Final Switch 2 Direct Predictions
Here are my final predictions for the Switch 2 Direct and everything I am expecting or hoping to be explained in this event.
Console Features
Specs
The overall specs are mostly known already. It will output 4K and probably have hardware AI upscaling, so that a 720p game can be scaled up to crystal clear 4K. I’m really interested in the performance and if we can get 4k 60fps for most Nintendo games. Can we replay Tears of the Kingdom in 4K 60fps? Is GTA 6 possible?
Another very important hardware spec will be SSD read speeds. The difference between PS4 and PS5 was huge. I would love to have a similar jump from Switch 1 to Switch 2. I hope they’ll show how fast games can load now.
“C-Button”
The C-Button is a much discussed, but still very mysterious new feature of the new console. Why is it so mysterious? Because it is a standalone button on a controller. It must be very important, or rather, always be available to the player. So it is either Game related, or related to a feature that will be launched during a game.
If it were a System feature, then Nintendo could simply add a button on the Homescreen. Simply pause the game and activate the feature, but Nintendo decided to add an extra button on the controller, which is massive in my opinion.
Some people say it is the ominous Cast feature, where the Switch 2 will turn into a WiiU, where the dock gets enabled and displays the game on the TV and the console itself turns into just a controller and offers a second screen. This sounds cool and I would love to have this possibility, however, this feature will only work under very specific circumstances. You must be playing Handheld and the TV must be available. This feature won’t work in the Bus on the way home or when playing in table top mode in the garden. Why would a extra button on the controller be necessary for a feature that only works when you’re home on the couch?
I think it is rather a Community button, something you can launch anytime, and enabled chat or social media functionalities.
Mouse Functionality
This is very interesting. The reveal Trailer even showed us the mouse functionality. I think it is a given, that this feature will be coming and I’m expecting it to be a very important feature. I’m really curious how it works exactly and what Nintendo thought about players playing on the couch or in bed, when there is no table. I trust Nintendo to figure it out.
System
Themes. Will we finally get Themes? I hope so. I must say, though, the current System UI is basically perfect. It is super simple and only shows the most important features.
Besides Themes, I might expect a Community feature, like Sony has. See what friends are playing, something like that.
I don’t expect many more new System features.
Virtual Game Cards
Nintendo already revealed Virtual Game Cards in the last Direct and explained how they will work. I believe Nintendo will have a short section about it again, but this time explaining how it will work seamlessly with Switch 2 consoles.
Games
Launch Lineup (until Christmas)
Mario Kart
This game is a given and we even saw it shortly in the reveal. I hope we get a full trailer with all new features and modes. I hope for an adventure mode, just like Diddy Kong Racing or Crash Team Racing had. This will be a Launch game on Day 1.
Metroid Prime 4
While Metroid Prime 4 is a Switch 1 game, I believe it will release at launch of the console or shortly after. The game will have better performance and better graphics on the Switch 2, but more on that topic later, when I’m discussing Backwards Compatibility and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
New IP to showcase Controller features
Similar to 1-2-Switch and Snipperclips, Nintendo will probably have a game to showcase the Mouse Functionality. In case the C-Button is not a Community button, but rather a new Controller or System feature, then that game might showcase that feature.
3D Mario
I expect a new 3D Mario game. Odyssey was phenomenal and it has been 8 years since the release of that game. Browsers Fury was great and might be showcasing what we could expect from this new 3D Mario game: an Open-World Mario game. This game will probably release in the Fall this year.
Mario Sports Game
Not sure which Sports game, because we already had all on Switch. Baseball is not very big outside of USA, so I don’t think it will be Baseball. Maybe Basketball like NBA JAM?
Zelda
It is very unlikely that we will see anything related to a new 3D Zelda or even 2D Zelda. However, it is possible that we see a Remake or Remaster. Maybe Wind Waker 4K or Twilight Princess 4K, or even a full Remake of Ocarina of Time? Another Zelda related game could be a new Hyrule Warriors game with the story of Tears of the Kingdom: Hyrule Warrios: The imprisoning War.
We could also see an upgrade to Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom.
Filler Games
Some smaller games to fill the empty months. Kirby or Yoshi.
Few rumors suggested a new Sakurai game, maybe Kid Icarus?
Star Fox was rumored as well.
Splatoon 4?
I wish, but do not expect a Splatoon 4 release this year. It is too early. Maybe a teaser and a release date of 2026.
Pikmin 5?
