Topic: What will Nintendo release in 2020?

[Order.RSS]

In this thread: our predictions for Nintendo's 2020 calendar. I'm making a chronological list of everything Nintendo published this year, so we can determine who our Cassandra is. So get those Tarot decks out and let's predict the future, 2020 is sure to be a wonderful year...! Right everyone...?!

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2020 Hardware News:
- Switch variant: Animal Crossing themed March 13th, limited edition. Restocking September 25th - October 9th.
- Switch Lite variant: Coral March 20th (JP) / April 3rd (NA).
- Merchandise: The LEGO Mario and LEGO NES sets release August 1st.
- 3DS Family of Systems discontinued reported September 17th.
- amiibo: Hero and Joker release September 25th (JP) / October 2nd (NA/PAL).
- Mechandise: The LEGO Toad's Hideaway set releases October 1st.
- amiibo cards: Animal Crossing cards Wave 1-4 re-released October onwards.
- Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit October 13th. Toy cars with built in AR camera.
- Switch variant: Fortnite theme October 30th PAL, November 30th NA. Includes V-bucks.
- Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. November 13th. Limited edition.
- amiibo: Urbosa, Revali, Mipha & Daruk re-release November 20th.

2020 New software:
- Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training January 3rd (PAL). No NA release.
- Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore January 17th. Enhanced port.
- Pokémon Home February 12th. Successor to the Pokémon Bank storage service.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX March 6th. Remake. Demo already out.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons March 20th.
- Good Job! March 26th. Nintendo publishing.
- Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition May 29th. Remake.
- Club House Games: 51 Worldwide Classics June 5th.
- Jump Rope Challenge June 16th. Free, available until September 30th indefinitely?
- Pokémon Smile, June 17th. Free AR toothbrushing app for mobile.
- Pokémon Café Mix June 23rd, F2P on Switch & mobile.
- Paper Mario: The Origami King July 17th.
- Super Mario 3D All-Stars September 18th. Compilation, available until March 31st 2021.
- Kirby Fighters 2 September 23rd. Demo out October 21st.
- Super Mario Bros. 35 for NSO members, available October 1st - March 31st 2021.
- Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit October 13th. Toy cars with built in AR camera.
- Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer October 23rd, complete physical edition.
- No More Heroes October 28th. Port. Marvelous publishing?
- No More Heroes II: Desperate Struggle October 28th. Port. Marvelous publishing?
- Part Time UFO October 28th. Enhanced port. Nintendo publishing.
- Pikmin 3 Deluxe October 30th. Enhanced port. Demo out October 8th.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Transfer Tool November 19th. Free.
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity November 20th.
- Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise December 4th. Nintendo publishing. Demo out December 18th.
- Fire Emblem 1: Shadow Dragon & The Blade of Light (1990) available December 4th - March 31st 2021.

2020 Paid DLC:
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass 1: DLC 5 January 28th. Byleth DLC.
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Expansion Pass: Wave 4 February 12th. New side story & characters.
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - Expansion 3: Shadow of Doom March 26th.
- Pokémon Sword/Shield - The Isle of Armor, June 17th. (Part 1/2 of Expansion Pass.)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass 2: DLC 1 June 29th. Min Min DLC + Mii costumes for Ninjara (ARMS), Heihachi (Tekken), Callie & Marie (Splatoon), and Vault Boy (Fallout).
- Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer - DLC Pack 1 July 20th. Adds 5 characters.
- Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer - DLC Pack 2 August 27th. Adds 39 songs.
- Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the Necrodancer - DLC Pack 3 September 24th. New story content.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass 2: DLC 2 October 13th. Minecraft Steve DLC + Mii costumes for Minecraft Creeper, Bomberman, Travis Touchdown, Gil (Tower of Druaga).
- Pokémon Sword/Shield - The Crown Tundra October 22nd. (Part 2/2 of Expansion Pass.)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass 2: DLC 3 December 17th/22nd. Sephiroth DLC + Mii costumes for Barret, Tifa, Aerith (FF 7), Geno (Mario RPG).

2020 Free DLC:
- Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training - Update February 13th, JP/PAL only.
- Ring Fit Adventure - Update March 26th. Adds rhythm game, jogging mode, new languages & voices.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update "Bunny Day" update, April 1st - April 12th.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Version 1.2, April 22nd.
- Super Mario Maker 2 - Update April 22nd. Adds world-builder functionality. Last major update.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update June wedding update.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update July 3rd. Swimming update.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Adds back-up saves, fireworks, and dream islands.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Summer update.
- Mario Kart Tour - Update SNES Mario Kart added. September 8th - September 22nd.
- Dragalia Lost - Update September 24th. Adds battle royale mode.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Fall/Halloween update, September 30th.
- Pokémon Home - Update November 10th. Links Pokémon Home and Pokémon GO.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Thanksgiving/Winter/Christmas update, November 19th.
- Daemon X Machina - Update December 9th. Adds Steam cross-saves, new boss, gear, mechs, etc.

2020 Nintendo Switch Online additions:
- Promotion: ARMS free to NSO members, March 26th - April 6th.
- Promotion: Splatoon 2's multiplayer free to NSO members, April 30th - May 6th.
- Promotion: Pokkén Tournament DX free to NSO members, July 29th & August 5th.
- Promotion: Disgaea 5: Complete Edition free to NSO members. September 23rd - 29th.
- Super Mario Bros. 35 for NSO members, available October 1st - March 31st 2021.
- Promotion: Overwatch free to NSO members. October 13th - 20th.
- Promotion: Rune Factory 4 free to NSO members. November 2nd - 8th. JP/PAL only.
- System-level NSO app added to Home screen. December 1st, along Switch firmware v11.0
- Promotion: Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled free to NSO members. December 30th - January 5th.
- Nintendo Switch Online retro games added in 2020:

• Pop'n TwinBee SNES, February 19th.
• Smash Tennis SNES, February 19th.
• Shadow of the Ninja NES, February 19th.
• Eliminator Boat Duel NES, February 19th.
• Atlantis No Nazo NES, Japanese accounts only, February 19th.
• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light SP NES, JP  only, April 20th.
• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light SP 2 NES, JP only, April 20th.
• Rygar NES, May 20th.
• Operation Logic Bomb SNES, May 20th.
• Wild Guns SNES, May 20th.
• Panel de Pon (aka Tetris Attack/Puzzle League) Super Famicom, May 20th.
• The Immortal NES, July 15th.
• Donkey Kong Country SNES, July 15th.
• Natsume Championship Wrestling SNES, NTSC/PAL only, July 15th.
• Shin Megami Tensei 1 Super Famicom, JP only, July 15th.
• Super Mario All-Stars SNES, September 3rd.
• S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team (aka Final Mission) NES, September 23rd.
• Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest SNES, September 23rd.
• Mario's Super Picross Super Famicom, September 23rd.
• The Peace Keepers SNES, September 23rd.
• Fire Emblem 3: Mystery of the Fire Emblem Super Famicom, JP only September 23rd.
• Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble SNES, December 18th.
• Tuff E Nuff (aka Dead Dance) SNES, December 18th.
• Super Valis IV SNES, December 18th.
• The Ignition Factor (aka Fire Fighting) SNES, December 18th.
• Nightshade NES, December 18th.
• Smash Ping Pong Famicom Disk System, JP only, December 18th.
• Sugoi Hebereke Super Famicom, JP only, December 18th.
• Kunio-Kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen'in Shugo Super Famicom, JP only, December 18th.

