• Hey everyone, staff have documented a list of banned content and subject matter that we feel are not consistent with site values, and don't make sense to host discussion of on Famiboards. This list (and the relevant reasoning per item) is viewable here.
  • Do you have audio editing experience and want to help out with the Famiboards Discussion Club Podcast? If so, we're looking for help and would love to have you on the team! Just let us know in the Podcast Thread if you are interested!

Discussion 202X: Future Nintendo Software Speculation

D

Deleted member 887

Guest
202X
NINTENDO PRESENTS
HANDHELD 6
SUPER
SWITCH 2

...but with what games?*​


The Future Hardware Discussion Thread can turn pretty quickly into a thread about timing of a Switch Successor, and with that, what sort of launch titles the new console might have. It's fun! But as that thread is often highly technical (and occasionally contentious) that thread isn't followed by many folk who would absolutely want to play Fantasy Console Manufacturer**.

So here it is. Tell me what you think the first year of Nintendo's next console looks like. What games will there be? What does third party support look like? How many games are cross-gen? What games will be the Switch's last Hurrah, and what games will be Exclusives?

I'm basically assuming that A New Console launches in the next 18 months. That's a wide window, but I don't want to get too in the weeds about timing. We have very little hard evidence, and pretty bare rumors about the second half of this year, which gives us lots of room to speculate between now and the next Direct about what might be saved for a follow up console, regardless of launch date. So this seems like a ripe moment to engage in some wild thinking. Go nuts!

Will there be a significant play for a New IP? Will games like Splatoon and Mario Kart go Live Service? Is Metroid Prime 4 punted to the successor?

While I strongly encourage you to get into some real puzzle solving type speculation, I also want to hear your wild fan desires! What do you want after 7 years of Switch. What would match the Switch's launch line up for you - or exceed it? Feel free to put impossible things down if that's what you want. But some ground rules:

  1. If you want something to happen, say it! Let me see your fantasy launch years!
  2. If you think something will happen, say it! I want your brilliant analysis!
  3. If you are dead confident call your shot***. Avatar bets, and bragging rights for getting it right are welcomed
  4. Don't be a heel. This is the kind of subject where one fan's fantasy is another fan's impossibility is a third fan's worst launch year ever. Feel free to express your opinions - but state them as your opinions and not as judgements of each other. Taste is subjective, and predicting Nintendo is hard.
I'll put my big guesses in the first reply. As time goes on, I may assemble a "consensus launch year" which shows roughly what everyone is thinking. And as games get announced for Switch between now and whenever Nintendo Next gets announced, we can mark things off the list.

Alright, I'm tired of typing. Go!

* apologies for the mixture of Mega Man and Metroid references in the opening here
** also, arguing about whether or not Zelda is a good launch title is both never ending and off topic
*** I kept writing "call your ball" and it took me 10 minutes to figure out why that sounded wrong...
 
0
My big brain guess is hinted at in the OP, and what the hell, I’ll call my shot early.



I think Mario Kart will become a live service title.

Mario Kart Tour clearly is Mario Kart 9. That team has often alternated the TV console version and the handheld version of Mario Kart (and clearly considers the handheld versions mainline entries). In terms of amount of content, and the need for a new, customized-to-portable-play engine and control scheme, Tour is very much in that mold. And as a mobile game, it was clearly intended to have long ongoing content support, had it caught on.

Bringing those tracks to MK8DX, and putting them behind the Expansion Pak opens up a model for Nintendo to have their cake and eat it too. They don’t want to put full price games in their subscription service, but they need to offer something compelling. Putting Mario Kart courses - and potentially other long support games - behind the Expansion Pak lets them do that.

Put enough evergreen support behind the Expansion Pak, and everyone will buy it, while still letting Nintendo charge full price for the base game. If they do this with the obvious hitters - the Mario sports games, Splatoon maps, Mario Kart courses/characters, maybe Smash - then lots of folks will look at buying two DLC’s ala cart (heh) and just sign up for the expansion pak to save money (at least at first) and get the expanded legacy library.

I think 3D Mario is the Launch Title, Open World Sandbox, and an Exclusive

This is kind of a no-brainer but we’re overdue for the next 3D Mario, and a new Zelda won’t be able to be a launch title with Tears coming out in May. This seems like the obvious launch title.

The exclusive thing is a bit of a reach, but I think Nintendo is going to offer us a “Switch 2” with back combat, and I think if they do, they need a big juicy exclusive to get people to upgrade, and a gorgeous Mario Game that seems to do things that the Switch can’t do - like a single continuous Bowser’s Fury style world but much larger - helps sell why the thing has to only be on new hardware.

I think Star Fox gets a new game in the launch year

Star Fox and F-Zero are basically the two franchises that haven’t been allowed to get the Switch Magic, and raise an ailing series to record sales (see: Pikmin, Metroid). Considering how much Miyamoto wants to make fetch happen, and considering how many times the series has tried a different direction, I think the reason we’ve not gotten another Star Fox 64 remake is an intentional desire to let the series sit fallow for a while.

Star Fox: Zero was poorly received, but I don’t think it blights the series, because no one bought a Wii U. I think Nintendo wants to make a Star Fox media empire (along with every other franchise), and I think they will be in good shape to launch something that people want.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is the big remake of year one.

Nintendo needs a certain amount of remake and spinoffs to keep the cadence of the Switch Era. There aren’t many Wii U games left to scrape up, but this is a big game that’s just sitting there, and it would be a good place for Monolith Soft to stretch their legs on new hardware, and give the main Xenoblade games a breather before deciding what to do next.

Wii games are tricky to bring over for control reasons (with Joy-Con only doing ok pointer emulation) and GC games really want from ground remakes to be full price titles. This feels like the move.
 
0
I think Nintendo will launch new console with 3D Mario and follow it up with a new Mario Kart and Smash Bros in the first year. They will start off strong and I'm sure they will also upgrade Zelda Totk with DLC and a next gen patch and sell it as a new title in the first year. Probably a few more hardcore stuff will be planned like a 2D Metroid and other stuff. They are saving a lot of games that's for sure.
 