I never understood why Nintendo didn't release DLC for Pikmin 4. Only reason is that they already worked on Pikmin 5. I don’t see it releasing this year though. Probably next year or even 2027.
Animal Crossing?
Animal Crossing is probably also a 2026 or rather 2027 game. I can’t see them having a game ready this year.
Smash Brothers?
I don’t think we will see a new Smash game, however, it could be possible to have new DLCs, new fighters for Smash Ultimate. I think it’s unlikely though. Nintendo is probably working on a complete new Smash, unrelated to Ultimate. A hard reset basically.
Prediction of the full year for Switch 2 Nintendo Games
Launch: Mario Kart, Metroid Prime 4, New IP to showcase the new hardware features and first few Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades
July: Mario Sports Game
August: Filler game (Kirby, Yoshi, etc.)
September: Zelda Remaster or Remake or Hyrule Warriors
October: 3D Mario
November: Pokemon Legends: Z-A
December: Nothing.
Third Party Games
Basically, all big PS4 games will run fluently on the Switch 2 and many developers will launch their games at launch. Final Fantasy Remake, Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate, etc. It will be interesting to see which new generation third-party game could make it to the console and how it will look different to PS5.
Backwards Compatibility and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Since Backwards Compatibility has already been officially announced, the question remains, will there be upgrades to older games to make use of the better performance? We also saw official documents of something called “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” games, which hints at upgrades for older games. Now, will these updates be free, one time purchase, or included in NSO?
I expect “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” to be explained in the Direct and showcased via Breath of the Wild. It will enhance the game to 4K60 and will probably cost around $5-$10. It might also be possible that upgrades will be included for all NSO subscribers of the highest NSO Tier.
Release date and price
Finally, maybe the most important part, the release date and the price of the console.
I am expecting the console to launch in June the latest, however, I could imagine that they release it in late May.
The price will probably be about $399 USD and for us in Germany, it will probably be like 429€ including Taxes.
Why Video Game Cards?
There still remains the question of Why does Nintendo transition digital purchases to Video Game Cards? It seems to be a nice feature, with almost no downsides, right?
I think the answer is pretty simple:
Digital Only Switch consoles
With Video Game Cards, it is very easy to share digital purchases between consoles. It removes the big downside of digital purchases compared to physical game cards.
The only big other benefit of physical game cards is selling a game, which is currently not possible with digital games.
So now, that sharing is made easier between your own consoles and even with family members, it raises the question, why not go All-in with digital games.
And that’s where Nintendo will introduce a cheaper digital-only Switch or Switch 2. It could be a new Switch (2) Lite, much thinner or even a completely new form-factor without card slot.
Are we there, yet?
Microsoft and Sony already offer cheaper versions of their consoles that are digital only. However, the audience of Nintendo is a bit different, much younger. I am not sure if that audience is ready for a digital only Nintendo Switch. On the other side, we are now used to digital only games on our iPhones, so why not consoles?
The difference is that each new iPhone can run all games, that were running on your previous iPhone. And I think Nintendo wants to go that route with Nintendo Switch as well.
I am not sure if we already reached the point, where Nintendo could release a digital only console in 2025, but I could imagine them releasing one in the near future.
“Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” Game
Something very interesting came up.
Quote:
„Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system.“
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games
As the Tweet or X post concludes, Upgrades for Switch 1 games seems to be confirmed.
Question now is at what cost?
Will there be free upgrades for owners of Switch 1 games?
Will there be a small upgrade price, just like Sony does with PS4 games for PS5?
Or will we have to buy the whole game again for Switch 2, so full price?
Another option could be a subscription model. Everyone, who is subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online gets the upgrade for free.
I’m leaning towards small upgrade prices or being subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online. Obviously, I’m hoping for free upgrades, which would be an absolute great reason to buy the Switch 2 console, but Nintendo probably know their audience and that the industry is successful with upgrade prices. So why not earn money with the additional effort?
Anyhow, this is great news. We heard rumors of Breath of the Wild in 4K and this news kind of proofs its possibility. Not saying it is coming, but it is now very likely that it is coming.
Nintendo Direct for Switch 1
Yesterday was the Nintendo Direct for Switch 1, one week before the big Nintendo Direct for Switch 2 on April 2nd.
This Direct was not for me. I was not interested in most games. However, there were some parts that were very very interesting.