2020 Marketing/Directs:
- Pokémon Direct aired January 9th. Mystery Dungeon Remake, Sword/Shield DLC.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation aired January 16th. Byleth DLC showcase.
- Nintendo Direct about Animal Crossing: New Horizons aired February 20th. (It was cute.)
- Indie World showcase aired March 17th. Shadow dropped Exit The Gungeon.
- Nintendo Direct Mini aired March 26th.
- Pokémon Presents aired June 17th. Pokémon Café Mix, New Pokémon Snap.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation aired June 22nd. Min-Min DLC showcase.
- Pokémon Presents aired June 24th. Pokémon Unite, a MOBA.
- Treehouse Live shows Paper Mario: The Origami King and uh, Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia?
- Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase aired July 20th.
- Indie World showcase aired August 18th. 23 games shown, 6 shadowdrops.
- Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase aired August 26th.
- Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct aired September 3rd.
- Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase aired September 17th. Disgaea 6, Hades, Ori 2.
- Monster Hunter Direct aired September 17. Monster Hunter Rise & Monster Hunter Stories 2.
- Tokyo Games Show: Koei Tecmo presentation aired September 26th. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
- Pokémon Presents aired September 29th. Sword/Shield Expansion Pass update.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation aired September 30th. Minecraft x Smash Bros.
- Minecraft Live preceded by Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation, October 3rd.
- Treehouse Live aired October 7th. Pikmin 3 Deluxe + Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
- Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase aired October 28th. Control, Hitman 3, Bravely Default II.
- The Game Awards aired December 10th. Smash Bros. DLC: Sephiroth unveiled.
- Indie World showcase aired December 15th.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation aired December 17th. Sephiroth DLC showcase.
- Super Nintendo World Direct aired December 18th. Showcased the themepark in Universal Japan.

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2020 projects without release dates
- Pokémon Sleep 2020. Mobile app.
- Detective Pikachu 2020. Enhanced port.

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2021 releases
- Merchandise: New LEGO Mario sets release January 1st.
- Buddy Mission BOND January 29th. Koei-Tecmo dev, Nintendo publishing. JP only.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Update Late January.
- amiibo: The Cat Mario and Cat Peach amiibo launch February 12th.
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury February 20th. Enhanced port.
- Bravely Default 2 February 26th. Square-Enix dev, Nintendo publishing. 2nd demo out December 17th.
- No More Heroes 3 delayed to 2021. Nintendo publishing in NA/PAL.
- amiibo: Banjo & Kazooie, Terry Bogard and Byleth (Male) release 2021.
- Famicom Tantei Club 1 & 2 Delayed to 2021. Remakes. Japan only.

Announced projects without a release window
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - Fighters Pass 2, DLC 4-6 TBA. Three packs remain.
- Pokémon Unite MOBA, announced June 2020.
- Bayonetta 3 announced December 2017.
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel announced June 2019.
- Metroid Prime 4 announced June 2017. Project rebooted in ~January 2019.
- New Pokémon Snap announced June 2020.
- amiibo: 3 Monster Hunter Rise amiibo (Palamute, Magnamalo, Palico) announced September 2020.

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Here's my dumb predictions:
- Nintendo finally launches their sleep sensor for Pokémon Sleep. It's a Bluetooth device that counts snores.
- Ring Fit Adventure will get a big expansion pass. Maybe it's a sequel with a different exercise device.
- Super Mario Party 2 comes out. The last one sold close to EIGHT MILLION copies.
- Super Mario Maker 2 gets another big content update centered around a Nintendo character. (DK? Wario? WALUIGI AT LAST?)
- A new Nintendo project by Ubisoft Milan & Paris is announced, but won't release until 2021.
- Splatoon: Paint Bucket (spin-off). It's a drawing tool made by the Art Academy studio, to tap into Splatoon's artsy fanbase.
- Captain Toad 2 comes out. They've had a team porting this game twice in 2018, and added DLC to it in February last year. I think those people have been building levels ever since and a sequel releases this year.[/list]

[NWR_insanolord]

There have been some rumors about a new 2D Metroid game from MercurySteam, either another remake or something original. That seems pretty reasonable. I also think we'll see either the Breath of the Wild followup or a new 3D Mario this year. It's been three years since BotW and Odyssey, and that's more time than it's usually taken EAD Tokyo between Mario games. Also, please, please let this finally be time for Pikmin 4.

[nickmitch]

I buy the 2D Metroid from Mercury Steam rumor.  Wasn't their original pitch to Nintendo an original 2D Metroid game?  I vaguely remember Nintendo turning that down and having them do the remake.  Since that was a success, it makes sense they would go back and do an original title.  Now, whether or not it comes out this year is the iffy part.  I was thinking Nintendo might do a "year of Metroid" with the Prime Trilogy, Metroid V, and Prime 4 all with a year, but with Prime 4 pushed back, I don't think that will pan out.  However, because Prime 4 got delayed, they may not want to sit on the other two for too long.

I think we'll see a new Kirby game.  It'll have been two years since Star Allies, and Super Kirby Clash is more like a side-game.

No Prime 4 news this year.

I'll go bold and say Breath of the Wild 2: Smell My Hand releases this year.  It'll have been about 3 years, not counting DLC development.  They're using the same engine and ideas from the original development.  I'm thinking the development time won't take as long as normal for those reasons.

Three out of the six fighters from the new pass will drop this year.  They will be Travis Touchdown, Dante, and a Pokemon.

Splatoon sequel/spin-off is announced/teased for 2021.

Switch Pro releases alongside BotW2, has more battery power than current model, and less framerate drops when docked.

Star Fox game announced for 2021.

[Luigi Dude]

I think a new 2D Metroid from Mercury Steam is almost guaranteed at this point.  Samus Returns had decent sales for a late 3DS title, and both Sakamoto and Mercury Steam talked about wanting to work with each other again.  Plus if you get 100% items, the game reveals a major cliffhanger that shows how Sakamoto plans on continuing the series and who the new antagonist will be.  I doubt he would have had that put in the game unless they had plans for new 2D Metroid in the near future.  I wouldn't be surprised if work started right after Samus Returns was finished so if it's released this Fall, a 3 year development for a new 2D Metroid is very doable.

