With the recent announcements of the Xbox Series X and PS5, fans are beginning to speculate what the successor to Nintendo's much-loved fusion console, the Switch, will look like.
Will it follow in the footsteps of the Wii, Wii U and Switch, or will it make a dramatic shift to high-tech home consoling, a la its Microsoft and Sony competitors?
The truth is that Nintendo don't really know. A new Nintendo media representative has assured us that "the identity of Nintendo Switch product is under wraps," but is perhaps guessing that we'll see the new console at E3 2017, with "a teaser" on show at the Los Angeles Convention Center spotting the Nintendo logo for the first time.
But while all eyes on that show floor will be on what Nintendo's latest game hardware is going to cost, we should appreciate the fact that Switch will allow for a much wider range of games to be produced, thanks to enabling backwards compatibility and the inclusion of mainstream developer support. Okay, over-quipping with unrealistic expectations, but still.
It's been said that the Nintendo Switch can play a little something for everyone, reducing Nintendo's growing aversion of its handheld market, but that's not necessarily correct. Surely, at some point into development, a playable Nintendo Switch game is going to be saved from the " not possible" pile.
So, what launch games are due to come west unannounced? Here are our suggestions:
Xenoblade Chronicles X
So far, there's been no news of a CPU revision for Xenoblade Chronicles X's western release. We feel it could be worth taking a game designed around dual analog sticks and bi-directional movement, and putting it through its native 3D spin in 1080p. Another Xenoblade title should have similar appeal, in terms of fast forward action and characters peppered along with computer generated cutscenes.
Daybreak Hearts
Although not exactly a grown-up game, not far removed from its own original release Ys: The Oath in Felghana, would be a good selling point for Nintendo to spread its wings, tell more mature stories it otherwise wouldn't (Star Fox Zero is great, but most of us won't continue loving watching Pokémon the way we did the first three games, now that the franchise is in decline).
Even the titles created by publishers like NIS America would certainly be worth a punt, overseas at least, after a disappointing showing with the promised departure of Bravely Default.
Rituals of Ruin
The infamous Heatblur5 has always been a little more distant from Japanese expectations, with its underwhelming presentation and sprawling, demanding graphical set-up, compared to titles mainly available in the west.
But whether it's an import or the series' return has a big impact on opinion, we won't know until
Will it follow in the footsteps of the Wii, Wii U and Switch, or will it make a dramatic shift to high-tech home consoling, a la its Microsoft and Sony competitors?
The truth is that Nintendo don't really know. A new Nintendo media representative has assured us that "the identity of Nintendo Switch product is under wraps," but is perhaps guessing that we'll see the new console at E3 2017, with "a teaser" on show at the Los Angeles Convention Center spotting the Nintendo logo for the first time.
But while all eyes on that show floor will be on what Nintendo's latest game hardware is going to cost, we should appreciate the fact that Switch will allow for a much wider range of games to be produced, thanks to enabling backwards compatibility and the inclusion of mainstream developer support. Okay, over-quipping with unrealistic expectations, but still.
It's been said that the Nintendo Switch can play a little something for everyone, reducing Nintendo's growing aversion of its handheld market, but that's not necessarily correct. Surely, at some point into development, a playable Nintendo Switch game is going to be saved from the " not possible" pile.
So, what launch games are due to come west unannounced? Here are our suggestions:
Xenoblade Chronicles X
So far, there's been no news of a CPU revision for Xenoblade Chronicles X's western release. We feel it could be worth taking a game designed around dual analog sticks and bi-directional movement, and putting it through its native 3D spin in 1080p. Another Xenoblade title should have similar appeal, in terms of fast forward action and characters peppered along with computer generated cutscenes.
Daybreak Hearts
Although not exactly a grown-up game, not far removed from its own original release Ys: The Oath in Felghana, would be a good selling point for Nintendo to spread its wings, tell more mature stories it otherwise wouldn't (Star Fox Zero is great, but most of us won't continue loving watching Pokémon the way we did the first three games, now that the franchise is in decline).
Even the titles created by publishers like NIS America would certainly be worth a punt, overseas at least, after a disappointing showing with the promised departure of Bravely Default.
Rituals of Ruin
The infamous Heatblur5 has always been a little more distant from Japanese expectations, with its underwhelming presentation and sprawling, demanding graphical set-up, compared to titles mainly available in the west.
But whether it's an import or the series' return has a big impact on opinion, we won't know until
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