Video Game Cards
Nintendo is preparing for multiple Switches in a household. We own multiple Switches and sharing digital games is really cumbersome at the moment. Obviously, Nintendo wants to sell as many games as possible, therefore, it is very surprising that they’ll introduce this new feature.
Digital game owner
If I understood this correctly, this allows someone with two Switches (one primary, one secondary) to play digital games on either console very easily. This is possible currently, however, for the secondary Switch an Internet connection is required. With Video Game Cards this will be obsolete. Simply select which game you would like to play on this Switch and you can play it whenever you want, even offline.
It is only required to connect both Switches one time. Afterwards, I hope, you can simply select a game from your library and load the license. I have most games installed on both consoles anyway.
Family Sharing
Sharing games with the Family is huge. I have kids and they play with my Switch constantly. Now, I could buy them their own Switch Lites and then lend them games I own. Obviously, if they play a game for a very long time or we play it together simultaneously on multiple Switches, I’d have to buy the game a second time, but if they want to just play a game for a short period of time, this is perfect.
I wonder though if we have to have a local connection every time I want to lend a game, or is a one time connection sufficient?
No release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
This was very interesting. The release date after the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond section still said Coming 2025. This could mean many things.
This game could release in Fall. But then, they could simply say Fall or Holiday 2025.
Or, in my opinion more likely, the game will be a launch title for Switch 2 as a cross gen game and therefore, we haven’t seen a release date.
I believe, we will see another trailer in the Switch 2 Direct on April 2nd and will finally know the release date of the console and the game.
Switch 2 Launch with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and maybe Mario Kart shortly after or even also on Launch is huge.
150 million
Nintendo shared new sales numbers and the Switch finally crossed the very difficult 150 million milestone. Congratulations to Nintendo for this massive success. The WiiU was a total disaster, with less than 10% of sales of the Switch.
It should be studied, how Nintendo managed to pull this off, but for me the answer is very clear.
Software sells hardware. Good Software sells more hardware.
Nintendo somehow managed to release more than 10 games per year consistently. Almost every month a new game was launched since the release of the console and some of these games are masterpieces. Not all games were new, there were also many remasters or ports, but these are equally important.
Especially Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an awesome game, which was only played by a few WiiU owners, has now over 60 million sold copies. A very simply port with minor tweaks.
Even Breath of the Wild is technically a port, since the game was meant to be released on the WiiU. The dual launch was genius.
Nintendo is dominating the video game industry and I love it.
In case you want to read the financial results, here is the link.
There it is: The Switch 2
Some interesting things:
No “C” Button
Leaks showed a “C“ Button on the right Joy-Con. The reveal trailer has the button, but there is no “C” on it. It is simply blank. I assume the actual device will have a “C” on it, but Nintendo decided to hide it for the reveal trailer. Not sure why.
It seems to me, there would be no difference if they kept the “C” on the button. Instead of asking what the C stands for, now everyone will be asking what that blank button might do.
New Mario Kart
The only game Nintendo showed in the trailer was a brand new Mario Kart. Apparently, there will be up to 24 racers. To me this sounds very much like this game will have Non-Mario characters. Mario Kart 8 also had non-Mario characters like Link or Inkling from Splatoon, but now I assume there must be like over 30 characters to choose from, so most likely more non-Mario characters will be included. Will Mario Kart be the new Smash Bros? Will Sonic or Pac-Man or Mega-Man come to Mario Kart?
Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and Hands-On events
The trailer also revealed a date for a Switch 2 specific Nintendo Direct, which will happen on April 2nd 2025. Additionally, there will be showcases and hands-on events of the console all over the world soon after the direct. These events are happening in April up until June. Here is the list:
North America
New York, April 4-6, 2025
Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
Toronto, April 25-27, 2025
Europe
Paris, April 4-6, 2025
London, April 11-13, 2025
Milan, April 25-27, 2025
Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025
Oceania
Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025
Asia
Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
Hong Kong, To be announced
Taipei, To be announced
No Launch Date
Unfortunately, the reveal trailer did not show any launch date and no price. I did not expect a price, but a launch date would’ve been nice. We will most likely learn about the launch date and the price through the Nintendo Direct on April 2nd.
I always assumed, we will be able to buy the Switch 2 end of March or in April. However, with all these events happening in April, May and even June, the question now is, when could the console launch?
If we look at the list, we see that events in USA, Europe, Australia and Japan are all happening in April to mid May. Only South Korea and other Asian countries have events happening late May / June.
I now believe, that the Switch 2 might launch end of May or June for North America, Europe and Japan. Maybe even Australia.