Imho it'll go like this:
  • Launch title: Super Mario 3D game(made with Switch 2 in mind, but also playable on OG Switch but at lower resolution and framerate, without features like DLSS and RT)
  • Exclusive games: Mario Kart Next/10 is the first exclusive game I can see happening. Don't think there's any chance of that coming any earlier than 2025 tho. I think a new Animal Crossing can happen earlier than a new Mario Kart and be the first exclusive of the new console.
  • Games that will receive patches to run at 4K through DLSS and receive visual updates: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime Remastered, Metroid Prime 4, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the 2D Mario and DK games coming to Switch, Splatoon 3. Most of those will be featured in it's reveal trailer/event.
  • Games coming in the mid/late life of the next console, as exclusives: Zelda (redacted) of the (redacted), another 3D Mario, another 2D Mario, Prime 5, whatever Pokémon gen or remakes launch by 2027 or later, a new Super Smash Bros game, Splatoon 4, Xenoblade Chronicles 4, Bayonetta 4. Those will come in the late 2025 or later timeframe.
  • Cross gen games that will release in the mid life cycle of the next console(as in also coming to Switch until 2027): Mario Party entries of 2024 and 2027, Pokémon remakes of late 2024, Pokémon new gen in 2025, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Wind Waker HD, Prime 2 and 3 remasters, 2D Metroid (2024/2025), 2D Zelda(2024), next Paper Mario, Nintendo Warriors next games.
 
I mean, the way you describe it then Mario Kart 8 DX is already a live service game. You're just proposing that Nintendo continues their exact same expansion pass strategy for Switch 2 - and I agree with you, but it's hardly a prediction, more an observation of what's already happening lol

My predictions are pretty much the same as everyone else's, it seems like there's a broad consensus around what to expect:
Launch Window:
Metroid Prime 4
Super Mario 3d Game
Mario Kart 9

6 to 12 months after Launch Window:
Smash Brothers Ultimate: Final Smash
Zelda Gamecube Ports
Donkey Kong

EDIT: I'd love to see an XCX remaster, but that game needs a LOT of work. Not sure it'll happen. I've always maintained that with just a few gameplay tweaks that game could be genuinely brilliant (story aside, there's no saving much of that).
 
Here's what I think (hope?) we'll see

  • New 3D Super Mario game
  • New 3D Zelda and a new 2D one also
  • Zelda Gamecube ports
  • Metroid Prime 4, new 2D Metroid
  • More 3D and 2D Kirby
  • New Donkey Kong game
  • Mario Kart 9
  • New Star Fox
  • More Paper Mario and Fire Emblem
  • Splatoon 4 and 5
  • Smash Brothers
  • Animal Crossing
  • Kid Icarus (maybe)
  • New Monolith action-RPG IP
  • A unique Grezzo IP, or maybe a follow-up to Ever Oasis
  • The Goemon spiritual successor Good-Feel is said to be working on, possibly a new IP in addition to that, and more Yoshi/Wario Land
  • Bayonetta 4, maybe Astral Chain 2
  • Resident Evil 7, 8, 2R, 3R, 4R, maybe 9
  • Street Fighter 6
  • Bravely Default 3
  • Octopath 3
  • More HD-2D in general
  • Dragon Quest 12
  • Dragon Quest 3
  • New console Mana game (one is allegedly in development now)
  • Kingdom Hearts collection, maybe 4
  • Falcom and Atlus bring more JRPGs: Shin Megami Tensei 6, Vanillaware (unless either Sega or Atlus do a stupid and make it exclusive to the PS/Xbox/PC ecosystems), Tokyo Xanadu, Trails, and Ys galore. Persona 6 should happen too, if Sony doesn't lock it down.
  • Ubisoft bringing whatever Rayman, Immortals, Prince of Persia content it has, and porting older AC games.
  • More Sonic games
  • More old Konami games
  • Namco and Level-5 will be there in much greater capacity this time, with the former bringing more of its anime games in addition to what they've already been bringing. Tekken and Soul Calibur are unlikely.
I've no idea what the future holds outside of that
 
Hairway to Steven said:
Here's what I think (hope?) we'll see

  • New 3D Super Mario game
  • New 3D Zelda and a new 2D one also
  • Zelda Gamecube ports
  • Metroid Prime 4, new 2D Metroid
  • More 3D and 2D Kirby
  • New Donkey Kong game
  • Mario Kart 9
  • New Star Fox
  • More Paper Mario and Fire Emblem
  • Splatoon 4 and 5
  • Smash Brothers
  • Animal Crossing
  • Kid Icarus (maybe)
  • New Monolith action-RPG IP
  • A unique Grezzo IP, or maybe a follow-up to Ever Oasis
  • The Goemon spiritual successor Good-Feel is said to be working on, possibly a new IP in addition to that, and more Yoshi/Wario Land
  • Bayonetta 4, maybe Astral Chain 2
  • Resident Evil 7, 8, 2R, 3R, 4R, maybe 9
  • Street Fighter 6
  • Bravely Default 3
  • Octopath 3
  • More HD-2D in general
  • Dragon Quest 12
  • Dragon Quest 3
  • New console Mana game (one is allegedly in development now)
  • Kingdom Hearts collection, maybe 4
  • Falcom and Atlus bring more JRPGs: Shin Megami Tensei 6, Vanillaware (unless either Sega or Atlus do a stupid and make it exclusive to the PS/Xbox/PC ecosystems), Tokyo Xanadu, Trails, and Ys galore. Persona 6 should happen too, if Sony doesn't lock it down.
  • Ubisoft bringing whatever Rayman, Immortals, Prince of Persia content it has, and porting older AC games.
  • More Sonic games
  • More old Konami games
  • Namco and Level-5 will be there in much greater capacity this time, with the former bringing more of its anime games in addition to what they've already been bringing. Tekken and Soul Calibur are unlikely.
I've no idea what the future holds outside of that
Click to expand...
That's a whole generation right there!
 