I think Nintendo wants Breath of the Wild 2 out as their big game this holiday, but knows there's a good chance they might need to delay.  I think Mario Odyssey 2 will be done by this Fall, but if Breath of the Wild 2 is actually ready, they'll delay it until Spring 2021.  Otherwise of Zelda isn't ready, Odyssey 2 will be their big holiday game this year.  Basically Nintendo wants a major core franchise around the same time Microsoft and Sony release there new systems to keep attention on Switch and Zelda would be the biggest after Breath of the Wilds huge success but if it's not ready, Odyssey 2 would be a great alternative.

[nickmitch]

Do we have any evidence they're working on a direct sequel to Odyssey?  I expected DLC by now, so a sequel makes more sense.  IDK what to go on other than that.

[Luigi Dude]

Do we have any evidence they're working on a direct sequel to Odyssey?  I expected DLC by now, so a sequel makes more sense.  IDK what to go on other than that.

Seems more like tradition at this point.  We got Galaxy then Galaxy 2 which expanded on it.  Then we got 3D Land with a sequel 3D World after that.  Odyssey felt a lot like Galaxy 1 and 3D Land where the game was overall easier and the devs intentionally holding back as to not overwhelm the players with what they were trying to do with this type of Mario game.

So I'd be very surprised if we didn't get an Odyssey 2 that expands the gameplay the way Galaxy 2 and 3D World did.  I doubt Toyko EAD used up all their good idea's, especially when so much of the game hardly even uses the game mechanics to their fullest.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm not sure it would be a direct sequel to Odyssey, but that's certainly plausible. Hell, it might not even be a Mario game, EAD Tokyo may have ended up doing something else altogether this time, but I expect to see whatever they're working on this year.

[nickmitch]

Yeah, that makes sense.  I had forgotten they were following that pattern.

[M.K.Ultra]

Here are my predictions for Nintendo's first party line up in 2020

• Either BOTW 2 or Bayonetta 3 (but not both)
• A mini-game collection (Super Mario Party 2, Wario Ware, etc.
• A Mario RPG (Paper Mario or Mario and Luigi)
• A Mario Platformer (2D or 3D)
• A sports game (probably Mario)
• A Wii U port (could be one of the above, my guess is Super Mario 3D World)
• A 3DS port (could be one of the above, my guess is Kid Icarus: Uprising
• Something from a new IP
• Something from an IP we have not seen in a while
• A Kirby game
• A Donkey Kong game of some sort

[Stratos]

I think a new 2D Metroid from Mercury Steam is almost guaranteed at this point.  Samus Returns had decent sales for a late 3DS title, and both Sakamoto and Mercury Steam talked about wanting to work with each other again.  Plus if you get 100% items, the game reveals a major cliffhanger that shows how Sakamoto plans on continuing the series and who the new antagonist will be.  I doubt he would have had that put in the game unless they had plans for new 2D Metroid in the near future.  I wouldn't be surprised if work started right after Samus Returns was finished so if it's released this Fall, a 3 year development for a new 2D Metroid is very doable.

I wonder if this was the case, but it was being made for the 3DS since allegedly there were several 3DS projects that got tabled when Bowser's Inside Story bombed. So presumable it would be ported to Switch, but that change could delay the game, especially if MercurySteam has little-to-no experience working with Switch.

[NWR_insanolord]

The Switch is by all accounts very easy to develop for, and MercurySteam made those Castlevania games for 360 and PS3, so it's not like they don't have experience making games for more powerful hardware than the 3DS.

[fawful]

Hopefully the rumor of a traditional Paper Mario comes true, and it's actually a full return with the story depth and original cast of characters like the first 3, not some "it's an RPG again but still all toads and shallow story"

[Order.RSS]

Switch Pro releases alongside BotW2, has more battery power than current model, and less framerate drops when docked.

The NCL President said during their recent investor briefing that no new Switch models are planned for 2020. So this prediction could still happen in 2021, but probably not this year.

That said, they are releasing an Animal Crossing themed one. Looks nice!


Comes with some embossed stuff on the back too and a colour-coordinated case.

[nickmitch]

He did not specify calendar 2020 or fiscal 2020, which ends in March.  So, I'm saying there's still a chance!

Also going to predict that Rhythm Heaven comes to Switch this year.  Switch launched with a party game (1, 2, Switch) then had another the following year (Super Mario Party), then followed up with Mario & Sonic this past year.  So, for the 2020 Switch party game, I'm thinking they bring that back.

[Order.RSS]

Rhythm Heaven or maybe WarioWare could be good, yeah!
I still think Super Mario Party 2 is inevitable since the first one will probably surpass 10 MILLION sales this year, but then again... Since that one's selling well regardless, you don't want to cut it legs by announcing a sequel too early, so your idea might be more salient.

As for the Switch Pro... The quote reads "Please note that we have no plans to launch a new Nintendo Switch model during 2020."
I don't know how much wiggle room that gives them to say "well obviously we meant the fiscal year of 2020!"
(An easier reversal would probably be to say "well we had no plans last time, but now we do!".)

Nintendo does have a history of this kinda of stuff...
"We don't have plans to announce new hardware at E3" -> announces Switch Lite right after E3.
"No DS Lite is planned" -> DS Lite announced weeks later.
But I think those were statements to press, rather than investors. I don't really know where the line is for this kinda stuff regarding securities fraud? Presumably that's why they always talk about "no plans"... Because plans can always change.

[nickmitch]

The Super Mario Party sales are what made me think of it.  Like with Mario Kart 8D, why release a new game, when the current is doing so well?  DLC makes more sense for both, but I think Nintendo wants to try and catch lightning twice with Rhythm Heaven.

As for the Switch Pro... The quote reads "Please note that we have no plans to launch a new Nintendo Switch model during 2020."
I don't know how much wiggle room that gives them to say "well obviously we meant the fiscal year of 2020!"
(An easier reversal would probably be to say "well we had no plans last time, but now we do!".)

Nintendo does have a history of this kinda of stuff...
"We don't have plans to announce new hardware at E3" -> announces Switch Lite right after E3.
"No DS Lite is planned" -> DS Lite announced weeks later.
But I think those were statements to press, rather than investors. I don't really know where the line is for this kinda stuff regarding securities fraud? Presumably that's why they always talk about "no plans"... Because plans can always change.