Then, a few weeks later, the rest of the world will be able to purchase the console.
Maybe, I am too optimistic and this is wishful thinking, but launching the console in July or even August might be too late, for many reasons. Summer is the perfect time to play video games on summer vacation and trips, especially a handheld.
Moreover, the Summer Games Fest is happening in June and it would be perfect to play Demos on the console right away.
Furthermore, Nintendo needs to fill the gap and keep the hype for the console alive, which will be difficult if there are empty months.
My feelings
I am super hyped for the Switch 2. 😄
I think, waiting six to seven years for a new console is ok. Eight years is too long, though.
I can’t wait to have the console in my hands and play new games on it. Even playing old games with better performance and maybe even better graphics would be nice. Maybe even having new features for older games, like community features for Splatoon 3 would be amazing.
Only a few months left.
Switch 2 Reveal
Apparently, according to many rumors, the reveal is in two days, on Thursday January 16th.
This aligns perfectly with what I was expecting.
As soon as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is released, the marketing for the game can stop and the marketing for the next big thing can start.
That’s why I expected the reveal shortly after and that’s also why I’m expecting the release of the Switch 2 after the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Xenoblade releases on March 20th and I could see a release of the Switch 2 a week later on March 27th or in early April.
I guess Nintendo wants to have a big marketing campaign and might need some time for that, however, I think the best marketing is the product itself in the hands of the people. So sooner the better.
But first let’s see if the reveal is actually happening on Thursday and if we get an announcement for the reveal itself, maybe tomorrow evening.
8 years ago
The greatest gaming trailer ever was released eight years ago.
In my opinion, it is THE greatest trailer of all time, in any category, not only gaming.
Time flies.
Genki
Never heard of accessory manufacturer Genki, but now everyone does, because they just revealed the Switch 2 before Nintendo did.
The above video is also available on Genkis Website.
They obviously show their accessories mainly, but you can basically see the whole console and how the Joy-Cons detach and attach magnetically.
Additionally, you can see the optical sensor in action. Moreover, the blue and orange colors below the Joysticks and the rails of the Joy-Cons.
It’s happening, and I believe we can expect a reveal this or next week!
The release should be close, too. As I suggested end of March or April, is still my guess.
Switch 2 Performance
There are rumors that the Switch 2 might have power and performance like a PS4, maybe even better due to AI chips on device. Up to PS4 Pro in docked mode.
I see people now debating if that is too low, for a 2025 device. I think thats crazy.
Apparently, I’m a bit different, as I barely think about graphics and console performance. For me it is always the user experience first.
The Wii showed perfectly, that graphics is not that important. It is nice to have, but games should be fun first and foremost.
Also, the original Switch had outdated performance when it was released and the games still looked great in my opinion.
I will never forget, when playing Breath of the Wild. Sometimes, I just stopped somewhere to watch the sunrise, because it was breathtaking. Or in Tears of the Kingdom, when falling from the sky during sunset. I just enjoyed the view for a few seconds.
Of course, that could’ve been better on a PS5 or even PS4, but I still stopped playing and enjoyed the view for a while, because it was simply beautiful.
I hope Nintendo releases a patch for both games or even all games, so they can benefit from the additional Power, but mostly for FPS reasons and smoothness, not necessarily for graphics. If graphics get better, I won’t complain obviously.
Switch 2 Joy-Con Leak
This is it. This looks legit.
Nintendo probably will reveal the console very soon, since leaks are getting better and happen more often.
This Joy-Con seems to have a new sensor. Looks like an optical sensor like a mouse has nowadays. One leaker also mentioned something about “lasers”.
Could the Joy-Con be used as a mouse maybe?
Or does this sensor help using the Joy-Con as a Wii-Remote for Wii NSO?
Could also be something for a new Labo type addition. Maybe Ring-Fit 2 related?
Anyhow, I think this looks more promising than the IR-Sensor from the original Joy-Con.
Can’t wait!
Switch 2 Predictions
A lot happened in the past few weeks regarding the Nintendo Switch successor and I believe, we will see more leaks very soon.
Name
The name will apparently be Switch 2, which would be awesome! If true, it’s perfect. I thought Nintendo might call it Super Switch or Switch Advance, but these names might actually confuse parents, therefore, Switch 2 is great and clear.