Hmm, stuff I want...
Broadly speaking, something to really flex the the improvement in hardware; particularly CPU. Stuff where, in addition to crying tears of joy at how beautiful it looks, you also sit back and think 'yaknow, the very design/concept of this game just couldn't be executed this well on the ol first Switch'.
Just to throw out a few ideas, which I may or may not have mentioned before:
A god simulation type game where you oversee a group of Yoshis living on their island. Maybe the conceit can be overseeing Yoshi's Island over some lengthy period of time, maybe even from the time of the first Yoshis to live there. Maybe it can end with a certain baby falling there.

A combination of kingdom management and large scale army vs army battle simulator, where we play out Bowser's rise and expansion of his empire.

Another attempt at the Hey You, Pikachu! concept. Push that machine learning acceleration; have that Pikachu learn and develop over time. Maybe borrow the idea of a bunch of different endings from Princess Maker; the Pikachu you raise can end a playthrough as a surfer, or wrestler, or detective, or <insert other professions we've seen over the years, or even professions we've yet to see>

Hmm, with the passing of Raquel Walch today, Fantastic Voyage now comes to mind... eyes the Dr. Mario viruses They can be used. But how? The player is shrunken and then enters a patient's body to fight the the Viruses, yes, but what's the core game here? Maybe a Dr. Mario, but in 3D and the camera shifted to behind the player avatar, and you're moving about throwing capsules at the viruses (I must admit being inspired to a degree by that thread on Cosmic Smash). But is that impressive enough? Does it give off 'can't be satisfyingly executed on base Switch' vibes? Probably not. May need to kick it up a notch; maybe multiplayer co-op along with cranking up viral density/load.

Hmm, I think that Thraktor's mentioned a new Wave Race; that would be sick too. Water physics so good, the only thing we'll be missing is some spray bottle accessory/attachment to spray water in our faces at the appropriate times.
 
Last edited:
Nintendo Focus
Launching November 2024 for $349.99 with:

Super Mario Magic
Super Mario Magic is a new chapter in the beloved Mario franchise and offers a magical adventure unlike any other.

The game takes players on an incredible journey through a world filled with magic and wonder. With the help of the new eye tracking technology in the Nintendo Focus, players can control Mario's movements, interact with the environment and solve puzzles in a more intuitive and immersive way.

Super Mario Magic features stunning 4K HDR graphics, bringing Mario's world to life like never before. Players can collect coins, defeat enemies and explore new environments, all while experiencing the magic of this world in a whole new way.

With classic Mario gameplay combined with the innovative eye tracking technology of the Nintendo Focus, Super Mario Magic is the perfect launch title for this new gaming system. It offers a gaming experience that is both familiar and new, appealing to fans of all ages.

The release of Super Mario Magic, along with the Nintendo Focus gaming system, marks a new era of gaming fun. Get ready to experience the magic of Mario like never before!

Notable First wave of software (Up to 18 months after launch):
  • Star Fox Defenders
  • Link's Crossbow Adventure
  • Donkey Kong Kingdom (Cross-gen)
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Complete Edition
  • Mario Kart X
  • Splatoon 3 Deluxe
  • Super Mario 40 (40th Anniversary Title, Cross-gen)
  • Pokemon Dream Version (Cross-gen)
  • Pokemon Spirit Version (Cross-gen)
 
Here's what I think will happen, with a bit of a pessimism:
  • Prime 4 launches early next Year in March.
  • The next console is a late 2024 release.
  • It launches with a new 3D Mario. I've no idea what it'll be.
  • Mario Kart 10 is announced next year but doesn't launch till 2025. Before then Tour will be announced to be shutting down. This is why the Booster course pass exists. As essentially a means of creating a permanent home for some of the content made for the game.
  • No sign of a new Zelda till 2027.
  • Animal Crossing gets a new release around 2026.
  • A Paper Mario game is announced at some point, it's a mediocre mess that people defend, because this time they've miraculously managed to create a battle system that isn't completely unenjoyable.
  • We don't get a new Splatoon till 2028. People will bemoan and cry that they should have saved 3 for the next console.
  • At some point around late 2025 IGN will release a article titled "It's time for a Switch 2 Pro." Which will kick off four years of """rumors""" and speculation of a revised stronger version of this next console, and each progressive year it will become increasingly more annoying.
  • The Zelda ports never happen.
  • Nintendo announces DS games are coming to NSO around early 2025. It'll still not be enough for the people that proclaim the service is not worth the price.
What I want:

  • New 3D Mario is essentially just all the ideas of Odyssey but bigger and better. Maybe with multiple playable characters.
  • New Animal Crossing takes all of what made New Horizons good and what made the past games good and smashes them together. Alongside adding a ton of new features. The main things I want would be a more in-depth friend system, more organic town shapes and perhaps different biomes you can pick from like the Happy Home games. Way way more customization options for your character and your house decorating and for decorating outside. Actually allow items and things to be interested with and serve a purpose, and way more interactivity with the villagers. With the villagers being given complete personality make overs to make them more fleshed out. Also the ability to pick where you want your town, be it on a island or in a forest. Just I could go on forever about what I want from Animal Crossing, but the bare minimum is make it as good as the past games and better.
  • NSO introduces DS, GameCube, Dreamcast, Gamegear, 3DS and Wii. I don't know how they'd do this, but it's what I want.
  • Xenoblade X gets a port.
  • Paper Mario ends. Just put it out of its misery.
  • A new 2D Zelda.
  • A new Donkey Kong Country game.
  • The next Splatoon has a single player mode where the levels and nature of the gameplay actually feel like they were made for single player and there's actual world building and themes to the levels, as opposed to taking place in a weird inclosed vaporwave hellscape.
 
Mango said:
.
  • No sign of a new Zelda till 2027.
  • The Zelda ports never happen.
Click to expand...
I really think that Nintendo would like a yearly Zelda game, and I think the next, new 3D Zelda is 2028 at the earliest.