Yeah, Nintendo has a history of lying about these things.  As for securities fraud, I'm not sure what the laws are in Japan, but most exchanges allow firms to not disclose proprietary information in public communications.  Proprietary here meaning anything that can be used by competitors to hurt them.  And the answer of not having plans and not specifying calendar or fiscal gives them wiggle room to say they weren't fibbing.

[Stratos]

I think it's all derived from "no plans to announce anything at this time".

Also, this doesn't rule out a base SKU upgrade like the one last year that gave the Switch extra battery power.

[Mop it up]

I'm still hoping for Super Mario Odyssey 2.

Also what's going on with Pikmin 4? It's been years now, are we sure it wasn't in fact Hey! Pikmin? Does it really exist? And if it does exist, why does this keep happening to Pikmin?!

[nickmitch]

I suspect it's being held in case there's a gap in the release schedule left by something else getting pushed back.  But it's been so long, it's possible it got scrapped altogether when it was getting ported or just left behind.  But it was confirmed to be "almost completed" back in 2015, and with MP4 out of the near-term it would be a good time to drop if Nintendo felt it could cover the gaps.

[relicgear92]

I want those Animal Crossing joycons. Is there a chance that they're going to release a separate set of joycons in pastel color? 

[nickmitch]

A quick googling shows that the joy-con will be sold separately, at least in Japan.  You can probably import via play-asia when they release, if they aren't sold in your region.  I would keep an eye on Nintendo's online store.

[Order.RSS]

Nintendo's "no plans for new hardware beyond Animal Crossing themed Switch" lasted a full 18 days.

New Coral colour variant will release March 20th in Japan to coincide with Animal Crossing, while in the Americas it won't be out until April 3rd.



EDIT: February 20th they'll also air an Animal Crossing themed Direct. Last call to predict a port of Amiibo Festival!

[Order.RSS]

Two recent marketing videos were released, the Indie World Showcase on March 17th was followed up with a Nintendo Direct Mini today.

The Indie World Showcase contained no new Nintendo-published games (obviously). Highlight was probably the immediate launch of Exit The Gungeon.

Today's Nintendo Direct delivered the following news regarding first party titles:
- Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition slated for May 29th. Will feature a new epilogue. Limited edition with vinyl soundtrack announced too.
- Good Job! is a Nintendo-published puzzle game launching today.
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order's third expansion (Shadow of Doom) dropped today.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons will run a "Bunny Day" event from April 1st - April 12th.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons will see another free update in April, adding in birthdays amongst others.
- Ring Fit Adventure gets a big update today: a rhythm game mode is added along with a new jogging mode,  new language options are added, and a female voice for your pilates Ring.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will announce its first character of the 2nd Fighter Pass in June. The character will be from the ARMS series.
- ARMS becomes temporarily free to play for all Nintendo Switch Online members, between March 26th and April 6th.
- Nintendo will publish Club House Games: 51 Worldwide Classics on June 5th. This is a DS remake/remaster iirc.
- Pokémon Sword & Shield DLC Part 1: Isle of Armor will release end of June. Free outfits for pre-orders will arrive in August.
- Many new third party ports were announced, such as Burnout Paradise Remastered, collections of the Bioshock, Borderlands and X-Com 2 games, the GameCube exclusive Mr. Driller: Drill Land gets a remaster on Switch, as does Panzer Dragoon (out today), Star Wars Episode I Racer was announced... As well as a deep dive into Bravely Default II, which now features a fedora tipping dude. Thanks Square.

[Khushrenada]

It seems no one called "unannounced shadow drop Mini Directs". No one in this thread knows anything!   

[Order.RSS]

It seems no one called "unannounced shadow drop Mini Directs". No one in this thread knows anything!   

Big fan of them announced Indie World Showcases, but then dropping Directs without a whisper.

I was pretty close with my June/July release window for the Xenoblade Chronicles remake. Will this be the year I play my virtual console copy? Will pigs fly at last?

[Khushrenada]

Has Covid-19 played havoc with Nintendo's planned Switch schedule or is Nintendo preparing for a big 2nd half of 2020?

Just saw this image and it is striking how much Nintendo's output has shrunk for this year.



Now, not sure when the image was made as a couple things are missing like Good Job!, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Clubhouse Games. Also, the picture doesn't account for DLC but I don't generally think of DLC as the same as releasing a new game. So while Nintendo has certainly been active this year in adding on to past releases, the actual games they're releasing is currently at a 1 per month strategy. (Although Brain Age hasn't released in NA so it isn't quite that at the moment.) Going by the last couple years, you could argue that they've averaged one major release per month if you don't feel Super Kirby Clash or Fitness Boxing really represents a game Nintendo had to put much work into developing.

Currently, let's group the year like so: Jan. = Tokyo Mirage Sessions, Feb. = Good Job!/Brain Training (take your pick or include both), Mar. = Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, Apr. = AC - New Horizons, May = XC Definitive Edition, June = Clubhouse Games.

Neal had the recent article about the Switch Port index and how 2018 was a high year. 2020 may yet surpass it with how things are going. There's been the rumor of 3D Mario remasters also in development that isn't pictured here or in Steef's breakdown. It's got me feeling restless about the Switch's offerings again like 2018 and Nintendo's releases. This Switch generation has been such a mixed bag after going through the Wii U years. So many ports and games that feel samey. Mario Maker 2, Smash Ultimate, Clubhouse Games are just some examples of games that have new elements and development put into them but kind of suffer from having had past editions seem fresher. (I know there are those that will disagree with me on that particularly with Smash but I'm just stating my feelings toward them and not stating this as fact.) Looking at that list, 2017 may have had less titles published/developed by Nintendo but it is still Nintendo's best year for the Switch and most of the games released are still the best games worth owning the console for. The past couple years haven't really produced much for contenders in best Nintendo Switch game(s).

Has Nintendo been saving a lot of major releases and heavy hitters for the back-end of 2020? This was supposed to be the year that the competition released new consoles although people are now wondering if they might not get delayed into 2021. Was Nintendo planning on trying to murder that next-gen by releasing month after month of big hype games to further drive up demand for Switch into the holidays and curb-stomp Sony and Microsoft's launch offerings? It seems like the big three here are all in a high-stakes game with no one wanting to reveal their cards or make the first move. With E3 out of the equation, how long will this wait-and-see approach keep going?

I just hope Nintendo's got a Megaton Direct. Not that I really need it since I've still got so much to play on older systems. Admittedly, there's been a lot of Wii U ports I still have yet to play on my Wii U so who I am to complain about all the Wii U porting when I should have just waited for the Switch? But, con-sarn-it! I get Nintendo consoles for the Nintendo games, and after 2017, I just haven't been feeling the hype or saying wow at a lot of what has been released since. It's that sports fan mentality and I want to proudly cheer for the team even if I'm not really playing on the team('s releases). 