Date
This might sound impossible and aggressive, but I believe we will see the console in the first two weeks of January and be able to buy it sometime in March. Two months might sound too short, but production probably already started and producing over 5 million consoles in 4 months should be possible nowadays. This would replicate the launch of the original Nintendo Switch, a full blown showcase in January and launch on March 3rd. We did see the console much earlier in October of 2016, however, the Wii U was dead and it didn’t have any effect on the Christmas sales. Everyone was already waiting for the next console. This time, Nintendo wanted to sell as many Switch consoles as possible before revealing the Switch 2.
Launch Game
I predicted in summer, that the launch game will be a 3D Mario game and Mario Kart launching shortly after. However, I now believe, the launch game will actually be Metroid Prime 4 and Mario Kart 9/X!
Mario Kart is huge and everyone is waiting for the successor. As a launch game, everyone who is interested in Mario Kart will want to buy the Switch 2 as soon as possible. Releasing it day 1 will help marketing.
Metroid fans will be able to play the game in a much better quality on the new console and will gladly buy the console at launch just for that.
Console Feature / “Gimmick”
Leaks showcased a “C“ button on the right Joy-Con and many believe it stands for “Connect“ or “Cast“. A possibility would be that the Dock can output on the TV, although the console is not inside it, which would allow for a “Wii U mode”. The player has the console in his hands and see a second screen on TV, or rather the TV is the main screen and the handheld is the second screen, just like the Wii U. This would be amazing.
However, I think the “C“ Button is just another Button for developers, just like the A, B, X and Y.
On the other hand, this does not mean that there couldn’t be a “Wii U mode” then. This mode could simply be enabled on the home menu, if the Dock is available and in the same network.
It would be really nice to replay Wii U games, like Nintendo Land or Wind Waker HD with all of the second screen features, but I’m not getting my hopes up. It would be freaking cool, though.
Other Games
As I mentioned, a new 3D Mario game and a new Mario Kart are basically the main games this year. I could see the 3D Mario game releasing in October. Pokémon Legends: Z-A could probably release early next year in April and might not be cross gen, meaning not better quality on the Switch 2, but still playable, because of backwards compatibility.
I would also love to see multiple remasters, like Breath of the Wild. A good reason to play it again.
I will do a 2025 forecast with all the games I believe will be released that year.
Only a few weeks left.
Surprising June Direct
I did not expect any of the games shown in the direct.
Starting with Mario&Luigi: Brothership was a great reminder that Nintendo is always working on Mario games. This game looks great and I really like the cell-shading graphics. Can’t wait to play it in November.
I never played Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze was amazing. I’m surprised it’s coming in January. This would’ve been a great shadow drop. Some people who were watching the direct and interested in the game might have purchased it instantly to play the game. Now, when it releases in January it might not have the same hype.
My favorite announcement was obviously the The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom game, which was super surprising. As I noted in my previous blog posts I expected a remake, but not a new entry into the series. Additionally, we play as Zelda! How cool is that. I like the art style, which was used in the Link‘s Awakening remake, however, I’m not sure it fits well here. It worked great for Awakening, because it was a game boy remake and link actually looked toy-like. It would’ve worked for the oracle games as well. But for a new entry I would’ve liked a different art style, something not toy-like or plastic looking. Top down Zelda can look amazing and Nintendo could have tried it, however, I understand that it is much cheaper to use the new art style of Awakening for Echoes.
Lastly, we finally got a real trailer of Metroid Prime 4. It looks marvelous. Even kind of unreal, that it runs on the current Switch.
Checkout this uncompressed trailer that someone somehow found:
Metroid Prime 4 – Beyond Trailer uncompressed
Can’t wait to play it. The release date is 2025 and I have a feeling it will release around the time of the launch of the Switch 2, making it a similar release to the current Switch with Breath of the wild, which also released on WiiU simultaneously in 2017.
If Nintendo also releases a new a Mario Kart or 3D Mario few months later, I strongly believe they will sell every the Switch 2 they produce throughout the year.
This is Furukawa
It’s happening! Nintendo announced via a simple Tweet that the next console will be announced this fiscal year. So until March 31st 2025, we will now more about the next Switch.
It will be a Switch successor, which Nintendo president Furukawa also confirmed. This is all great news and also shakes some of my predictions. I initially said that Nintendo will not announce the next console before Christmas in order to sell more of the current Switch, however, I guess Nintendo now thinks otherwise, and I believe we also can guess why, let me explain:
So many Switches
Nintendo also announced that they expect to sell about 13,5 million Switches in this fiscal year, which is quite a lot for a console in its last year. This can only mean one of two things in my opinion.