If they do Tears DLC into 2024, give us Twilight Princess and Wind Waker on separate years, they’re still not going to make it through the entire next gen.

A new top down Zelda seems highly likely. Though so does Hyrule Warriors 3
 
  • System announcement in January 2024, release in May 2024.
  • 3D Mario is a launch title, continues on in the exploration style.
  • A selection of first party Switch titles will receive next gen enhancement patches throughout the year and into 2025, with some available at launch.
  • Mario Kart 10 is the big holiday title. Main focus is still on the Mario universe, but features more characters and tracks from other Nintendo franchises.
  • An outsourced main series Pokemon title (potentially a remake) will also release holiday 2024, but will be an original Switch title that is enhanced on Switch 2
  • Smash Bros will be announced early 2025. Is effectively Ultimate with improved graphics, more characters, more stages, new single player content(Subspace successor?), the return of trophies, and the introduction of rollback netcode. Holiday 2025 release.
  • Metroid 6 some time in 2025. Mercury Steam returns as developer. Marks the beginning of a new saga with new villains.
  • A new, original 2D Zelda made by Grezzo some time in 2025.

And disconnected from this I’m predicting that Zelda Ocarina of Time will see a remake release in 2028, to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
 
Last edited:
I actually think the Switch 2 is coming in March 2025, but I want it sooner so the below is based on my wants instead
  • 2023
    • Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers remake releases in April
  • 2024
    • Fire Emblem 4 remake releases in March
    • Switch 2 gets announced in March, releases in May
    • Switch 2 releases in May, accompanied by:
      • 3D Mario
      • Switch Sports 2
      • Dragon Quest III remake (I know DQ isn't a Nintendo franchise but w/e)
  • 2025
    • Mario Kart 9 releases in February
    • New Fire Emblem releases in April
    • Dragon Quest XII releases in July
    • Yakuza 0 Kiwami releases in September (It's absolutely getting remade for it's 10th anniversary - it'll come to Switch 2 too)
    • Pokemon BW remake releases in mid-November
    • Zelda OoT Remake releases in December
 
- A Yoshis Island remake that looks like this

D2_sK8gXgAUQcUf


- A Paper Mario TTYD remake

D_HFBoIXoAIzn34



- A port of Poochy and Yoshis Woolly World

- Bowser‘s Fury 2.0 / Open World Mario
 
Hmm, while continuing to think along the lines of tech demos/show pieces, I wouldn't mind a return to the Pilotwings well. Then use the grunt to crank up the aerodynamics. Simulate a variety of complex and intense weather phenomena.
...wait, continuing further along that track, I can see it now; a remake of Balloon Fight. Make it silly intense with player vs player vs ai vs aerodynamics vs environmental hazards + weather. Though I'm undecided on whether it should be 3d but with the camera zoomed out like a Super Mario 3d World, first person, or over the shoulder... or keep it 2d. Hmm, don't know if it's enough to be a stand alone release though...
Ah, but what about a mini collection of these sort of tech demos? I turn to the black box series... alright, got it. Picture a tech demo/remake collection of: Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, Urban Champion, Clu Clu Land, and Mach Rider. Use the extra grunt to sell the intensity of what our protagonists are going through. Imagine Ice Climber/Clu Clu Land through the first person/over the shoulder perspective. Picture how beautiful that snowy mountain is, and how by the gods, you're gonna make your way to the top of it. Flaunt the hydrodynamics in Clu Clu Land; maybe even show off how stunning the sea is. Make us weep at how can humanity, back in real life, pollute such a wonderful environment. Urban Champion's for flexing the Urban. Sell us the city environment...and uh, yea, do something about the gameplay.
(why not Excitebike? Well, why can't that be a standalone? :p)
 
-3D Mario & Mario Kart 9 happen at or very near the holiday 2024 launch, that's all I have to say on the titles themselves, at this point I think this is a item on every bingo card related to Switch 2. I will add however that I think you'll see some minor outrage, people complain and articles are writen complaining that Nintendo isn't cross-genning their major titles like Sony and Microsoft did. Of course I say minor, because both titles and the console they're pushing sell well despite this.

-Animal Crossing happens in 2025, and Splatoon 4 follows two years later, again, more mentioning this just because they seem super obvious.

- A Star Fox similar to Retro's Armada pitch happens, but is a low priority project, so doesn't appear till 2026/27. Gets the distinction of being Miyamoto's final project before retirement.

-F-Zero GX port does well enough to greenlight a new title in the series, comes out exclusive to Switch 2 around 2026.

-Metroid 6 in 2025, however it will be on Switch, but with significant enhancements (better textures, and higher poly models) for next gen owners. Will be one of a handful of true cross gen titles from Nintendo, most games largely either just get made for Switch 2, or are made for Switch with little to no enhancement on Switch 2.

-On that note I do think some existing titles get enhancements, however I'm gonna guess that it's not gonna be to the extent people want. Only major games from 2023 or later get them, of game released before holiday 2024 only TotK, Pikmin 4, Prime 4, and that rumored DK game get enhancements, and it will only be a resolution and mild performance boost. Older titles from 2022 or prior do not get any sort of improvements to speak of.

-Metroid Prime 2 & 3 remastered both happen, 2 in 2024, and 3 in 2026, both are made for Switch. The former sees no enhancements on Switch 2, but 3 receives texture enhancements and a resolution boost on the new hardware.

-Xenoblade X gets a much enhanced port in 2025, make more changes than any other Wii U port by a considerable margin. Like Metroid 6 it's made for Switch, but has some significant upgrades for Switch 2 owners. Xenoblade X2 follows two years later, exclusive to Switch 2.

-Wind Waker HD releases in 2024 at $40, it doesn't receive any major changes from Wii U, and isn't enhanced in anyway on Switch 2.

-Twilight Princess HD doesn't get ported at all, instead the game gets a full blown remake exclusive for Switch 2 in 2026, The game's picked due to the more realistic style showing the power of Switch 2 more effectively than other Zelda titles. Gets treated as the major Zelda title on Switch 2 initially as the series otherwise doesn't receive a new title till around 2028.