[Order.RSS]

Now, not sure when the image was made as a couple things are missing like Good Job!, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Clubhouse Games. Also, the picture doesn't account for DLC but I don't generally think of DLC as the same as releasing a new game.

If we want to be pedantic, Nintendo did technically release two separate timed demo builds of ARMS and Splatoon 2 this year, too.
And for what it's worth, at larger scale projects, DLC and even major patches go through most of the same hurdles (testing, QA, certification, localisation, rating boards) you associate with full releases. (Less pre-production, production, internal greenlighting, etc. though.) Picture is likely older though indeed, given the placeholder art for Xenoblade 1 Remaster.

I haven't included strongly rumoured titles in the OP, just went with what has been announced/confirmed, which explains the lack of Mario remakes there. Also, is Square publishing Bravely Default II themselves this time, or will Nintendo do the Western releases again?

But yes, it seems almost inevitable COVID-19 hit Nintendo hard. If MicroSoft is already worried about missing dates for their software, I can't imagine Nintendo of all companies will be better at Work From Home setups. Plus, with Animal Crossing's meteoric impact it could very well be they're moving further resources into future support of that title. For all intents and purposes they've basically got an MMO on their hands now.

[Khushrenada]

Has Nintendo been saving a lot of major releases and heavy hitters for the back-end of 2020? Was Nintendo planning on trying to murder that next-gen by releasing month after month of big hype games to further drive up demand for Switch into the holidays and curb-stomp Sony and Microsoft's launch offerings?

I get Nintendo consoles for the Nintendo games, and after 2017, I just haven't been feeling the hype or saying wow at a lot of what has been released since. It's that sports fan mentality and I want to proudly cheer for the team even if I'm not really playing on the team('s releases). 

Thanks to the Paper Mario announcement, I am feeling the hype again and it is great! This is what I'm talking about for getting excited on Nintendo releases. It is only 1 month right now but for the first month for the back half of 2020, (July), Nintendo has already begun the string of heavy hitter hype games I was hoping they might be saving up and getting ready to release. Hope this is the start of a trend.

[Khushrenada]

With the way the Paper Mario trailer seemed to end on the odd note of Mario with the Samus helmet, it makes me wonder if this was meant for their E3 Direct and would then lead into a Metroid game announcement. Highly doubt it would be anything Prime 4 but people talked about a possible 2D Metroid game from Mercury Steam. Maybe that is what it could have been leading to.

[Stratos]

I'm not sure if I would qualify a Paper Mario game as a heavy hitter. Feel like it hasn't had that level of weight for some time as Sticker Star and Color Splash felt more like supplemental games than big tent poll affairs.

[Oedo]

I'm not sure if I would qualify a Paper Mario game as a heavy hitter. Feel like it hasn't had that level of weight for some time as Sticker Star and Color Splash felt more like supplemental games than big tent poll affairs.

Yeah, I would put it on par with something like Luigi's Mansion. A good secondary title that will get its fans excited, but not a "universal" big game.

This reveal lends more credence to the 3D Mario collection rumour, since this was also part of it, and Venture Beat also casually dropped "Pikmin 3 Deluxe" as something that's supposed to be part of Nintendo's 2020 plans today as well. If those two rumours pan out, then their second half of the year lineup is starting to take shape.

[NWR_insanolord]

This could give credence to the rumors of those rereleases, but I think thee fact that they're releasing this original title in July strongly implies their planned lineup of original software in the back half of this year is fairly strong. If they mostly had remakes coming up I think they would have held something like this for September.

[Order.RSS]

Yeah, I would put it on par with something like Luigi's Mansion. A good secondary title that will get its fans excited, but not a "universal" big game.

I agree that Paper Mario isn't a mainstream tentpole release, and definitely aims more at the gaming in-crowd. But I don't think Luigi's Mansion is a useful comparison.
Luigi's Mansion 3 moved 6.33 million units in just 5 months. It has outsold Mario Maker 2, and just barely cedes a spot in the Switch top 10 sellers list to NSMBUdx. Luigi's Mansion is arguably a growing franchise, with part 1 moving 2.19 million on GameCube, and the sequel did 5.45m units on 3DS (it's the 11th best seller on both 3DS and Switch).

Paper Mario has never done such numbers, the series at its peak (TTYD, Super Paper Mario) moved 2.3 million units per installment, and has since trended downwards (1.9m for Sticker Star, and Color Splash seems to have been a flop).
Maybe Yoshi games are a better comparison, although they tend to top out lower sales-wise (1-1.5m). But they release on a similarly infrequent schedule, and usually leverage their artystyle heavily too. In terms of sales per installment Kirby would be closer (1 - 2.5m ballpark), but those release nearly every year, so as a whole the series is a lot more profitable I'd wager.

I realise it's not all about sales; Yoshi and Kirby have a place in the market as entry points for young players, and they're valuable assets when added to Mario Kart/Mario Galaxy/Smash Bros./etc.
Meanwhile Paper Mario aims older with its humour. If the writing is on point again, and the fan base doesn't scorch this one in every comment section available like they often do, I think this one could be the most successful Paper Mario yet. There's a lot of brand new Switches in people's hands, so Paper Mario could capture their attention. Plus, with Mario + Luigi gone, this could be the de facto Mario RPG series going forward.

Wonder if this is why Intelligent Systems didn't work on Fire Emblem Three Houses? I also believe this decreases chances of Paper Mario Color Splash getting ported to Switch, which is interesting.

[Order.RSS]

Updated main post to include:
- Jump Rope Challenge. A small fitness game, available until September 30th, for free.
- All of the Pokémon Presents announcements of today (New Pokémon Snap, Pokémon Café Mix, Pokémon Smile).

Next Wednesday a "big Pokémon project" will be detailed too.

[nickmitch]

Coming back to this thread makes me think the project they announced the announcement for might be Detective Pikachu 2.  They haven't talked about it in a while, so that's a major possibility.

[Kairon]

God I hope Pokémon Snap releases sooner rather than later. It's not that big a scope of a game, you're basically on rails so a lot of it is level design and polish and making a world look pretty without having to account for players actually navigating it freely. Could that make Fall 2020? That'd be so much fun. Or barring that at least an early 2021 release to catch the post Xmas buyers, like in February or March.

[Order.RSS]

OP updated to include Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

With this taking the Luigi's Mansion slot from last year, I think we may tacitly rule out any spooky/horror related releases for the rest of the year. Granted, not many options seem to exist there (Bayonetta 3 may be there Halloween 2021?), but it's noteworthy. I think Fatal Frame 5 and ZombiU aren't unthinkable Wii U ports, for example.

[Khushrenada]

"What will Nintendo release in 2020?"

Nothing. The answer is nothing.