Huge upcoming games that will also sell consoles or have special edition consoles
Price cuts
I don’t believe we will see many huge games in the latter half of 2024, which will sell consoles. These games will probably be launched with the next console in order to sell more of the next console. See my last blog post about potential games coming this year.
It must be price cuts!
This would also explain why Nintendo announced the next console now. Whoever is waiting for the next console, already has a Switch and won’t buy the current Switch this year. However, many people don’t have the money or weren’t ready to buy the current Switch for its untouched price. With a deep price cut, Nintendo could reach many more people. Including families where a second Switch makes sense so more kids can play simultaniously.
I can imagine a Switch OLED for $299 instead of $349 and the Switch Lite for $149 instead of $199, both bundled with a game. That would be a great offer already. What if Nintendo even goes lower to $279 and $129, respectively? That would be THE Christmas gift for many many families.
Another Message
This announcement also sends a signal to all Gamers: “Don’t buy a PS5 Pro“. It is expected that Sony will release a PS5 Pro this Christmas, but with the next generation Switch coming out shortly after, many might wait and spend less money on a completely new generation console, instead of a Pro version of a PS5, which has almost no exclusive games.
Additionally, now that we know the next console is officially coming soon, Game Studios can announce games for that platform. If Gamers know a game is launching on the PS5 Pro and the Switch 2, they have another reason to wait for the Switch 2.
Nintendo: Rest of 2024
Now that, thanks to the MAR10 Day Direct, we know the release dates for the few announced games for 2024.
Princess Peach: Showtime, released a few days ago in March.
Endless Ocean: Luminous releases May 2nd
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door releases May 23rd
Luigis Mansion 2 HD releases June 27
So what happens afterwards, and why is April empty?
Nintendo Direct in April?
There are rumors for a Nintendo Direct in April. I believe that’s a given, because it would give them the chance to showcase, which games will release after June. Usually, there is a Nintendo Direct in June, however, there is no more E3 and also, I think it would be too late to showcase in June, what happens after June. April seems perfect to me.
Additionally, a Direct in April gives Nintendo the chance to remind everyone about the upcoming three games mentioned above. Paper Mario even has new gameplay features, which they can showcase here.
Another reason, could be a shadow drop that day of a Remaster or Port of an older game, like they did with Pikmin 1+2 or Metroid Prime. Maybe it is just wishful thinking from my side. April is currently empty, after all.
However, against that theory would be the release of Endless Ocean, which releases at the beginning of May. It could be considered a delayed April game. May already has Paper Mario after all.
2nd half of 2024
If the Switch successor releases in 2025, which I also predict now, then the second half of 2024 must be full of filler games, such as remasters and ports. By that, I mean no new AAA game, except for Metroid Prime 4, probably. Which is fine.
So out of 6 months, at least 4-6 games have to be released in order to keep the „around 1 game per month“ streak of Nintendo going. It is usually around 4-6 weeks for a new game release.
So what could Nintendo release in these months? Here are some ideas:
Mario Sports / Olympia game or Mario Party
We could get a Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 game. The Olympic Games are in July this year, so it might actually be the perfect time to release a fitting game.
If it’s not an Olympia game, it might be a Mario Sports game:
We had Tennis, Golf and Football (or Soccer depending on where you come from, though it is called Football, my friend. I guess, that’s why Nintendo calls it Strikers) on the Switch.
We are missing a Baseball or Basketball game, though Baseball is not so huge in the whole world, more of a US Sports, but I would like to play it. Same for American Football.
If it’s not a Mario Sports game, it could be a Party game.
The last Mario Party game released 3 years ago, and the previous Mario Party game was 3 years before that. So it might be possible that we’ll see another Mario Party game this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD and/or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
It is perceived as facts that these two games are basically ready and just waiting to be released for the Switch. This rumor has been out for years now and now might be the perfect time to release the games.
However, I’m not sure if Nintendo would like to release these fan-favorite games before the Switch successor comes out. It might make more sense to release these awesome games as filler games in the launch line-up of the next console. These are great Zelda games and would not be seen as just some small ports. Imagine having these two games next to a new Super Mario 3D game, new Mario Kart game, new Pokemon game, Smash Ultimate Deluxe and so on. It sounds too good to be true.