I think I've tried to not just stick to super safe bets, while keeping everything within the realm of possibility.

EDIT: Reworded a few things to sound better (hopefully).
 
Last edited:
SuperKoizumi said:
Link's Crossbow Adventure
Click to expand...
I honestly love this. The balls on Mr. Nintendo.

Hairway to Steven said:
So, how realistic is my list?
Click to expand...
For a generation, I think it’s pretty good! For an opening year, I doubt there will be that many first party games, much less all the heavy hitters.

ILikeFeet said:
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Deluxe Ray tracing Edition

Where the sky box is one big emissive light for ray traced AO and shadows
Click to expand...
barrend said:
What I want the most is the next project of Monolith's to be exclusive and tailored to the new console.
Click to expand...
I think we all want to see what Monolith can do if they’re really let loose.
 
James said:
Articles get made complaining that Nintendo isn't cross-genning their major titles like Sony and Microsoft did. Of course I say minor, because both titles and the console they're pushing sell well despite this.
Click to expand...
James said:
-On that note I do think some existing titles get enhancements, however I'm gonna guess that it's not gonna be to the extent people want.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I’m starting to think this too. When my brain was trying to make the really aggressive timeline work, with Drake launching in 2022 with only a few months warning, it made sense to see a long cross-gen period and enhanced games.

But looking at Drake’s size, and a 7 year gen instead of 5 years… yeah I agree. I think we get Switch games for a few years, and those games look better on Next Switch, but the big games will be exclusives, and enhancements will mostly be minor and only for games released that first year.

I think we get a pretty traditional next gen.
 
0
oldpuck said:
I honestly love this. The balls on Mr. Nintendo.


For a generation, I think it’s pretty good! For an opening year, I doubt there will be that many first party games, much less all the heavy hitters.



I think we all want to see what Monolith can do if they’re really let loose.
Click to expand...

Yah, they were predictions for the first 3 years or so of the Switch 2. Or, rather, the next 3 years of Nintendo.
 
oldpuck said:
I really think that Nintendo would like a yearly Zelda game, and I think the next, new 3D Zelda is 2028 at the earliest.

If they do Tears DLC into 2024, give us Twilight Princess and Wind Waker on separate years, they’re still not going to make it through the entire next gen.

A new top down Zelda seems highly likely. Though so does Hyrule Warriors 3
Click to expand...
i really really hope, for once, they take the pottential of DLC and a high turnaround to its real conclusion, add a small new area (island maybe), and have a sizable 5-10h story DLC that feels fresh while reusing assets, and not like the last one that just added details to the first story without carving its own identity. Take into account the loadout people would have mid to late game, have some side characters... kinda like the DLC for Sword and Shield worked. That would totally count as a zelda release for that year, and not just a dlc as "more of the game".

other than that, 100% confident there will be a 2D zelda in between and some spinoff.
 
I personally think MKTOUR is not MarioKart 9. I believe it's a test for what will be MarioKart 9.

MarioKart Tour is not a Switch game. It's a mobile game. So a game on a non-Nintendo plateform, and as such although it gets some attention from Nintendo, I think the budget is nowhere near a traditional MarioKart. I infer that lack of budget from the artstyle, but also from the lack of unique elements in the tracks : if you look at the remastered versions of the tracks, they often remove the elements unique to that track that would require actual programming to implement.

What I think is most likely is that Tour, and the MK8DX Expansion Pass, are used partly as just a way to get dat money but also at the same time to test for what the true, high-budget, Nintendo exclusive MK9 will be.
 
Late 2023:

-2D Mario reboot
-Another casual title from EPD 4
-Detective Pikachu 2

2024:

-Switch 2 launches November 2024
-Metroid Prime 4 early 2024
-Another Good-Feel 2D Platformer early 2024
-Pokemon and Kirby spinoffs mid 2024
-Wind Waker HD port mid 2024
-Paper Mario Next mid 2024
-Kid Icarus Uprising Remake mid 2024
-Another Kirby spinoff mid 2024
-Mario Party Next September/October 2024
-Some Pokemon RPG spinoff (like Let's Go or Legends) November 2024 (cross-gen)
-Smash Ultimate starts getting major updates again

2025:

-3D Mario Next early 2025 (cross-gen)
-Metroid Prime 2 remaster (cross-gen)
-New casual IP mid 2025 (cross-gen)
-Twilight Princess HD port mid 2025 (cross-gen)
-EPD 8 2D platformer (cross-gen)
-Metroid 6 late 2025 (cross-gen)
-Kirby Forgotten Land 2 late 2025 (cross-gen)

2026:

-Mario Kart Next early 2026
-RingFit Adventure 2 mid 2026
-New Fire Emblem title mid 2026 (cross-gen)
-Mario Tennis Next mid 2026
-Metroid Prime 3 Remastered mid 2026 (cross-gen)
-Some Pokemon spinoff mid 2026 (cross-gen)
-Kirby Warriors mid 2026
-Luigi's Mansion 4 October 2026
-Pokemon Gen 10 November 2026 (cross-gen)

2027:

-Kirby Robobot remake early 2027
-Animal Crossing Next early 2027
-Mario Golf Next mid 2027
-EPD new big budget IP that is less casual focused mid 2027
-Pokemon spinoff mid 2027
-Monolith Soft new IP mid 2027
-Mario Party Next late 2027
-Major Zelda spinoff from third party late 2027

2028:

-Koei Tecmo Fire Emblem title early 2028
-Nintendo Sports Next mid 2028
-3D World follow-up early 2028
-Splatoon 4 mid 2028
-Paper Mario Next Next mid 2028
-Kirby and Pokemon spinoffs mid 2028
-Pokemon Black/White remakes November 2028

2029:

-Open air Zelda 3 early 2029
-Metroid 7 mid 2029
-Retro Studios 3D Donkey Kong late 2029
-Pokemon and Kirby spinoffs
-Pokemon Gen 11 November 2029

Some gaps in the later years but yeah.
 