Just like MS and Sony have nothing worthwhile to release for the XB1SEXWhatever and the PS5.

It's over. Video games have made all the possible games they can and there's nothing left but to re-release what's already been released before.

[nickmitch]

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is taking a slot held previously by Odyssey (2017), Nothing? (2018), and Luigi's Mansion 3 (2019), if I'm remembering correctly.  This is making me think Nintendo either had this on the shelf for a while to fill in any gaps or maybe it slid from a planned summer release.  Either way, it feels more and more like big titles are facing huge delays.

[Luigi Dude]

Covid really messed up Nintendo's release schedule.  The fact they're giving a port of a rather niche franchise a pretty important end of year slot, doesn't bode well for the holiday season.  I wouldn't be surprised if the rumored Mario 3D World Deluxe is going to be their big November game this year, along with the remasters of the other 3D Mario games.

I remember reports from the Spring talking about Japanese developers having a harder time with covid because they weren't as used to using software that lets them work from home compared to the West.  I know in the anime industry, there was a lot of shows that went on hiatus for a few months because of covid, so development for major games was more then likely the same.  Having 2-3 months of development suddenly halted, is going to put a huge wrench in what they were trying to do.  Stuff like Xenoblade DE and Paper Mario were probably mostly finished before lockdowns started so it was easier to still polish them up in time for release, but for something like Breath of the Wild 2 which probably still has major parts of the game that need to be completed, losing several months is huge.

Not saying Nintendo would have originally had Breath of the Wild 2 out this fall, but anything they originally had planned to come out between September to December has probably been delayed to 2021.  Unless it was something Pikmin 3 Deluxe which has been rumored to have been done for quite some time already.

[nickmitch]

On the bright side, 2021 might be STACKED.

[Order.RSS]

Stuff like Xenoblade DE and Paper Mario were probably mostly finished before lockdowns started so it was easier to still polish them up in time for release, but for something like Breath of the Wild 2 which probably still has major parts of the game that need to be completed, losing several months is huge.

We can be almost certain Paper Mario: Origami King was pretty much done earlier, since it could be pre-loaded two months in advance right after they announced it.

On the bright side, 2021 might be STACKED.

Not to be pessimistic, but I think delays will stretch well into 2021. I wonder if Nintendo will try to plug some holes in their line up, by releasing Brain Training Switch in the West, or perhaps translating the Famicom Tantei Club detective games.

If they want to keep up monthly releases, something like this could be feasible I think:
September: Pokémon Crown Tundra expansion & Cadence of Hyrule expansion 2.
October: Pikmin 3 DX, Animal Crossing update & Cadence of Hyrule expansion 3.
November: Detective Pikachu
December: No More Heroes III
January: Brain Training Switch
February: Bravely Default 2 (I'm thinking this gets delayed out of 2020).
March: ...Famicom Tantei Club??? (unlikely to ever get translated, but seems like something they could spin up now.)

Sprinkle in a Smash Bros. character or two, push some third-party games harder (Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Sakuna Of Rice & Ruin, Jump Force, Doom Eternal), add N64 games to Switch Online... I think they could coast like this for a while if needed.
Could of course be expanded if things like New Pokémon Snap, and the Pokémon MOBA are progressing well, plus there's always the potential for things waiting in the wings. But as a worst-case scenario where they can't develop anything else, I still think they could get a lot of mileage out of the currently announced stuff.

Would be great if Bayonetta 3 and BOTW 2 could launch in October and maybe November/December 2021, though. Metroid Prime 4 I don't see happening anytime before 2022, especially if COVID continues to ravage the U.S. Though this is all uneducated speculation of course. 

[Kairon]

I've been wondering if Nintendo really just had a bare cupboard in Fall 2020 to begin with, perhaps even by design to just not even try against PS5/XBSX. And if it was by design or just natural dev schedule, then the pandemic definitely made it certain and/or gave them an excuse for it.

[Khushrenada]

I don't know. When PS4 and XB1 released, Nintendo did release 3D World at the same time and there was a lot of talk about how 3D World seemed to be more what gamers were talking about. At least, I recall something on IGN about their editors discussing the game a lot and seeing it come up a lot on social media at the same time. Ultimately, it didn't really make that much of an impact in getting people to buy a Wii U versus the other consoles but it wasn't overshadowed at the time either.

Now with the PS5 and XBseriesX releasing, I guess it is the perfect time to.... re-release 3D World but for Switch so that it can once again...(oh god)... compete against the competition's new hardware launches.

[Luigi Dude]

Since this year is the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros, and the rumors of the remasters and 3D World Deluxe all came in the Spring, I wouldn't be surprised if Odyssey 2 was originally suppose to be their big fall game.  The game released at the end of 2017 and never had any major DLC released, so a 3 year window would have been more then enough time to make a direct sequel.

Of course you do have to wonder if maybe Nintendo might still think the release of the game is possible?  I mean in the past some of their games like Galaxy 2 and even the first Odyssey were said to be almost done quite a while before release.  Galaxy 2 in particular they said could have been released at the end of 2009 but they didn't want it competing with NSMB Wii.  Tokyo EAD has been shown to be a very efficient developer and surprisingly fast while still maintaining high quality. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the situation is they still hope Odyssey 2 can be out by November, but if it's unable to be ready in time, 3D World Deluxe and the remasters will be the backup.  So yeah, I'm guessing either Odyssey 2 will be ready for November and then 3D World Deluxe is pushed back to early 2021, or Odyssey 2 is delayed to March 2021 and 3D World Deluxe is given its spot this year.

[Order.RSS]

OP updated to reflect today's fludd flood of Mario announcements.

I'm guessing either Odyssey 2 will be ready for November and then 3D World Deluxe is pushed back to early 2021, or Odyssey 2 is delayed to March 2021 and 3D World Deluxe is given its spot this year.

Looks like you weren't far off. 3D World is indeed taking the early 2021 slot, but with an expansion of some sorts. No Odyssey 2 announcement, but the 64/Sunshine/Galaxy compilation is dropping this month for Nintendo's September slot.
They have something announced for every month this year, except for December. A few good candidates still need to receive release dates however.

[Khushrenada]

Well, the port train continues full steam ahead but it's gotta start slowing down now... right? How much more can still be ported/remastered at this point?

[Adrock]

Well, the port train continues full steam ahead but it's gotta start slowing down now... right? How much more can still be ported/remastered at this point?

Wind Waker HD, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Wind Waker HD, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Skyward Sword (today’s Mario announcements make me want to revisit the other thread).

[Kairon]

If Nintendo can just make good on some of those still-vague "2020" release dates for the months of November and December, they just might eke out an "OK" 2020 Holiday software release schedule.

