out by BOTW and TOTK that I've fallen out of love with it a bit. I'd love a smaller, more focused side game while we wait until 2029 for the next inevitably massive open world game.

I look at From Software releasing incredible games every 3 years or even less (sometimes every year which is crazy) and I wish Zelda was more like that. I'd love Nintendo to have faith in another studio or even another production team of EPD to make a 3D Zelda game.

To point From's Soulslike games and just say "why doesn't Nintendo do the same with 3D Zelda?" is, frankly, akin to pointing at the Call of Duty or Yakuza series and asking the same thing. Some franchises and developers just lend themselves better to more market saturation, and Soulslikes/From Games are 100% one of them. For reasons that should really be obvious simply by looking at the genre.

ScOULaris · May 5, 2024

ELEGYGHOST said:
Totally agree with this, I haven't been interested in Switch since that launch year lol

This is so hard for me to grasp. My switch library is probably over 200 games by now. Absolutely dwarfs any other console or platform that I've ever owned in terms of the amount of software I have purchased and played on it.

Kozy · May 5, 2024

Devil said:
Wouldn't be surprised if the launch year would be its peak software year as well. Just like how 2017 is Switch's most defining year with BotW, Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Xenoblade 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario + Rabbids 1. Felt like downhill since then tbh.

2019, 2022 and 2023 were all very strong software years too.

Ry. · May 5, 2024

Yeah, the current lack of first party games this year is really only something that more dedicated game hobbyists (like us) feel. The Switch 2 launch will certainly be strong, and with backwards compatibility, the library size will be massive. It's going to be a very attractive product for the casual market, and well timed with another big movie dropping.

stilgar · May 5, 2024

My only problem with this is 2024. Holy hell... That's barren.

ELEGYGHOST · May 5, 2024

ScOULaris said:
This is so hard for me to grasp. My switch library is probably over 200 games by now. Absolutely dwarfs any other console or platform that I've ever owned in terms of the amount of software I have purchased and played on it.

I take it that you never owned a Wii U then? I'm super happy so many people are enjoying the Switch, but so much of it was rehashed from the U not to mention all the features they cut from the gamepad lol

vio55555 · May 5, 2024

ELEGYGHOST said:
I take it that you never owned a Wii U then? I'm super happy so many people are enjoying the Switch, but so much of it was rehashed from the U not to mention all the features they cut from the gamepad lol

Wii U had great software, but it just wasn't the right console for its time so it didn't find a market.

It's a tough situation because it only sold 14 million consoles and 100 million games; I'm kind of glad that Nintendo rescued titles (esp DKC and Super Mario 3D World) by bringing them to the Switch but it's obviously rough on the people that got Wii U's and those games. There's no doubt about that.

Truno · May 5, 2024

ELEGYGHOST said:
I take it that you never owned a Wii U then? I'm super happy so many people are enjoying the Switch, but so much of it was rehashed from the U not to mention all the features they cut from the gamepad lol

The last Wii U port was in January of 2021, and it included a brand new campaign. This argument is severely overblown

ze_ · May 5, 2024

Zyrokai said:
So curious about the next Zelda game. Pretty sure this thing is gonna launch with Mario, but I wonder if they'll tease the next Zelda? Something tells me it's not as far off as we all tend to think.

Slow cooking is the mode there. It's not just a matter of circumstance. Aonuma is on the record expressing how much he disliked the circumstances under which TP was developed; a lot of crunch to meet deadlines. He has the power to change that and he did.

ragolliangatan · May 5, 2024

Zyrokai said:
So curious about the next Zelda game. Pretty sure this thing is gonna launch with Mario, but I wonder if they'll tease the next Zelda? Something tells me it's not as far off as we all tend to think.

I think we will start seeing teases in 2026 for Zelda, the are probably going wild in prototyping

vio55555 · May 5, 2024

Zyrokai said:
So curious about the next Zelda game. Pretty sure this thing is gonna launch with Mario, but I wonder if they'll tease the next Zelda? Something tells me it's not as far off as we all tend to think.

Only things that I think are reasonable are some sort of "upgraded TotK (i.e. maybe DLC?)" or a Zelda remake (OoT, Windwaker, TP are endlessly rumored) at this point for the next 24 months.

Very tough to imagine the TotK successor in any short period of time given the amount of development time that went into TotK. That's definitely a middle generation Switch 2 game, not an early one.

With a slew of likely Pokemon games joining Mario 3D, Kart, Smash, Animal Crossing, possibly DKC as early Switch 2 releases; it's tough to feel as if Zelda will be needed early; they can take their time on that.

Wil Grieve · May 5, 2024

Florida ain't the tourism capital of the world.

Paris is.

Adulfzen · May 5, 2024

show me a new 3D mario, a new Mario Kart and a new Monolith Soft game (new ip or xenoblade) and I'll be there day one. Hell to be totally honest they could just show me one of the games I listed and I'll be listed (tho obviously 3D Mario or Mario Kart will be necessary to sell to a wider audience rather than Xenoblade).

ScOULaris · May 5, 2024

Wil Grieve said:
Florida ain't the tourism capital of the world.

Paris is.

Well, it's the theme park capital of the world.

Quiggling · May 5, 2024

I'd love to check that place out, but Florida is legitimately unsafe for me to be in.

Uncle Squingis · May 5, 2024

ScOULaris said:
It has to be really far off unless a completely different team has been working on it alongside TotK, which I think is highly unlikely.

Yeah this Zelda team takes their time. It took a long time (even taking Covid into account) to finish a game that's extremely similar to BotW. Ideally that last year of TotK development just for polish meant that other parts of the team were already planning the next game, but I wouldn't bet on that. I say holiday 2028 at the absolute earliest, and very likely later.

They could always build a demo for a Switch 2 trailer, but they would have to be clear it's just a demo, and since it's been a long time since they've done that I wouldn't go expecting it.

Majunior · May 5, 2024

Nintendo has some absolutely massive IPs. With the amount of brand power between Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Splatoon, and Smash Nintendo would have to mess up big time for a new console not to be a hit imo.

Optional Objectives · May 5, 2024

ScOULaris said:
tourism capital of the world

ScOULaris said:
Orlando, FL

Of the US, maybe, but they'd have to open in Paris to take that title. Euro Mario Land, anyone?

Moving on, we'll see about any switch 2 launch titles. I wouldn't bet on a Mario Kart sequel, myself, because they just keep selling 8. I think they might release a TotK update, but likely not a Zelda at launch. I do expect a 3D Mario entry, though.

ELEGYGHOST · May 5, 2024

Truno said:
The last Wii U port was in January of 2021, and it included a brand new campaign. This argument is severely overblown

So it had more years with Wii U ports than without, even more given that '24 schedule has nothing strong. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, only coming from Wii U, Switch was quite a letdown lol

ThisIsMyDogKyle · May 5, 2024

ELEGYGHOST said:
So it had more years with Wii U ports than without, even more given that '24 schedule has nothing strong. I don't think there's anything wrong with it, only coming from Wii U, Switch was quite a letdown lol

Even ignoring Wii U ports it is pretty easy to argue that the Switch has the best first party line up of any Nintendo console ever, even easier if you count the additional content to Wii U games that Wii U never got like Bowsers Fury and the 48 new MK8 tracks.

Zeal543 · May 5, 2024

honestly just need a new system and prime 4, i skipped out on totk, pikmin 4, mario wonder, and bayo 3 until switch 2 so I got plenty

It really feels like Nintendo is primed for one hell of a 2025 with the Switch 2 launch + Epic Universe

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