Quite frankly, it doesn’t really make any sense to launch a whole new game in the same series so soon right after the final wave of the Mario kart 8 DLC. That ends in December, and to launch one right after in three months is a very bizarre move especially from Nintendo. The likeliest and earliest is the end of 2024 or the following year, a.k.a. 2025.
Nintendo for reasons that we don’t know, has selected to never launch a system with Mario kart, despite it being a very strong selling title for their systems and can eclipse any title on their consoles, they haven’t selected it for selling the new console. Perhaps it is because Mario kart does not really try to reinvent self other than being Mario kart unlike the likes of Mario or Zelda which do try to be very different.
Like for example, Nintendo can easily launch a Nintendo system with a new
animal crossing but they don’t do it. Simply because something sells a lot doesn’t mean they will use anything that sells a lot as a launch title for a system.
Splatoon 3 already happened and that DLC ends in late 2024. Pokémon is lol. Mario Kart is supporting the main title of the system but it isn’t treated as the launch title. Plus… the team (EPD 9)
is currently doing work for the current title. Pikmin sells… but not systems and depends on other titles to sell. Metroid Prime is Retro who love to take their time… sigh…. anyway. Tomodachi life isn’t that common to rely upon to make any assessment at the moment so I won’t say it is or isn’t. A new IP is a given to launch the system with, or an IP revisited for the new system to be given new life but it isn’t the star of the show.
2D Mario and 3D Mario are absent, longer than expected, and their teams
haven’t released anything in ages. Well, actually the team for 2D is set to release Pikmin 4 next year (maybe).
But, EPD8 is nowhere to be seen suspiciously
. Last title they did was Bowser’s Fury and that was with NST assisting them on that.
Grezzo has also been absent since Link’s Awakening, and they are working on a new title that hasn’t been revealed. Maybe it was LA? Maybe it wasn’t and it’s a new IP? Maybe it’s an old IP? Who knows?
But it’s possible that they will be prevalent in the first year of the new system’s launch, and if not then, the second year.
But it’s geez so so expect it the 2-3rd year.
Chibi Robo is dead. But Bandai Namco can be heading this.
Nintendo is depending on Bandai Namco for help with titles as is, wouldn’t even be shocked.
But whatever the launch title is, it is made special by Nintendo. To showcase not only the new gimmick, but also what the system
can do. It isn’t a tech demo, but it takes advantage of the hardware uniqueness.
Sometimes it’s more subtle… sometimes it’s really in your face. All the same it incorporates a feature of the system.