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[MondoMega]

Interesting note from Engage's files:

Engage's internal project name is Iron19.

This is notable because Three Houses is Iron17; Heroes and the Warriors games aren't Iron18 either (obvious in the latter case, but mentioning it to give a complete perspective). There is a single reference to Iron18 in the game's data.unity3d file though:

To humor all possible options for what this could mean:

• Iron18 is a different project (Genealogy remake) already in production, also using Unity (hence the leftover).
• Engage WAS Iron18 and was renamed elsewhere in the file structure, this being a single remnant. Could mean the Iron18 moniker was given to another project, or it could just be entirely abandoned for whatever reason (like Iron13, the cancelled FE Wii).
• This is a single typo that managed to remain in the final build.

On its own Engage being Iron19 would be pretty decent confirmation of Imran's old rumor about cancelled 2019 and beyond 3DS titles, but the single mention of Iron18 in a Unity context throws an interesting wrench into the discussion. We'll just have to see what happens if/when the Genealogy remake is released.

 

[DecoReturns]

Interesting note from Engage's files:

Engage's internal project name is Iron19.

This is notable because Three Houses is Iron17; Heroes and the Warriors games aren't Iron18 either (obvious in the latter case, but mentioning it to give a complete perspective). There is a single reference to Iron18 in the game's data.unity3d file though:

To humor all possible options for what this could mean:

• Iron18 is a different project (Genealogy remake) already in production, also using Unity (hence the leftover).
• Engage WAS Iron18 and was renamed elsewhere in the file structure, this being a single remnant. Could mean the Iron18 moniker was given to another project, or it could just be entirely abandoned for whatever reason (like Iron13, the cancelled FE Wii).
• This is a single typo that managed to remain in the final build.

On its own Engage being Iron19 would be pretty decent confirmation of Imran's old rumor about cancelled 2019 and beyond 3DS titles, but the single mention of Iron18 in a Unity context throws an interesting wrench into the discussion. We'll just have to see what happens if/when the Genealogy remake is released.

No lie. But Engage feels so much like a 3DS fire emblem title. The UI especially, it’s so strange but the way it’s set up.

Course, I’m not saying this game was going to release on 3DS. Just that it feels more like a evolution of Awakening and Fates that I wouldn’t be surprised if they idea started during the time 3DS was still supported.

 

[N75]

Interesting tidbits about Gear Project and this remake (that’s the terminology used in the interview, so that’s what they consider it to be) from Masao Taya and Masafumi Saito. Recommend reading the whole thing, rather than me just dropping an out of context dot point summary.




Pokémon’s increasing demand for resources being the main reason for Gear Project releases slowing down makes sense; but it sounds like they want to resolve that eventually.

From this interview and the message on the GF site, it seems that Masafumi Saito has taken over Tetsuya Watanbe’s position as the General Manager for Development Department 1 (Gear Project), while the latter now oversees both departments.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Is a Holy War remake really that likely.

Gameplay-wise, that is... not really a well-liked game. It's just a bunch of extremely empty maps that are way too big and missions that are too long.

Everything would have to be changed for a Holy War remake and you would probably need to spend as much money as Engage or more to make the game.

So is that really worth it compared to just doing an original game.

 

[Ojoloco]

Interesting note from Engage's files:

Engage's internal project name is Iron19.

This is notable because Three Houses is Iron17; Heroes and the Warriors games aren't Iron18 either (obvious in the latter case, but mentioning it to give a complete perspective). There is a single reference to Iron18 in the game's data.unity3d file though:

To humor all possible options for what this could mean:

• Iron18 is a different project (Genealogy remake) already in production, also using Unity (hence the leftover).
• Engage WAS Iron18 and was renamed elsewhere in the file structure, this being a single remnant. Could mean the Iron18 moniker was given to another project, or it could just be entirely abandoned for whatever reason (like Iron13, the cancelled FE Wii).
• This is a single typo that managed to remain in the final build.

On its own Engage being Iron19 would be pretty decent confirmation of Imran's old rumor about cancelled 2019 and beyond 3DS titles, but the single mention of Iron18 in a Unity context throws an interesting wrench into the discussion. We'll just have to see what happens if/when the Genealogy remake is released.

Maybe the long rumored Holy War remake

 

[astrogamer]

Is a Holy War remake really that likely.

Gameplay-wise, that is... not really a well-liked game. It's just a bunch of extremely empty maps that are way too big and missions that are too long.