I predict Astral Chain 2 happens in 2024. It was a game made for Switch, depending on when it launches it's gonna be cross gen(late 2024), or Switch only that later receives enhancements for Switch 2(early or mid 2024, which I think is more likely).

I think there's no way these games don't get enhancements or re-releases(depends on how they'll market the backwards compatibility):
  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Switch 2 won't get a new 3D Zelda until 2027 at the absolute earliest, an actual high effort remake that could be ground breaking like Ocarina of Time wouldn't be done much faster either. I have zero doubt they'll release a patch that adds 4K through DLSS and maybe a 60FPS option, maybe even some improved lighting or RT, idk;
  • Super Smash Bros Ultimate: there's simply no way a Smash gane will come very early on the succ's life. The game is perfect as it is so a 4K bump is literally all it would need. Also that's the game I see taking the most advantage of backwards compatibility, as its DLC make it a very complicated case for a MK8 Deluxe style port. Let people that already have it play it at higher resolution on Drake, make the eShop have all Switch games, keep selling the DLC, re-advertise the game and announce a new Fighters Pass;
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: the game is gorgeous, make it 4K with AA and add RT and HDR and you have a next gen ready game. I don't think they'll make a "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Ultimate" or nothing like that, just take advantage of the backwards compatibility and have a patch ready for launch of Switch 2, so people will have a Mario Kart game to play before the next entry that I think will be either 2025 or 2026;
  • Splatoon 3: launched very late in the generation, and 3 already had a way longer development than 2 did, we know they'll support it until 2024 at least, I think it'll be fresh enough when the Succ releases, they'll just patch it for 4K support and call it a day, also probably extend Splatfests for another year and maybe release a new wave of DLC so Switch 2 buyers can have something fresh while waiting for 4;
  • Metroid Prime 4: depending on how late it comes and how early Switch 2 comes it can be a launch title (if both come in late 2024), a cross gen title(if Switch 2 is early 2024 and MP4 is late 2024), but I'll stick with what makes the most sense after Prime Remastered was shadowdropped and think it's either holiday 2023 or early 2024, with Switch 2 in late 2024. I think it'll receive a big story expansion by the same time Switch 2 comes, alongside its patch to take advantage of Switch 2's power(4K, RT, HDR).

I also think all of the above will be advertised on Switch 2 commercials, with a bunch also being shown at it's reveal trailer, just like BotW and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe appeared on Switch's reveal, despite both being Wii U originally.
 
Here are my launch software "predictions" (more like wild guesses based on close to nothing) :

1) A new Shin'en Fast game. These games sell a lot considering the small budget, and the last one is RMX dating back to 2017, and even then it was really just a DX version of Neo on Wii U which released on 2015. Also, they're the king for fully utilizing Nintendo hardware, and one of the main appeal of Super Switch will probably be it's graphical prowesses (among other things I suppose). Considering their last big game was in 2021 and they have multiple teams, I think it's likely we'll see them close to or at launch.
2) Big 3rd party presence, mainly with patches for PS4/XboxOne -> Switch ports considering how easy it's gonna be to massively improve those (fiddle around with the settings, up the resolution and you got yourself a Drake version of Switch ports that looks close to the PS4/XboxOne version with close to 0 effort); but I also think we'lle get quite a lot of new ports because of the reputation of the Switch will convince the 3rd parties to be on board, and that porting a last-gen game to Super Switch will be quite easy considering the more powerful hardware.
Kinda similar to the Wii U situation where it launched with a ton of 3rd party games that wouldn't be possible on Wii, except this time Super Switch will be more powerful than last gen on both GPU AND CPU, so ports will be easier and better than PS3/360 -> Wii U.
3) 3D Mario because it's been so damn long they must be preparing something.
 
I feel like my predictions are kind of wildly pessimistic with regards to originality, but it's really hard to see Nintendo doing a lot of stuff other than followups to their wildly successful Switch games.

You have to make a Luigi's Mansion 4 and Forgotten Land 2 and RingFit 2 and another Mario Kart and another Open Air Zelda and another 3D Mario and another 2D Mario and another Mario Party and another Pokemon and another Splatoon and another Animal Crossing and another Nintendo Sports. And of course Nintendo will have a lot of smaller scale Mario and Kirby and Pokemon games... And then you're not left with a lot of developer resources to make new IP or franchise reboots.
 
Here is what I want on the Switch 2:

2024 (released in Q2)
-Launch with Metroid Prime 4
-Launch with New 3D Mario game

2025
-New 2D Zelda
-Mario Kart 9

2026
-New 2D Mario
-New Smash Bros

2027
-Mario Maker 3
-New 2D Metroid
-New 3D Zelda

That’s it. Fill in as many gaps with Splatoon, Xenoblade, Pikmin, Star Fox, etc. as you want; but as long as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid are properly represented I will consider it a successful console.
 
I'm sticking with the rumors that say Nintendo doesn't have any big Switch games past TOTK/Pikmin 4 and assuming an early 2024 launch.

2024:
  • Metroid Prime 4 (Launch title, cross gen release)
  • New 3D Mario. (Launch title, next-gen exclusive as the system seller)
  • Paper Mario Project. The series has operated on a 4~ year schedule forever, don't see that trend changing now.
    • Best case? A proper Paper Mario 3, a triumphant return to the series creative RPG roots that expands upon 64/TTYD's excellent gameplay and structure.
    • Worst case? Sticker Star 4: Photocopier Pandemonium
    • Mid case? 64/TTYD ports/remakes.
2025:
  • Metroid 6. Dread took 4 years to make so we'd be due by 2025.


TheSpearGuy said:
- A Paper Mario TTYD remake

D_HFBoIXoAIzn34
Click to expand...
Please no, the overt paper artstyle is so bad compared to the originals.
 
Last edited:
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
I feel like my predictions are kind of wildly pessimistic with regards to originality, but it's really hard to see Nintendo doing a lot of stuff other than followups to their wildly successful Switch games.