[Stratos]

I've seen some theories that with Zelda's 35th coming up in the Spring we may see a similar blowout for that franchise once the Mario anniversary winds down in March.

Things we could see in a Zelda anniversary:

• Wind Waker HD / Twilight Princess HD
• Re-release of 4-Swords Anniversary title (the GBA remake on DS that was released for previous anniversaries)
• Zelda 3D collection (OOT, MM, Master Quest) or a rerelease of the Gamecube Zelda collection bonus disc (though most of those are released on S/NES Online)
• 2D Zelda online battle royale (4-Swords like title?)
• Zelda Dungeon Maker announcement
• 3DS Zelda Collection (OOT, MM, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks)

I think the first three are more likely than not, the others are just me throwing ideas at the wall.

[Khushrenada]

Yeah, with the talk of Zelda 35 next year and likely release of BotW2, it's possible Nintendo does a port of WWHD and TPHD again as well although rumor has been focusing more on a possible Skyward Sword port instead. I guess I was wrong. There's no stopping this port train after all. Too many possibilities.

(I also don't think XCX gets ported until Switch 2 for that console.)

[broodwars]

Well, the port train continues full steam ahead but it's gotta start slowing down now... right? How much more can still be ported/remastered at this point?

Wind Waker HD, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Wind Waker HD, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Skyward Sword (today’s Mario announcements make me want to revisit the other thread).

Also: Yoshi's Woolly World & Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water.

Also Also: The Wii & Wii U Virtual Consoles.

[Luigi Dude]

OP updated to reflect today's fludd flood of Mario announcements.

I'm guessing either Odyssey 2 will be ready for November and then 3D World Deluxe is pushed back to early 2021, or Odyssey 2 is delayed to March 2021 and 3D World Deluxe is given its spot this year.

Looks like you weren't far off. 3D World is indeed taking the early 2021 slot, but with an expansion of some sorts. No Odyssey 2 announcement, but the 64/Sunshine/Galaxy compilation is dropping this month for Nintendo's September slot.
They have something announced for every month this year, except for December. A few good candidates still need to receive release dates however.

The 3D All-Stars taking September and 3D World going to early next year, it really makes me wonder what will be their big holiday game this year then.  If it was Odyssey 2, it would have been announced today with the rest of the Mario announcements.  Maybe they might get Breath of the Wild 2 out this year after all.  There was reports just a few weeks ago that Breath of the Wild 2 Collector's Edition showing up on online retailers.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/08/zelda_breath_of_the_wild_2_collectors_edition_listing_appears_on_retailer_website

If they feel they can release 3D World in February of next year, then they got to be pretty confident in what is planned for November/December and I can't think of anything that's been in development that would be bigger then a Mario platformer then Zelda.  Now that would be funny if we get Breath of the Wild 2 during the middle of Mario's 35th Anniversary and then next year they release Odyssey 2 during Zelda's 35th Anniversary celebration as well. 

[Stratos]

Its also possible that the Covid delays impacted Nintendo badly and this IS their holiday lineup. Nintendo is a very traditional company and reports I am hearing state they have struggled to adapt to remote work life due to their protectiveness of content.

I was about to go into a breakdown of these challenges they created for themselves, but this isn't the thread for that. My point is BOTW2 and Odyssey 2 could have been planned and pushed back, so the ports could be forced to hold up the holiday lineup. I hope I'm wrong, but it is a possibility.

Remember the previous times they had major technical hurdles (jump to 3D, jump to HD) and how that impacted their release schedule and content output. At least there is much better 3rd party support to round things out compared to the N64 and Wii U.

[Order.RSS]

Its also possible that the Covid delays impacted Nintendo badly and this IS their holiday lineup. Nintendo is a very traditional company and reports I am hearing state they have struggled to adapt to remote work life due to their protectiveness of content.

I was about to go into a breakdown of these challenges they created for themselves, but this isn't the thread for that. My point is BOTW2 and Odyssey 2 could have been planned and pushed back, so the ports could be forced to hold up the holiday lineup. I hope I'm wrong, but it is a possibility.

Agree with your points, although they have surprised me with the 3D Mario All-Stars collection coming out so soon. The fact they're unwilling to put dates on any games until they're certain they can hit those targets also makes the 3D World + Expansion a curiosity. Maybe it's almost entirely done already, like how they didn't announce Pikmin 3DX and Origami King until they were basically done and already pre-loaded on the eShop?

But yes, I'll continue being bearish until reality contradicts such sentiments.
And for the record, I don't think Pikmin, Mario Collection, expansions for Pokémon and Animal Crossing, and possibly No More Heroes 3 is a bad holiday. Especially with 3rd party releases like Digimon Survive, Doom Eternal, Boyfriend Dungeon (this'll be a hit I think), Hades, and of course Bakugan lined up too. There's enough momentum and back catalogue to push the Switch past 20 million units this year. Frankly insane numbers given the circumstances.

[nickmitch]

I think the short turn around from announcement to release is a result of Nintendo not feeling comfortable about discussing a full lineup of games when most release dates are uncertain.  If they can only talk about/release so many games in a year, it makes sense to me for them to schedule the Directs right before release.  No sense it having a game featured on multiple Directs if it's gonna be the only thing you really talk about.  So, if there is a "big holiday release", it could be one part "not sure if it'll be done on time" and one part waiting to talk about it at length instead of talking about it at multiple Directs.

edit:

Also going to predict that Rhythm Heaven comes to Switch this year.  Switch launched with a party game (1, 2, Switch) then had another the following year (Super Mario Party), then followed up with Mario & Sonic this past year.  So, for the 2020 Switch party game, I'm thinking they bring that back.

With how many rhythm games were at the partner Direct, I wonder if I was right about Rhythm Heaven for Switch being on the way.

[Khushrenada]

We have our Nintendo November game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

So, I'd say it is now official that we won't be seeing a Direct this year unless something happens late December for next year releases. Nintendo is just shadow-dropping new games and sudden release dates individually instead. Not sure a new Hyrule Warriors game trying to ride the BotW coattails is really something that could compete against new consoles possibly dropping at that time over 3D World but that's what Nintendo is going with.

[Luigi Dude]

If they feel they can release 3D World in February of next year, then they got to be pretty confident in what is planned for November/December and I can't think of anything that's been in development that would be bigger then a Mario platformer then Zelda.  Now that would be funny if we get Breath of the Wild 2 during the middle of Mario's 35th Anniversary and then next year they release Odyssey 2 during Zelda's 35th Anniversary celebration as well. 

Well I got the Zelda part right. 

You know, this is a canon prequel to Breath of the Wild so it would be the 2nd Breath of the Wild game released.  So a Breath of the Wild 2 was their big holiday game for 2020 after all.

[Khushrenada]

Curse you and your monkey's paw, Luigi Dude!!!