Everything would have to be changed for a Holy War remake and you would probably need to spend as much money as Engage or more to make the game.

So is that really worth it compared to just doing an original game.

This was in the context of that Genealogy would be a 3DS remake that would have been released in 2019 while Three Houses was projected to release in 2018. Another new entry would have been far too much resources on a 3DS game at that point so, it would likely been a fairly straight remake using SoV's style of models. It would have been a lot of effort still but, performing on par with SoV would have probably broke even. This project would have also help explain why several staff from Code Name Steam and FE SoV were missing since then (besides working on Engage)
However, for the next Fire Emblem game, it is fairly likely. Genealogy is still a beloved title that Nintendo and IS want to try to bring out globally and gameplay redesigns aren't actually that expensive if they aren't fundamentally changing that it is effectively only the same in terms of plot. As a title to bridge between generations, it wouldn't be too damaging for it to underperform either.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

This was in the context of that Genealogy would be a 3DS remake that would have been released in 2019 while Three Houses was projected to release in 2018. Another new entry would have been far too much resources on a 3DS game at that point so, it would likely been a fairly straight remake using SoV's style of models. It would have been a lot of effort still but, performing on par with SoV would have probably broke even. This project would have also help explain why several staff from Code Name Steam and FE SoV were missing since then (besides working on Engage)
However, for the next Fire Emblem game, it is fairly likely. Genealogy is still a beloved title that Nintendo and IS want to try to bring out globally and gameplay redesigns aren't actually that expensive if they aren't fundamentally changing that it is effectively only the same in terms of plot. As a title to bridge between generations, it wouldn't be too damaging for it to underperform either.

I mean, OK, they have to change most of the gameplay and that may not be that expensive.

But they would also have to change all of their graphics and probably redo the entire game in Unity using assets far more advanced than Engage (assuming this is on Switch 2).

And then add VA and cinematics and probably a lot of dialog as well along with doing an official translation to English, Spanish, French, etc.

This is an entire new game worth of work.

I think the era of cheap remakes is just over and I don't think Fire Emblem's brand is strong enough to survive a super low budget remake ala Diamond/Pearl.

I just don't know if IS has the bandwidth to do remakes of old games and new games. If they immediately go to Holy War, it probably launches in like 2024 or 2025 (at earliest) and then the next original Fire Emblem from IS is 2027 to 2030. Any remake is just replacing a new game and I think a new game is just a better idea.

 

[astrogamer]

I mean you are technically correct but, it should not be near the cost of a full-on new entry unless they rewrite significant portions of the game and add several systems from the modern games. For instance, they'll probably not add a hub like the Monastery or the Somniel, so there's a whole suite of casual animations and dialogue not needed. Even if they add that stuff, Fire Emblem (like most Nintendo Switch games) is pretty far beyond the break-even point that if the Genealogy remake only sells 1 million, it will still be pretty profitable

 

[TheMoon]

No lie. But Engage feels so much like a 3DS fire emblem title. The UI especially, it’s so strange but the way it’s set up.

Course, I’m not saying this game was going to release on 3DS. Just that it feels more like a evolution of Awakening and Fates that I wouldn’t be surprised if they idea started during the time 3DS was still supported.

that could also just be because Engage is actually made by IS again and not KT feat. IS like Three Houses was

 

[GhostBolt]

Hopefully we get those zelda ports soon

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Hopefully we get those zelda ports soon

Twilight Princess and Wind Waker launching next to TotK never made sense and I'm guessing Nintendo is holding these off until at least 9 months after TotK.

Would expect them to release separately and at least 12 months apart.

 

[boodream]

The Wind Waker is my favourite Zelda game, but I want a 2D Zelda before remaster ports.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

I would say the reason that it's taken so long for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess to come to the Switch is just that there's never been a good release window for them.

2017: BotW
2018: Hyrule Warriors
2019: Link's Awakening
2020: Age of Calamity
2021: Skyward Sword
2022: Planned TotK release date
2023: Actual TotK release date

Would not expect them for a very long while still.

 

[TheMoon]

Hopefully we get those zelda ports soon

you're not getting zelda ports in the same year as a new zelda game (this is now obviously a different scenario to when you got an old one on 3DS and a new game on Wii/Wii U or vice versa), you're also not getting ports two years in a row (which is why those 2022 "rumors" for them were already laughable). 2024 at the earliest.

 

[boodream]

I would say the reason that it's taken so long for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess to come to the Switch is just that there's never been a good release window for them.