You have to make a Luigi's Mansion 4 and Forgotten Land 2 and RingFit 2 and another Mario Kart and another Open Air Zelda and another 3D Mario and another 2D Mario and another Mario Party and another Pokemon and another Splatoon and another Animal Crossing and another Nintendo Sports. And of course Nintendo will have a lot of smaller scale Mario and Kirby and Pokemon games... And then you're not left with a lot of developer resources to make new IP or franchise reboots.
Click to expand...
I mean, in the modern era, most games are sequels, and Nintendo loves to use existing characters to break into new genres. But a lot of "wildly successful Switch games" were new IPs, or legacy IPs rebooted. Astral Chain, Arms, Ring Fit: Adventure, Snipperclips, Buddy Mission: Bond, Labo, Good Job! are all new IP published by Nintendo.

Nintendo bought the Astral Chain IP outright from Platinum, so I expect to see a sequel there. Arms wasn't a huge hit, but Splatoon was - I think Nintendo will continue to let their big producers try their hands at new IP every now and then, so I expect something in that vein next gen. And I think Star Fox, F-Zero, and maybe Kid Icarus, are ready for their revival.

Whether or not Nintendo will have a big hit with any of these is up in the air - but I think at least something new will come.
 
0
Sturmgeist said:
Here is what I want on the Switch 2:

2024 (released in Q2)
-Launch with Metroid Prime 4
-Launch with New 3D Mario game
Click to expand...
I think Prime 4 is the cross gen title of this transition. I don't know if it's going to be a huge next gen show case, but I think it's the game that is commited to coming to Switch, but will come so close to the tail end of the generation it is effectively a launch title for the new system.

I think 3D Mario has got to be a first year title for the next system, if not the launch title.
 
0
ItWasMeantToBe19 said:
I feel like my predictions are kind of wildly pessimistic with regards to originality, but it's really hard to see Nintendo doing a lot of stuff other than followups to their wildly successful Switch games.

You have to make a Luigi's Mansion 4 and Forgotten Land 2 and RingFit 2 and another Mario Kart and another Open Air Zelda and another 3D Mario and another 2D Mario and another Mario Party and another Pokemon and another Splatoon and another Animal Crossing and another Nintendo Sports. And of course Nintendo will have a lot of smaller scale Mario and Kirby and Pokemon games... And then you're not left with a lot of developer resources to make new IP or franchise reboots.
Click to expand...
That's current Nintendo status quo: For the foreseeable future every generation you're going to see them:
  • Churn out net iterations of their biggest selling IPs (2D/3D Mario, Mario Kart, Luigi's Mansion, Smash Bros, 3D Zelda, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Splatoon, etc.) and
  • The 2nd Party studios work on their bread-and-butter (HAL and Kirby games, Intelligent Systems and Fire Emblem/Paper Mario, Camelot and Mario Sports, ND Cube and Mario Party, Good Feel and Yoshi (recently), Monolith Soft and Xenoblade/RPGs, etc)
  • Ports of older games.
Then you get a handful of truly unexpected projects that slip through the cracks every generation. Stuff like Star Fox Zero, ARMs, Advance Wars 1+2, etc.
 
Mario Kart Next should be within day 1-day 90 of console release, period IMO.

It will be the NSO subscription driver and you don't need 32 tracks plus battle mode on day 1 either, you can start with the standard 16, and add DLC packs every 4-6 months thereafter, which is basically going to be the new model for Mario Kart, lets face it.

Mario Kart Tour released in Sept 2019 ... like c'mon Nintendo, even with COVID, by Sept. 2021, at least planning/prototype phase of Mario Kart Next should have started then, with hard development ramping up into early 2022.

So if Switch 2 is say a mid-fall 2024 product, that should be 2 1/2+ years to make 16 tracks ... that shouldn't be that freaking hard.

I would say the same for the Smash and Animal Crossing teams, like the next version of both of those IP should already be in hard development now. Everyone should have gotten a nice break either due to COVID or just the amount of time that has passed period.

I'm not as sold on the idea that Mario 3D platformer is all you need for a launch ... it's not 1996 anymore, Nintendo failed with even a 2D Mario at launch with Wii U and at that time 2D Mario was more popular than 3D Mario ... think you gotta get Mario Kart in the mix as early in the product cycle as possible. There's no doubt that have MK8DX so early helped the Switch tremendously.

I would not want to rely only on a 3D Mario mainly to be my only 10+ million selling type IP for the first 6-8 months. You need more. Switch had Zelda BOTW (30 million seller), MK8DX (50+ million seller), Splatoon 2 (10+ million seller) in its first four 4 months alone on top of Odyssey then coming. Yeah so I don't think 3D Mario + Metroid (maybe sells 3-4 million) is gonna cut it.
 
Last edited:
My predictions:

2023
+Fzero GX HD in August, nice update but closer to Xenoblade HD than MP1 Remaster
+Port Yoshy Wooly World in September
+New 2D Mario in October, new art-style, many will consider better 2D Mario since SMW
+Pokémon Let's Go Johto in November

2024
+Switch 2 release with Metroid Prime 4 in March (Crossgen)
+Mario Kart 10 in April, upgradeable items while racing, all MK8 Deluxe tracks including BCP, 24 new tracks, with several set in other Nintendo universes (Switch 2 Exclusive).
+Pokemon Detective Pikachu 2 in May (Crossgen).
+New Donkey Kong 2D in June (Crossgen).
+New StarFox by NextLevel in July (Crossgen).
+Zelda TP/WW HD in August (Crossgen).
+Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War Remake in September (Crossgen).
+New 3D Mario in October, Mario Galaxy themed, Odyssey style gameplay, but even more expansive worlds (Last Great Crossgen).
+Pokemon BW3 in November, continuation of the story with redone graphics, BDSP style but better done (Crossgen).
+Xenoblade Chronicles X 4K in December, greatly improved graphics, use of DLSS and RT (Switch 2 Exclusive).