Additionally, another question would be if Nintendo releases both games together as a bundle or separately. Probably, $60 each. Many would pay that price. As I said, these are fan-favorites and many consider them to be their personal best Zelda games. Mine for instance is Ocarina of Time, and I would gladly pay $60 for a HD Remaster / Remake of that game.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages Remaster
This has been rumored as well, though, not so heavily as Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. It would be great to see the games remade, since the original games were released on Game Boy Color. I’ve never played them, so I would gladly get them both. Hopefully as a bundle and not $60 each. Please.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds HD
A Link Between Worlds was released over 10 years ago in November 2013. It is a great game and I would love to play it again in HD on my Switch.
New Yoshi game or Yoshi’s Woolly World Remaster
We haven’t had a Yoshi game since Yoshi's Crafted World in 2019. It would be great to see a new game, though, Yoshi’s Woolly World Remaster would be great, too. It was ported to 3DS at some point and since many 3DS games arrive on Switch, this might have a good chance actually.
New smaller Kirby game
There is always a Kirby game. Like literally every year Nintendo releases one or more Kirby games, and they’re all good.
Pikmin 4 DLC
This game was amazing. I will have a review about this game, because it was one of the best games I played in 2023. I would love to play it more, but unfortunately, there is nothing left to do in the game. Pikmin 4 needs DLC. Some additional content or even Online Play, so I can pick it up for an hour once or twice per week.
Luigis Mansion 1 HD
Now that we will have Luigis Mansion 2 and 3 on the Switch, it would make sense to get Luigis Mansion 1 HD, as well. I don’t think it will be a shadow drop at the next Nintendo Direct, because it would then release before Luigis Mansion 2 HD, which was announced months before release, for some reason… Actually, it would make perfect sense to shadow drop Luigis Mansion 1 HD right before 2, so we could play that first, but Nintendo doesn’t always do stuff that makes perfect sense.
Pokémon
We know that the next big Pokémon game is Pokémon Legends: Z-A and it will release in 2025. We don’t know when in 2025, it could be January or Holiday. However, it is a bit weird to not get any Pokémon game in 2024, that’s why I think it is even very likely that they’ll release a Remaster or a new Let’s Go game, or the very least, some very old Pokémon games on NSO. We are still missing the original Red, Blue and Yellow games on NSO, which are super fan-favorite games. These games could fill a whole month for Nintendo.
Metroid Prime 2: Remastered (if it’s not releasing in April as a shadow drop)
As mentioned above, Metroid Prime 2: Remastered could be released as a surprise game during the next Nintendo Direct, just like it happened with Metroid Prime 1: Remastered. There are some rumors regarding a heavy Metroid related marketing campaign, but we’ll see what that is about.
Metroid: Samus Returns HD
Another Metroid title that could be released as a filler game could be the 3DS game Metroid: Samus Returns. That game actually came out after the release of the Nintendo Switch. Back then, Nintendo didn’t know if the Switch will be successful and it made perfect sense to release great games on the 3DS.
As a HD remaster and the same graphics as Metroid: Dread, it would sell really well now. I can see that game releasing this year, unless of course…
Metroid Prime 4
This game has been in development for so many years, and we still don’t know anything about it. It is possible that Nintendo finally shows us a trailer and releases the game as their holiday title of 2024. Many believe it will be a cross-gen title, releasing both on the current Switch console and the successor, however, it would also make sense to end the Switch lifecycle with this huge game. It was promised for the current Switch after all.
My predictions
Obviously, it is very unlikely Nintendo releases 3-4 Zelda games or 2-3 Metroid games within the seconds half of 2024.
Therefore, here are my predictions:
July
August
September
October
November
December
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (or Mario Party or Sports game)
Kirby game
Zelda Remaster (A Link Between Worlds HD, or Wind Waker HD)
Yoshi game or Luigis Mansion 1 HD
Pokémon Remaster
Metroid Prime 4 or Metroid: Samus Returns HD (in case Prime 4 isn’t ready)
Since I predict the Switch successor releases early next year, maybe around February - April, Nintendo might want to show the new console in January 2025, like they did back in 2017 and release it between the end of February and the beginning of April. Actually, it would be a great discussion, if Nintendo should release the Switch before or after MAR10 Day 2025.
I don’t think it makes sense to release games during that period. Everyone will be just hyped to get the new console and I would wait and release all new games after the console launches as cross-gen games or new console exclusives.
LEGO Mario Kart
Lego announced new Mario sets in Mario day and this time it will focus on Mario Kart.
The teaser looks nice and it will be interesting to see what they came up with.
However, …
… the release date is 2025!