2017: BotW
2018: Hyrule Warriors
2019: Link's Awakening
2020: Age of Calamity
2021: Skyward Sword
2022: Planned TotK release date
2023: Actual TotK release date

Would not expect them for a very long while still.

I'll reiterate what I said: at this point, I'd rather they release with SSHD too, as a bundle, and in DLSS 4K.

 

[GhostBolt]

Twilight Princess and Wind Waker launching next to TotK never made sense and I'm guessing Nintendo is holding these off until at least 9 months after TotK.

Would expect them to release separately and at least 12 months apart.

you're not getting zelda ports in the same year as a new zelda game (this is now obviously a different scenario to when you got an old one on 3DS and a new game on Wii/Wii U or vice versa), you're also not getting ports two years in a row (which is why those 2022 "rumors" for them were already laughable). 2024 at the earliest.

Maybe they save them for 2024?

 

[Dark Cloud]

Maybe they save them for 2024?

Or 2025 or 2026. Who knows what they have coming from the Zelda franchise after TOTK

 

[GhostBolt]

Or 2025 or 2026. Who knows what they have coming from the Zelda franchise after TOTK

Wild if they let ports for 2-3 more years just sit there lol

 

[TheMoon]

I'll reiterate what I said: at this point, I'd rather they release with SSHD too, as a bundle, and in DLSS 4K.

but also has a 0% chance of happening. even TPHD and WWHD bundled together is an almost ludicrous notion, given how they like to packaged and sell things.

Wild if they let ports for 2-3 more years just sit there lol

you're assuming the ports exist which is not a definitive thing.

but also, remember star fox 2 or earthbound beginnings lol

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

I'm sure the ports exist and have been done for years as they make sense.

Wouldn't be surprised if both were completed in like 2018 and Wind Waker Switch doesn't release until 2024 and Twilight Princess Switch until 2025.

 

[GhostBolt]

but also has a 0% chance of happening. even TPHD and WWHD bundled together is an almost ludicrous notion, given how they like to packaged and sell things.


you're assuming the ports exist which is not a definitive thing.

but also, remember star fox 2 or earthbound beginnings lol

hopefully they do!

 

[N75]

The planner position for the 3D Action game Namco is working on has actually been up since Late September - Mid October 2021. The actual page wasn't archived at that point, but the entire job list was. The two artitst positions were added sometime after that, but before February 2022.

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオ

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオの採用ページです。新卒採用、キャリア採用、インターンシップ情報などを掲載しています。

web.archive.org

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオ

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオの採用ページです。新卒採用、キャリア採用、インターンシップ情報などを掲載しています。

web.archive.org

Now this was before the release of the Booster Course Pass, but the job titles were never renamed (while MK Tour is specifically named on its openings) and we're likely close to the release of Wave 4, so I think we can rule that out.

In the case of Baten Kaitos, I wouldn't describe the 3D battle backgrounds in the game as "deformed" and the Namco job site does have an RPG tag (you can see it on the Tales position), so I'm not convinced this specific project is the same.

 

[LukasManak22]

Now this was before the release of the Booster Course Pass, but the job titles were never renamed (while MK Tour is specifically named on its openings) and we're likely close to the release of Wave 4, so I think we can rule that out.

It's such a shame that BCP does not have any credits whatsoever, it would made a lot things easier over at EPD9, the fact that we don't know how much in advance are these waves made does not help much either.

 

[GhostBolt]

The planner position for the 3D Action game Namco is working on has actually been up since Late September - Mid October 2021. The actual page wasn't archived at that point, but the entire job list was. The two artitst positions were added sometime after that, but before February 2022.

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオ

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオの採用ページです。新卒採用、キャリア採用、インターンシップ情報などを掲載しています。

web.archive.org

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオ

株式会社バンダイナムコスタジオの採用ページです。新卒採用、キャリア採用、インターンシップ情報などを掲載しています。

web.archive.org

Now this was before the release of the Booster Course Pass, but the job titles were never renamed (while MK Tour is specifically named on its openings) and we're likely close to the release of Wave 4, so I think we can rule that out.

In the case of Baten Kaitos, I wouldn't describe the 3D battle backgrounds in the game as "deformed" and the Namco job site does have an RPG tag (you can see it on the Tales position), so I'm not convinced this specific project is the same.

any guesses?

 

[N75]

any guesses?

"Action" is a pretty vague descriptor, especially for Nintendo. Just as an example, the JP site for Paper Mario TTYD list its genre as "Action RPG".

