Latest news with #NintendoDirect
Metro
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
New Fire Emblem for Nintendo Switch 2 teased on LinkedIn claim fans
Ahead of a rumoured Nintendo Direct, a newly spotted LinkedIn profile sparks theories of a new Fire Emblem being in development. With any luck, rumours of a new Nintendo Direct dropping by the end of the month will prove true and hopefully include announcements for new first party Nintendo Switch 2 games. Nintendo has plenty in the pipeline already, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends Z-A, and a new Splatoon spin-off, but fans can't help but yearn for more. Especially when there's no sign of a new Animal Crossing or 3D Mario game. While such projects can safely be assumed to be in development somewhere within Nintendo, fans think they've found evidence that work has already begun on an equally inevitable new Fire Emblem game. This comes from the LinkedIn profile of Takeshi Maruyama, a freelance 3D character modeler with credits across multiple Japanese studios, including Square Enix and Sega. Most recently, Maruyama served as a contractor for Nintendo earlier this year, from January to April, at its Tokyo branch, where he worked on what he describes as 'the sequel of Nintendo's SRPG (tactical role-playing game) on Switch 2.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. It being a sequel immediately rules it out as a new IP, so the most obvious assumption is that Maruyama is referring to Fire Emblem, as it's the most prominent tactical role-player Nintendo has. The last entry was Fire Emblem Engage, at the beginning of 2023 and new titles have been releasing pretty consistently every two to three years. There's not been any leaks of a brand new title but there have been longstanding rumours of Nintendo planning a remake of Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War. Maruyama's choice of the word 'sequel' has created some dispute as to whether he's referencing Fire Emblem, with some fans arguing that most Fire Emblem games are standalone stories, so it wouldn't be accurate to call a new one a sequel (especially if the next one's a remake). More Trending This seems more like splitting hairs though, and even if it wasn't, it's not as if the series hasn't had direct sequels before. For example, 2007's Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is set in the same world as 2005's Path Of Radiance and features several of the same characters. Another argument for why it can't be Fire Emblem is that Maruyama worked in Tokyo, but Fire Emblem studio Intelligent Systems is based in Kyoto. However, as one fan points out, remote work is a thing and Nintendo EPD (which has locations in Tokyo and Kyoto) has assisted on the series before. One fan posits that since Maruyama only worked on this project for four months, it could be a Switch 2 upgrade of a Switch 1 game (so either Engage or Fire Emblem: Three Houses) along the lines of the Switch 2 Editions for The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and its sequel – which is plausible. There are other theories, such as the game being a new Pokémon Conquest or Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE but this seem very unlikely, especially as none of them were made in-house at a Nintendo studio. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes review – Musou on fire MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 charity auction for 'Staplegate' stapler is already at £80,000 MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 has a secret problem that could cripple third party support
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Nintendo Stock (NTDOF) Jumps on Switch 2 Direct Rumors
Nintendo (NTDOF) stock was up on Tuesday as investors and consumers patiently await more news about the next Nintendo Direct. The video game company reportedly plans to release a Direct this month, providing gamers with more details about upcoming Switch 2 games. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. According to the latest rumors, Nintendo will hold off on the release of the Direct until after the launch of Donkey Kong Bananza, which will come out on Thursday. This allows Nintendo to focus on the release of that game without stealing its thunder by promoting others. These same rumors also claim that several third-party developers are holding off on Switch 2 announcements. It seems they are doing so at Nintendo's request, saving their reveals for the Direct. This will also help Nintendo keep the spotlight on Donkey Kong Bananza leading up to its launch later this week. As for which third-party developers have announcements, those details are still unknown. Nintendo Stock Movement Today Nintendo stock was up 1.72% as of Tuesday afternoon, building on a 48.33% year-to-date rally. The stock has also increased 53.88% over the past 12 months. Much of the gains can be attributed to the Switch 2. The stock rallied in the months ahead of its release, and has continued to do so after it broke sales records in the first month of its launch. Nintendo appears to be on a winning streak right now, with high demand for the Switch 2 still in play. That, combined with a healthy stream of first-party games and support from third-party developers, will likely play into the continued success of the game company. Is Nintendo Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Turning to Wall Street, the analysts' consensus rating for Nintendo is Moderate Buy, based on eight Buy, two Hold, and a single Sell rating over the past three months. With that comes an average NTDOF stock price target of $95.41, representing a potential 10.47% upside for the shares.
Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Nintendo Switch 2 has a secret problem that could cripple third party support
There's a reason so few new third party games have been revealed since the Switch 2 launch and it could be a ticking time bomb for Nintendo. Although by all accounts the Switch 2 has been a great success commercially and, in terms of Mario Kart World, critically, it is peculiar how few games have been announced so far, and how even many of those that have been confirmed do not yet have firm release dates. Although Nintendo does as Nintendo will, it does seem peculiar given how much time they've had to prepare for the console's launch, with no outside constraint on when they release it (which makes you wonder why they chose June). A new Nintendo Direct is rumoured for the end of the month but new claims suggest that the lack of news is not intentional on the part of Nintendo, but a result of them not being able to get enough devkits to third party companies in time. That doesn't explain why there's been so few first party games so far, but according to the normally reliable Nate the Hate, it's a miracle that there's been as many third party titles as there has. In terms of the volume of games, from all different kinds of publishers, the Switch 2 launch line-up was pretty good but since then very few third party games have been announced, even when it's seemed they'd be easy to port to the Switch 2. This is apparently because Nintendo has been slow to get devkits – the modified version of a console used to create games – into the hands of developers, especially 'AA and low-AAA developers.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. According to Nate the Hate many developers still don't have a devkit even now and that's going to create a major gap in the Switch 2's schedules, when it comes to third party titles. Incredibly though, it's suggested that even close partners like Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Sega don't have enough devkits to go around, even though most of them had launch titles. Apparently even Microsoft is affected, with the suggestion that they may not announce any significant support until 2026. 'They [all third party developers] have games they want to announce for the platform. They have a lot of support coming to this platform,' says Nate. More Trending Speaking in the same podcast, Modern Vintage Gamer suggests that up to two-thirds of all publishers and developers who made games for the Switch 1 do not have Switch 2 devkits. What neither source can say though, is how much of this is intentional. Considering Nintendo only had one major first party title available at launch, and relied on third party title Cyberpunk 2077 to prove the power of the new system, there's absolutely no reason for them to discourage third party support. It may be some kind of logistical problem but perhaps most likely is that it's the result of Nintendo's infamous secrecy and paranoia, even though most basic details of the Switch 2 leaked out before its reveal. However, they are especially worried about piracy at the moment, as several unfair banning incidents have made clear, so they may have been concerned that giving too many companies access to the hardware before launch may have led to it getting into the wrong hands. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Candy Crush developers replaced by the AI tools they helped make MORE: An amazing John Wick video game you've never heard of will be delisted this week MORE: Fallout 5 may not be made by Bethesda as Elder Scrolls 6 enters 'playable state'
Metro
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Nintendo Direct is this month claims insider - but what games will it cover?
A reliable insider has claimed a Nintendo Direct is scheduled for this month, with all signs pointing towards the last week of July. Ever since the Nintendo Switch 2 launched last month, rumours have been rampant as to when the next Nintendo Direct will be. Over the past five years, Nintendo has traditionally held a Direct presentation in June. This year was no different but it was a presentation dedicated entirely to Donkey Kong Bananza, with no word on whether we'll see another general Nintendo Direct. However, a reliable insider has now claimed Nintendo is gearing up for a showcase later this month – although no one seems to know exactly when. According to NateTheHate, who previously outed the Switch 2's original reveal date back in January, the next Nintendo Direct will take place at some point in July, after the launch of Donkey Kong Bananza on Thursday, July 17. 'There is a Direct this month,' NateTheHate said on the latest episode of his podcast. 'The month of July. But that Direct will not take place until after Donkey Kong Bananza releases. Beyond that, I have no additional information.' While he doesn't know the exact date, he speculates it could be the last week of July based on multiple factors. A Pokémon Presents showcase is set to take place on July 22, and while there's a chance Nintendo could drop another showcase in the same week, it does make sense to space them out, which leaves only the last week of July. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The other factor is Nintendo's next earnings report, which is due on Friday, August 1. As such, it's possible Nintendo might want to release a Direct earlier that same week to generate positive buzz ahead of any questions from investors. NateTheHate doesn't have any specifics on what kind of Direct it will be (whether a partner showcase, IndieWorld, or a proper Direct), but based on what we don't know, any potential presentation will likely feature third-party support in a big way. We still don't have release dates for Elden Ring, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Borderlands 4, Hades 2, or a bunch of other titles previously announced for the console, which are all expected to arrive this year. There are also rumours of a Switch 2 port for Red Dead Redemption 2, while Microsoft has talked about its support of the console on multiple occasions despite not actually showing anything yet – so could this be when we hear about Halo on the Switch 2? As for first party games, there are several unknowns there too. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond still doesn't have a release date (despite what the London Underground says), along with Kirby Air Riders and Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment. The latter was pegged for 'winter' and not specifically 2025 in its reveal trailer, so it's possible that could actually be 2026. Drag X Drive, which is set to release on August 14, hasn't been shown in any significant detail, beyond its demo at Switch 2 events, although its low price may indicate it's a fairly low priority for Nintendo. More Trending There's also the prevailing question of whether Nintendo has a secret unannounced game planned for Christmas, although considering Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will still be pretty fresh in people's minds at that point, it might be a bit much to throw another big hitter on the pile – especially with Pokémon Legends: Z-A arriving in October. The more likely scenario is a tease for what's to come in 2026. Splatoon Raiders doesn't have any release date yet, which suggests it will arrive at some point next year, but this might be the time to tantalise fans with a new Animal Crossing or the next 3D Mario game. It's been eight years since Super Mario Odyssey, with only the small-scale experimental spin-off Bowser's Fury arriving since, so another 3D outing for the plumber is long overdue. The Odyssey team has been working on Donkey Kong Bananza, so it's unclear who could be making another 3D Mario game, but with the next Mario movie set to arrive on April 3, 2026, a new outing would make sense for around that time. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Elden Ring Nightreign and Silent Hill 2 get huge discounts on Amazon MORE: Need For Speed 'shelved' by EA as Forza Horizon 5 PS5 sales hit 2 million MORE: Xbox handheld prices accidentally leaked by Asus and they're super expensive
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nintendo Direct Will Spotlight Donkey Kong Bananza This Week
Nintendo posted today that a Direct showcase focused on the upcoming Switch 2 game Donkey Kong Bananza will take place on June 18th. As the Nintendo Switch 2 launch year continues, the game releases are just as exciting! Nintendo posted today that a Direct showcase focused on the upcoming Switch 2 game Donkey Kong Bananza will take place on Wednesday, June 18th, at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm UK time. The announcement was spotted in the Nintendo Today! app, where the developers will talk more about the Switch 2 exclusive game. The announcement also revealed that the Direct will only last fifteen minutes, not sharing which details surrounding the game will be discussed. Donkey Kong Bananza is slated to release on July 17th, and is the first major Nintendo title to release on the Switch 2 following the console's launch. One of Donkey Kong Bananza's hidden details that was spotted online was a shot of Donkey Kong having an unknown purple rock character tagging along with him. Donkey Kong rescues the rock after finding it buried in the ground on Ingot Island, and the pair work together in the game. This was partially due to an accidental artwork post uploaded to Nintendo's Korean site. A burning question still waiting to be answered was, who is developing Donkey Kong Bananza? When asked by IGN earlier this year who was behind the game, Nintendo of America's vice president of product and player experience Bill Trinen, said, 'It's a very good question. You'll have to stay tuned. We always like to start by showcasing the game and getting people focused on the gameplay, but we'll have some information to share about the developer in due time.' If anyone is wondering whether there will be other announcements made about other Switch 2 games or projects, the chances are very slim. Since Wednesday's Direct will only be fifteen minutes long, the focus appeared to be exclusively on Donkey Kong Bananza. For the big Nintendo fans, this game's launch should help expand the Switch 2's exclusive games list. So far, only Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour are currently out. Players can expect to hear more about the Switch 2 exclusives soon for Survival Kids, Kirby Air Riders, and the recently announced Splatoon Raiders. CGMagazine's very own EIC, Brendan Frye, had the chance to preview Donkey Kong Bananza, noting 'how well it runs on the Nintendo Switch 2' and 'incredible how much of the world [the player] can smash through.' Frye compared the destructability elements to those of the original Red Faction game, where destroying environments played a pivotal role in the game. 'I'm amazed this is even possible on the Nintendo Switch 2. It might seem like a small detail, but the system's ability to keep track of all the chaos you cause is impressive and shows what the new Switch 2 can really do,' Frye continued.
