E3 goes hand in hand with rumors and speculation and there has been no lack of interesting rumors swirling around the world of Nintendo. I’m going to use this as an opportunity to go through the ones I find most feasible and interesting. I think these rumors are not only likely to happen but have some merit to them. I’ve tried to ditch all assumptions based on how Nintendo has handled things in the past due to the fact that Nintendo has managed to stray away from their usual routine with the Switch. We could be in for a treat this year and hopefully, many of these rumors get ironed out throughout the week of E3 this year.
Star Fox Racing Game Being Developed by Retro Studios
Rumors have surfaced suggesting that Retro Studios, developers of the Metroid Prime Trilogy, is working on a Star Fox spin-off game. According to Eurogamer rumors claim that “It will have an adventure mode of some kind (think Diddy Kong Racing) and there will be some boss fights and a hub world like it too.”
If you had asked me what Retro Studios was working on for the past few years, I would’ve never assumed that this would be it. The more I think about it the more I like it. Star Fox has struggled to gain traction in its mainline games and I think a change of pace like this can be a huge lift for the franchise if it’s done well. If this is true I suspect we’ll hear more about it at E3 but until then all we can do is try and picture Retro Studios taking on a Star Fox Racing game.
Revised Switch Hardware
So Nintendo mentioned that they will not be working on an upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch but rumor has it that new hardware is in the works. Analysts believe that we will get a smaller, more portable Switch. It won’t be an upgrade in terms of power but Nintendo is known for giving players options when purchasing a system. I mean just look at the DS line.
The market is there for a smaller more portable Switch and I would actually snatch one up myself if it meant I could carry one on the train easier. I do think that it’s important for Nintendo to iron out the transferring of saves and accounts across systems before it’s time for this. I believe that this it’s inevitable that there will be another Switch SKU released at some point. What that is and how it differs from the current Nintendo Switch is still unknown.
Diablo 3 Port Coming to Switch in 2018
There was so much drama surrounding the accidental leak of Diablo 3 for the Nintendo Switch. Blizzard came out and said it wasn’t happening but Diablo is a perfect fit for the Switch. Diablo 3 is a fantastic co-op game and it would be great to pop off a joy con and hand it to someone for some intense Diablo 3 sessions. I’ve played so many hours of Diablo 3, but having this on the go is just about the only thing that would get me back in. I expect this to be revealed at E3 and hopefully, we get a 2018 release date for the game.
Nintendo 64 Classic Console Announcement
Nintendo has had massive success with its classic line of consoles. These things sell out minutes after becoming available and rightfully so. A nostalgia driven product with so many classic games on it is hard to pass up. Just like the NES and SNES classic consoles, I expect a Nintendo 64 Classic announcement at or around E3 this year. The SNES classic was announced at about the same time last year so it’s not out of the realm of possibility to see an N64 Classic in 2018.
The rumors started making their rounds regarding the N64 classic when a list of classic games leaked in November of last year but it was quickly put to rest when Gamespot reported that the list turned out to be a virtual console list for the Wii U. I still think it’s coming and I’m very hopeful that both Majors Mask and Ocarina of Time will be on the list.
Fortnite and Call of Duty Battle Royale Coming to Switch
It’s very clear that Battle Royale games are the hot thing right now and the Nintendo Switch seems to be the only gaming platform lacking in that department for the time being. Fortnite is extremely popular and it would make sense to have this game available to play on the Switch.
Rumors suggest that Call of Duty will be appearing on the Switch in some way shape or form in 2018. Now that we know that Call of Duty is ditching single player this time around, I’m quite interested in seeing what portion of the game makes it on to Switch or if it makes it on the console at all. It has been rumored that the new Call of Duty will have a Battle Royale mode this year and I think that this mode will be what appears on Switch. If Nintendo manages to get both games on their platform then I think fans will be happy to have them on the go. Fortnite is already on Mobile so Nintendo really needs to step up and figure out a way to get Battle Royale on Switch.
There is a lot to consider when going through the rumors and speculation leading up to E3. Some of these seem more plausible than others, but I think either way there is a ton to look forward to. I love the time leading up to E3 almost as much as E3 itself. Whatever the case may be, we will have answers to many of these questions in just a short time.