The only thing we have to go on is that the game has "deformed" 3D backgrounds, which possibly indicates a title with a more cartoony/less realistic art style. Those aren't exactly in short supply.

 

[GhostBolt]

"Action" is a pretty vague descriptor, especially for Nintendo. Just as an example, the JP site for Paper Mario TTYD list its genre as "Action RPG".

The only thing we have to go on is that the game has "deformed" 3D backgrounds, which possibly indicates a title with a more cartoony/less realistic art style. Those aren't exactly in short supply.

That's very true, i wonder if we will see it this year though?

 

[sanstea]

Late September 2021 lines up exactly with development being done on Fighters Pass Vol. 2.

Probably Sakurai's next game then.

 

[N75]

Late September 2021 lines up exactly with development being done on Fighters Pass Vol. 2.

Probably Sakurai's next game then.

If we follow that logic, there’s only one game the remaster could be.....

Spoiler

 

[Wilmore]

Interesting note from Engage's files:

Engage's internal project name is Iron19.

This is notable because Three Houses is Iron17; Heroes and the Warriors games aren't Iron18 either (obvious in the latter case, but mentioning it to give a complete perspective). There is a single reference to Iron18 in the game's data.unity3d file though:

To humor all possible options for what this could mean:

• Iron18 is a different project (Genealogy remake) already in production, also using Unity (hence the leftover).
• Engage WAS Iron18 and was renamed elsewhere in the file structure, this being a single remnant. Could mean the Iron18 moniker was given to another project, or it could just be entirely abandoned for whatever reason (like Iron13, the cancelled FE Wii).
• This is a single typo that managed to remain in the final build.

On its own Engage being Iron19 would be pretty decent confirmation of Imran's old rumor about cancelled 2019 and beyond 3DS titles, but the single mention of Iron18 in a Unity context throws an interesting wrench into the discussion. We'll just have to see what happens if/when the Genealogy remake is released.

The Engage rumors were accompanied by the Genealogy remake. There was a time when a Fire Emblem came out every two years. We'll likely have this remake in 2025 for the final stage of Switch like we did with Echoes and 3DS.

 

[sanstea]

If we follow that logic, there’s only one game the remaster could be.....

Spoiler

We think that 3D Action remaster is Kid Icarus, right?

If that's the case, then a Kid Icarus sequel seems like a potential candidate to me. A remaster of that game seems pretty random to me otherwise.

 

[Aether]

Is a Holy War remake really that likely.

Gameplay-wise, that is... not really a well-liked game. It's just a bunch of extremely empty maps that are way too big and missions that are too long.

Everything would have to be changed for a Holy War remake and you would probably need to spend as much money as Engage or more to make the game.

So is that really worth it compared to just doing an original game.

It is and the reason is simple.
It was never published outside of japan and has a special position in the fanbase, even if many never played it but would like to see whats the fuss all about.
It would essentially be an original game with the character/story laid out in the SNES games and focus on big maps like the original.

If people are expecting a faithful remake, that i don't thin is to be expected.

 

[boodream]

We think that 3D Action remaster is Kid Icarus, right?

If that's the case, then a Kid Icarus sequel seems like a potential candidate to me. A remaster of that game seems pretty random to me otherwise.

We don't even know if Sakurai will make another Smash, so a sequel to Uprising seems more than hypothetical to me at this point. Uprising HD on Switch makes a lot of sense: the game already exists, fans are asking for it, a new audience will be able to discover it.

 

[sanstea]

We don't even know if Sakurai will make another Smash, so a sequel to Uprising seems more than hypothetical to me at this point. Uprising HD on Switch makes a lot of sense: the game already exists, fans are asking for it, a new audience will be able to discover it.

Of course it is hypothetical, like speculation always is. Spoiler alert: even the existence of an Uprising remaster is speculation.

What we do know is that Sakurai is working on a new game, the 3D Action game listing from Bandai Namco above is potentially connected to his next game.

 

[boodream]

I may have missed something, but I don't know if we can say fore sure that Sakurai is working on a new game at the moment.

 

[TheSpearGuy]

Leaving this here

 

[GhostBolt]

Uprising remaster needs to happen maan

 

[TheMoon]

Uprising HD on Switch makes a lot of sense: the game already exists, fans are asking for it, a new audience will be able to discover it.

you can apply this to like 50 games

 

[boodream]

That's true, but it has nothing to do with the message I was replying to, which explained that Uprising HD wouldn't make sense if a Uprising 2 wasn't planned.

