So it happened. Our first legit Nintendo Direct that isn't centered around a single title was announced this morning. Surprising everyone however was the fact that it is a Partner Showcase rather than a true general Direct. This means we aren't going to be seeing any first-party Nintendo games during this presentation, and that is really strange.
Where we stand currently as far as Switch 2 first-party games go, there are a total of three relatively large titles all slated for 2025 but all lack a solid release date, the biggest of which is Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, which began its existence allllll the way back in June of 2017, just three months after the Switch 1 launched! Now granted it had its development rebooted once during that time, changing hands from developers and all. But still.
And if it was just Prime 4, I would be like, "Well okay, they're just going to announce a Prime 4 Direct along with the release date tomorrow or Friday during their investors meeting and everything would be hunky dory. But no. Hyrule Warriors; Age of Imprisonment and Kirby Air Riders were both announced with 2025 dates attached to them. Nintendo doesn't have anything announced beyond those two Switch 2 specific games, so that makes this being a Partner Showcase only instead of this massive blowout between both parties really strange, but oddly, not very un-Nintendo-like at all.
Anywho, with that out of the way, let's get on to the part this blog entry exists for: The predicitions!
- Capcom is going to announce that Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 Remakes, along with 7, 8 AND next year's ninth entry are all coming to the Switch 2, starting with RE2 in October and then the others following at regular intervals physically thereafter. Digital versions will launch after the Direct. They will be full-priced, but on 64gb cards so no downloads necessary. People will still complaint.
- Square-Enix is going to give us a firm release date for the Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy VII Remake, slated for sometime in November. It'll be a Game Key Card and people will complain as such. There will be Switch 2 exclusive content, but nothing major. We'll also be told that Rebirth is coming next year as well. We'll also get our first look at the long rumored Final Fantasy IX Remake, along with a Final Fantasy XVI for Switch 2 announcement for 2026.
- Doom Dark Ages and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion will be announced to be coming to the Switch 2, with Oblivion actually getting a physical release. No game key card for either one.
- Hollow Knight Silksong will get its final trailer along with a release date for some time in September, with Switch 2 getting it first before any other console(even before Switch 1)
- The new Digimon game and Persona 3 Remake, both which had already been kinda leaked, will get confirmations along with release dates. Digimon will launch day and date with the other versions while Persona just gets its "Coming Soon".
- There will be a little sizzle reel of third party games coming to the Switch 1/2, some of which come with Switch 2 modes or upgrade paths.
Nothing bonkers, even if it does seem a big jampacked for a 25 minute presentation. I don't expect anything huge beyond what has already been leaked or rumored. But I feel confident about the Silksong thing. Ain't no way we're going one more year without that game.
Now for my wishlists. These are where I take a step outside of what has been rumored or leaked and all that and just throw out what I would love to see announced if the world worked in my favor.
- Capcom would put the Mega Man series up to the megaphone to announce its grand return. A new Mega Man game and series. It would reboot the franchise, feature a style somewhere between Classic and X, with the bosses combining elements of Robot Master and Maverick designs. It would be a third-person shoot-em-up and have large, open-ended stages with multiple ways to traverse them, depending on what weapons you've already acquired.
- Sega would announce the next mainline Sonic the Hedgehog game. The art style would be more in line with what we expect from the Sonic world, but still feature the open world aspect. It would draw heavy inspiration from the refined world and lore featured in the IDW comics, giving Sonic actual characters and places to visit. Villages in which to gain side quests from. It would be Sonic Frontiers refined to perfection.
- Finally, Square-Enix breaks out the big guns by finally dropping the long requested HD2D remake of Chrono Trigger. The game is glorious looking, taking the HD2D style to a whole other level and wows everyone. It'll be announced to include brand new story content, not only more closely tying it to the the events of Chrono Cross, but also teasing a potential new game...
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