Why? Why announce now?
What is the reason for announcing Lego sets one year earlier?
Is it coming in January or February of 2025?
If not, why not announce it on MARIO day in 2025?
Switch 2 Compatibility?
Possible reason could be the Switch Successor.
Could there be a connection to the next Mario Kart game?
Is it possible that Lego was ready to release the sets this year, but Nintendo asked to delay the sets to ‘25, because the Switch 2 got delayed?
I can imagine the Lego Mario Kart sets work very similar to the 2020 released real live Mario Karts that can be controlled via Switch and allows players to drive a real toy kart in the living room.
This would be another big reason to get the system at launch, especially if it’s releasing with another Mario Kart game.
Switch Successor in 2025
Since it’s already mid march, it is highly unlikely, that the Switch Successor is releasing in April, as I predicted in my previous blog posts.
Obviously, it is disappointing that we won’t be able to play the next system soon, but I actually think it’s a good thing, if that means, we’re getting a better experience and better games later.
2025
Latest rumors suggest the system is releasing in early 2025, so basically one year later than I predicted.
Many suggested the system would release in Fall or even around the holidays of 2024. I truly believe that releasing close to Christmas is a terrible idea and releasing a few months later is much smarter. You can read all of my reasoning here.
Launch games
I went through all possible games we could receive for the launch of the new system and the delay to 2025 does not change much.
However, it could mean that 2025 will even be stronger than 2023.
We now know that GTA 6 is releasing in 2025, possibly around the end of that year.
Additionally, Sony announced that they won’t have big first party games in 2024. So we can assume that they will have big games coming in 2025. Wolverine comes to mind.
What about 2024?
This raises the question what Nintendo will do this year. Thanks to the Mario Day Direct, we now know that all upcoming games are actually releasing in the first half of 2024, such as Paper Mario in May and Luigis Mansion 2 in June.
What will Nintendo do for the second half of the year? It is possible that more remakes or remasters will be released, like the much rumored Zelda games Wind Waker HD or Twilight Princess HD. Additionally, it is also possible that Metroid Prime 4 will be the big holiday title. Add another Mario Sports game and this year is actually not that bad assuming all these games are releasing this year.
Black Friday
It’s black friday and with that awesome discounts!
Check these out and order via these links if you would like to support me:
AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe USB-C Case
UGreen USB-C Charger GaN 3-Ports with 65W
Mario Bros Wonder Release
The game is amazing. I’ve played for an hour and it was a lot of fun. Each level had something unique and different.
The second level made me laugh for like 5 minutes.
I also really like the badges. Didn’t think it would work, but it changes the game in a good way.
Moreover, the game is really difficult sometimes. I love it.
Direct full of Mario
The Nintendo Direct yesterday was nice. In my opinion, not the one of the best Directs in recent times, but still good. However, it really feels like we are nearing the end of the Nintendo Switch lifetime. This Direct was full of Remakes and rather small games.
Most of my predictions and the big rumors were true.
We saw the Princess Peach game, Luigis Mansion 2, Wario Ware, Mario Kart DLC Wave 6, Splatoon DLC - Side Order and the leaked games, Mario vs. Donkey Kong and F-Zero, which turned out to be an awesome F-Zero 99 NSO exclusive game, also shadow dropped and out now. I will definitely try it out.
The big surprise at the end of the Direct was Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (TTYD). I have not played it yet and I can’t wait to get it, since it is a very beloved game by many Paper Mario fans.
However, I find it very interesting that Nintendo decided to show that game now. The release date is 2024 and I can image it releasing in May or in the Summer, like August, but that is not the issue.
The issue I have is, we already have Super Mario RPG coming very soon. RPG fans are already excited and pleased with that game. It is a whole Remake with awesome graphics. Why show Paper Mario: TTYD now? It could have such a big effect at a later time.
Moreover, that game is not a game to close a Nintendo Direct in September. It is not Kirby: The forgotten Land or Metroid Prime 4. I don’t think most Nintendo Fans were pleased with the closing of this Direct. It is very likely, that Nintendo simply didn’t have anything else to show off for the current Switch. That’s why I truly believe we are nearing the end of the current Nintendo Switch.
Mario Fans must have been very happy, though.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Super Mario RPG
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Wave 6
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Luigis Mansion 2 HD
Wario Ware
As I predicted, no Zelda and no Metroid.
I still believe we will see the next Nintendo Switch early 2024 and have it released in the first half of 2024.