 

[sanstea]

I may have missed something, but I don't know if we can say fore sure that Sakurai is working on a new game at the moment.

After Ultimate he put in a "(Next Game TBD)". No reason he himself would put that explicitly there if he wasn't working on something new.

That's true, but it has nothing to do with the message I was replying to, which explained that Uprising HD wouldn't make sense if a Uprising 2 wasn't planned.

The only reason an Uprising remaster would ever happen is because Sakurai himself wants it to happen in my view. And if Sakurai really wants an Uprising remaster to happen, I think it is for an additive reason. He never expressed any interest in returning to any of his past projects and if he does for Uprising, I think it is to prop up the new thing he is doing.

It's all speculation, though. If we knew confidently that the Uprising remaster exists, I would put more confidence in all of this thought.

 

[BY2K]

Hopefully we get those zelda ports soon

I wouldn't expect them this year, considering we are getting a brand new game. Maaaaaybe toward the end of the year?

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

It is and the reason is simple.
It was never published outside of japan and has a special position in the fanbase, even if many never played it but would like to see whats the fuss all about.
It would essentially be an original game with the character/story laid out in the SNES games and focus on big maps like the original.

If people are expecting a faithful remake, that i don't thin is to be expected.

Sure, but does that generate more hype than a brand new game?

 

[Aether]

from my perspective:
in this case yeah. Usually im against remakes, but were so far removed and it would be such a transformation that its essentially a new game, roughly inspired by the original, and keeping the interesting ideas (being a story epic and focusing more on big battles instead of small maps), and there still is no option to play it. Its not like a remake of links awakening, that was readily available on multiple platforms in many languages, that stayed so close to the original that i found it pointles.

The chance that a new game takes exactly those elements and uses them would probably be on par for me. ... except, i really did not like the story and how it was presented in Fates or TH.

im not inherently against remakes, i can see merit in taking something, and trying to give it another angle. See: shin Godzilla. See RE2R. Devil Man Crybaby. heck, Helsing Ultimate has replaced the original.

But for a remake, there needs to be a really solid reasoning. Unavailability / huge jump in time is one. revisiting an idea/story/concept in a cultural and technical context thats so far removed that you have to reinvent it, sounds like an interesting challenge. But then acknowledge the cultural change since then (expectations on games, influence, new developments, etc).

And from a marketing perspective: for 95% of the playerbase this is effectively a new game, for the hardcores ...they are calling for it since Echoes was anounced.

Edit: short check, Holy War was half a million, TH was 4-5M, so say new for 85% of the playerbase...

 

[Chalphy]

The biggest knock against a FE4 remake is that the cast of that game is so well defined, that there's not a whole lot of mileage you can get from them like they could with Gaiden. IS basically started from scratch with a lot of the Echoes cast, but a new Genealogy doesn't really have that freedom.

 

[BooDestroyer]

So like

How much longer is Mario Kart Tour going to last

 

[Skipper93653]

So like

How much longer is Mario Kart Tour going to last

I'm guessing it won't last that much longer than the BCP and will end in 2024 with 2023 being it's final full year. 2024 will be getting the final stuff out of the way such as final city course variants that still need to release etc.

 

[MondoMega]

I'm guessing it won't last that much longer than the BCP and will end in 2024 with 2023 being it's final full year. 2024 will be getting the final stuff out of the way such as final city course variants that still need to release etc.

We’ll see in just a few more weeks with Orlando but I wouldn’t be shocked if the remaining cities launched with all of their variants in a single Tour.

Datamining shows many signs of what I interpret as end of life approaching. There appears to be only 30~ regular drivers / alts remaining; the rest being Mii Suits; and that’s assuming they all end up being released, with no cut content (we are already aware of one cut course though so the odds of no characters ever being cut feels slim). They are preparing courses further ahead of their debut than previously; regulars of the MK8DX thread here should be aware of how those IDs work, and why the massive increases as of late are notable. It all adds up to a feeling of one last big push for content internally before they can go take it easy on Tour for good.

 

[SiG]

Retro hiring spree again?

 

[Dark Cloud]

Retro hiring spree again?

They’re always hiring so no.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Retro hiring spree again?

This position has been open for months, Retro is just promoting their job openings more aggressively in the last two weeks because of the layoffs at Microsoft etc.

 

[Mr Doggo]

Retro hiring spree again?

Retro is always hiring. Just last year they broke their record from the last few years with 25 people hired if im not mistaken (could have been waay more but the last 3 months of the year had 0 new people i think)