2025:
+New Mario Party, hybrid between Super and Superstars (some minigames exclusive to Switch 2 using new console ginmick, Stream from portable mode to TV).
+Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Remastered, same quality as the first, released together for $60 (Crossgen).
+Remake Yoshi Island by Goodfeel (last Crossgen title).
+Switch Sports 2.
+New Kid Icarus by Bandai Nanco, now a 3D action-adventure game inspired by Zelda.
+Golden Sun 4 by Camelot, fully 3D with turn-based battles.
+FFVI 2DHD, remake of the classic made exclusively for Nintendo.
+Smash Bros 6, evolution of what was seen in Ultimate, all characters + DLC + 15 brand new characters, new story mode, big focus on online style live service.
+Pokémon Gen 10, the final redemption of the franchise, good games, good gameplay being an evolution of what we saw in SV, good graphics but still short of Switch 2's potential.

2026:
+Paper Mario TTYD Remake
+Astral Chains 2 by Platinum, continuing the story of the first but now with even greater scope.
+Mario Maker 3, now the novelty is also being able to create levels in 3D in the "isometric" style of Mario 3D World.
+New IP from Monolith, gigantic open world with action gameplay and artistic style of medieval fantasy, new big bet from Nintendo.
+Ni No Kuni 3 by Level 5, now exclusive bankrolled by Nintendo.
+Zelda Triforce Oracles by Grezzo, complete remake of the original two games with the addition of the third game never released, stories unified and rewritten to become just one game, travel through three lands to stop Ganon's resurrection. It will replace the original games on the Canon of the Series.
+New Animal Crossing, even more focus on online in live service style.
+F-Zero NX made by Retro, stunning graphics and breathtaking speed, will bring F-Zero to the modern world and new audiences.
 
Last edited:
Ok, I'm making one post so that it will be easy to laugh at in the years to come. Everything is betting on an early 2024 launch for the next Nintendo system. I am also banking on a Metroid Prime 4 and 3D Donkey Kong release this year, which is very dangerous I know lol. Some of my logic includes trying to keep Zelda to once a year, which caused me to move TP/WW around quite a bit. I also tried to balance remasters/ports with anniversaries, hence 2026 for the 20th anniversary of New Super Mario Bros. Pokemon was a fun one as I started with Black/White remakes in 2024 and then they were pushed back after I factored in more series. I tried to factor in each development team's schedule, but that only went so far. Sometimes you just have to add some wishful thinking.

New games are first, followed by ports/remasters/remakes. NSO update predictions are last. I am adding DLC to these predictions. I'm sure they will come anyway.

2024:
  • Launch release of Mario 3D and Diddy Kong Racing sequel/revival/spiritual successor
  • 2D Zelda
  • Splatoon
  • New IP
  • Kirby
  • Star Fox
  • Mario Party
  • Animal Crossing Spinoff
  • Super Mario RPG collab with Square
  • Pokémon Let's Go Jhoto
  • Fire Emblem Genealogy Remake
  • Sega Master System/CD come to NSO
2025:
  • Mario Kart
  • 2D Mario
  • Wario Land
  • 2D Metroid
  • Paper Mario
  • New IP
  • Pokémon Legends
  • Mario Sluggers
  • Nintendogs/cats
  • Pokemon TCG (free to play)
  • Twilight Princess/Wind Waker port
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X port
  • Luigi's Mansion 1 remake
  • Nintendo DS comes to NSO

2026:
  • Smash Bros
  • 3D Yoshi
  • Kirby
  • Monolith Soft New IP
  • Square 2D-HD game
  • Hyrule Warriors 3
  • Pokémon Gen 10
  • Mario Party (similar to Superstars with GCN boards)
  • New Super Mario Bros All-Stars (NSMB, NSMB2, NSMBWii, NSMBUD)
  • Pikmin 1/2 Remaster
  • Metroid Prime 2/3 HD Remaster
  • Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
  • Star Fox Adventures Remaster

2027:
  • Animal Crossing
  • Luigi's Mansion 4
  • Fire Emblem
  • F-Zero
  • New IP
  • Warioware
  • Splatoon spin-off
  • Super Mario Galaxy 2 Remaster
  • Kid Icarus: Rising Remaster
  • Zelda: Minish Cap Remaster
  • Yoshi's Wooley Word port
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Remaster
  • GCN comes to NSO

2028:
  • Mario Maker 3
  • 3D Zelda
  • Kirby
  • New IP
  • Mario Sports Game
  • Pikmin 5
  • Square 2D-HD game
  • Fire Emblem Warriors
  • Pokémon Black/White Remake
  • Mario & Luigi Remaster
  • Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Remaster
 
James said:
That's rather odd to say when I'm pretty certain Xenoblade's a complete rebuild in 2's engine. You could debate if Prime looks better, but Xenoblade's probably taken just as much, if not more effort.
Click to expand...
I really doubt that Xenoblade has been completely redone, some assets for sure, but a certain part of the scenery uses the same modeling as the original.
What I wanted to say is that F-Zero GX HD will still be a remaster, with some assets redone, and others used from the original, unlike MP that all assets are new.
 
0
James said:
That's rather odd to say when I'm pretty certain Xenoblade's a complete rebuild in 2's engine. You could debate if Prime looks better, but Xenoblade's probably taken just as much, if not more effort.
Click to expand...
Prime is a rebuild in the current version of the engine as well. It’s really just about quantity of assets reworked and how much.
 
0
Launch Window:
Metroid Prime 4 (cross gen)
zelda wind waker + additional content (like mario 3d world + bowser fury)
Super Mario 3d Game

6 to 12 months after Launch Window:
Mario Kart 9
Super Mario RPG 2d hd
Xenoblade X
Paper mario port/remake (paper mario color splash likely)
 
RocK said:
Super Mario RPG 2d hd
Click to expand...
From your mouth to God's ears. I also know there are folks who want a Dread style Super Metroid remake and those who want to leave the game alone, but I can see an HD-2D remake that is totally respectful of the original sprite work, but gives you those Dread style dioramas, and I want it
 
0
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top Bottom