E3 2018 Predictions: Nintendo

Nintendo is one of those companies that is hard to predict. They’re well known for dropping megaton announcements at random times during the year, and those announcements are often met with complete pandemonium. There’s no other game developer on the planet that can create more buzz than Nintendo.

This years’ E3 is huge for them. They have to really lay out the roadmap of where Nintendo Switch is headed over the next six months. They announced a slew of games for this years in a Nintendo Direct in March but didn’t really drop any huge news other than an expansion for Splatoon 2 and Super Smash Bros.

There have been a number of leaks at this point and all point in the same general direction, but some of our predictions for E3 2018 move beyond safe. Without further ado, our predictions for Nintendo; E3 2018.

Metroid Prime 4

This game will be released in 2018. This seems like a long considering that it was only one year ago that the game was announced with nothing more than a teaser screen showed it was in development. With some saying that Nintendo’s fall lineup is too packed for another AAA title, we feel that beyond a few third party titles, the first party lineup is a little thin. Metroid Prime 4 would be the second megaton 2018 title that Nintendo Switch needs.

Star Fox

Since Star Fox Zero was released for Wii U to mixed reviews, it would make sense that Nintendo would create a new game altogether for Nintendo Switch. It’s entirely possible that Star Fox Zero could be bundled with it, but it would be a mistake for Nintendo to just port the game over without releasing a brand new title alongside it. This means that Nintendo would release a game in the vein of Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet or Star Fox Assault.

There are rumors floating around of a Star Fox racing game. That is an interesting rumor, but wouldn’t be the right way to introduce the star fox universe to new fans. If true, it will be a nice side title, but with Nintendo Switch, the Japanese juggernaut has so far released their core franchises in a way as to introduce gamers to their original vision.

Pokémon

Safe bet. A core Pokémon game hasn’t been released on a Nintendo console in years and there’s no better time to do so. Expect an open world title in the universe of the original title; almost a reboot of the series. There will most likely be two versions as well and a possible remaster of some previous titles.

Super Mario Odyssey DLC

There’s no way Super Mario Odyssey can be a one and done title, considering the vast amount of DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Expect a new downloadable kingdom and possibly more. With the number of consoles that are sure to sell this holiday, it’s imperative that Nintendo adds something to the game.

Luigi’s Mansion

The original title is being released for 3Ds this year, so it stands to reason that Nintendo would announce a third game in the series. Nintendo has re-imagined or added a ton of gameplay features to their core franchises so far, so we see a title that is open world and Luigi is able to walk between different mansions. This iteration in the series could be a game changer.

The Legend of Zelda Remaster Editions

Expect at least one. Most likely a remaster of Skyward Sword. The title was mostly ignored and was met with mixed reviews, but a version where gamers use traditional controls instead of motion controls and some enhanced graphics with tweaks to gameplay controls could move bump this title up in the eyes of Legend of Zelda fans. In addition, we could see a second remaster of Twilight Princess. This could possibly be sold as a set.

Third Party Support

Expect Nintendo to show a sizzle reel of third-party games coming to Nintendo Switch. More from Bethesda (most likely Fallout 4), Rockstar (Red Dead Redemption 2 will be a shocker). Activision (a Call of Duty title exclusive to Nintendo Switch), EA will announce Madden and FIFA and 2K will announce their sports lineup.

3DS

Don’t expect much support for 3DS. Expect a new core Pokémon title, with possible light integration with Nintendo Switch. There will also be a couple of versions of the title, most likely with integration as well.

Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo will flesh the service out in great detail. Super Smash Bros. will be announced as the launch title for the service and the game will feature voice chat. Nintendo will announce a better solution for voice chat; a wired headset built in with Bluetooth that connects to mobile devices to bypass the wonky voice chat solution. The other solution could be a megaton where Nintendo announces that voice chat will be available without mobile (it’s already been proven possible via an ethernet glitch with Splatoon 2). If this is the case then Nintendo will also announce that Bluetooth has been unlocked to allow for any headset to be used.

Cloud saves; there will be two versions a la Playstation Plus. Game saves will be uploaded to the cloud, however, will only be downloadable if you are a paid NSO member.

Nintendo will announce the Virtual Console, but it won’t be called Virtual Console. Nintendo has been very clear with their message for Nintendo Switch and they won’t stop with this service. It will be called something that sends a clear message as to what the service is. Considering Nintendo will sell millions of consoles during the holiday season, this is a great move.

Time will tell which predictions come true, hopefully, we’ve missed some and hopefully, Nintendo can flex their muscle at E3 2018 and show the world once again that they deserve to be on top.

  • Richard Booth

    Rich has been involved in the gaming industry for over ten years, working with such companies as Jace Hall ShowTwin Galaxies and Nintendojo. He began GamesRelated in order to bring positivity to gaming journalism. Much of what is out today is completely negative, and GR aims to be the place where that stops and the news is simply reported.

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