[Shaymin]

It wouldn't be the first time Nintendo dropped a questionable Zelda game on the same day as a new PlayStation console.

[Khushrenada]

Majora's Mask?

[Shaymin]

That's the one.

[Order.RSS]

Restructured the OP to separate hardware, software, DLC, and NSO updates. I don't know if anyone really uses this list, but if so, let me know whether you prefer this, or the previous chronological list. Personally I thought it looked too cluttered and unwieldy before.

[Kairon]

Restructured the OP to separate hardware, software, DLC, and NSO updates. I don't know if anyone really uses this list, but if so, let me know whether you prefer this, or the previous chronological list. Personally I thought it looked too cluttered and unwieldy before.

It looks great! Thanks for doing that!

[nickmitch]

Three out of the six fighters from the new pass will drop this year.  They will be Travis Touchdown, Dante, and a Pokemon.

Well, I was almost right.

[Order.RSS]

Three out of the six fighters from the new pass will drop this year.  They will be Travis Touchdown, Dante, and a Pokemon.

Well, I was almost right.

If I remember I'll tally everyone's predictions at the end of the year, and yeah that one warrants at least half a point!

OP has been updated to reflect the latest Fire Emblem shenanigans.
Also there's a Fortnite themed Switch releasing??? But only in the UK/Australia/NZ??? Very odd.

EDIT: These are available in North America as of Cyber Monday. I like the joy-con colours.

[Order.RSS]

All right dweebs, as if 2020 wasn’t bad enough, it turns out we all made some guesses throughout the year. I’ll just zoom past everyone and give 1 point for correct predictions, and let’s say ½ point for kinda-sorta-maybe if you squint correct ones? BOLD means I’m giving you points!
Who’s first up?

INSANOLORD

There have been some rumors about a new 2D Metroid game from MercurySteam, either another remake or something original. That seems pretty reasonable. I also think we'll see either the Breath of the Wild followup or a new 3D Mario this year. It's been three years since BotW and Odyssey, and that's more time than it's usually taken EAD Tokyo between Mario games. Also, please, please let this finally be time for Pikmin 4.

[...]

I'm not sure it would be a direct sequel to Odyssey, but that's certainly plausible. Hell, it might not even be a Mario game, EAD Tokyo may have ended up doing something else altogether this time, but I expect to see whatever they're working on this year.

[...]
The Switch is by all accounts very easy to develop for, and MercurySteam made those Castlevania games for 360 and PS3, so it's not like they don't have experience making games for more powerful hardware than the 3DS.

Insanolord made three posts which I've collapsed into one:
- A new 3D Mario was indeed released, in the form of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, but it wasn't a new-new game. ½ point
- Ditto for Pikmin. No sequel, but an expanded re-release here too. ½ point
- We did indeed see what EAD Tokyo were up to, as the expansion to 3D World is due out early next year. 1 point
Total: 2 points! Insanolord turns out to have fairly sane, lordly ideas.
Soothsayer ranking: B tier.

NICKMITCH

I buy the 2D Metroid from Mercury Steam rumor.  Wasn't their original pitch to Nintendo an original 2D Metroid game?  I vaguely remember Nintendo turning that down and having them do the remake.  Since that was a success, it makes sense they would go back and do an original title.  Now, whether or not it comes out this year is the iffy part. I was thinking Nintendo might do a "year of Metroid" with the Prime Trilogy, Metroid V, and Prime 4 all with a year, but with Prime 4 pushed back, I don't think that will pan out. However, because Prime 4 got delayed, they may not want to sit on the other two for too long.

I think we'll see a new Kirby game.  It'll have been two years since Star Allies, and Super Kirby Clash is more like a side-game.

No Prime 4 news this year.

I'll go bold and say Breath of the Wild 2: Smell My Hand releases this year.  It'll have been about 3 years, not counting DLC development.  They're using the same engine and ideas from the original development.  I'm thinking the development time won't take as long as normal for those reasons.

Three out of the six fighters from the new pass will drop this year.  They will be Travis Touchdown, Dante, and a Pokemon.

Splatoon sequel/spin-off is announced/teased for 2021.

Switch Pro releases alongside BotW2, has more battery power than current model, and less framerate drops when docked.

Star Fox game announced for 2021.

[…]

Also going to predict that Rhythm Heaven comes to Switch this year.  Switch launched with a party game (1, 2, Switch) then had another the following year (Super Mario Party), then followed up with Mario & Sonic this past year.  So, for the 2020 Switch party game, I'm thinking they bring that back.

Nickmitch came in hot!
- We don't really know if a year of Metroid was planned, but it certainly didn't occur! ½ point
- Depending on your definition of "news", we also didn't get Prime 4 news this year. Sure some job listings were posted by Retro Studios, but I'll give Nick full marks here. 1 point
- A new Kirby game was indeed released, Kirby Fighters 2 came out in September. A spin-off, sure, but not a free-to-play one. 1 point
- Another technicality: four new Smash Bros. fighters were released instead of three, BUT three of them were indeed from the new season pass. 1 point
- Travis Touchdown is playable in Smash Bros., but only through a Mii costume. ½ point
- There was a 2020 party game, but not Rhythm Heaven. ½ point
Total: 4½ points! Nickmitch is a venerable Casssandra, read my tea leaves!
Soothsayer ranking: A tier

LUIGI DUDE

Seems more like tradition at this point.  We got Galaxy then Galaxy 2 which expanded on it.  Then we got 3D Land with a sequel 3D World after that.  Odyssey felt a lot like Galaxy 1 and 3D Land where the game was overall easier and the devs intentionally holding back as to not overwhelm the players with what they were trying to do with this type of Mario game.

So I'd be very surprised if we didn't get an Odyssey 2 that expands the gameplay the way Galaxy 2 and 3D World did. I doubt Toyko EAD used up all their good idea's, especially when so much of the game hardly even uses the game mechanics to their fullest.

[...]

Covid really messed up Nintendo's release schedule.  The fact they're giving a port of a rather niche franchise a pretty important end of year slot, doesn't bode well for the holiday season.  I wouldn't be surprised if the rumored Mario 3D World Deluxe is going to be their big November game this year, along with the remasters of the other 3D Mario games.

[…]

If they feel they can release 3D World in February of next year, then they got to be pretty confident in what is planned for November/December and I can't think of anything that's been in development that would be bigger then a Mario platformer then Zelda.

Luigi Dude was close but not quite there:
- we did indeed hear of a Mario expansion, but it was for 3D World, rather than Odyssey. ½ point
- Mario 3D All-Stars came out in September, rather than November, and 3D World is next year. ½ point
- The big holiday release turned out to be Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which is basically a Zelda game. ½ point
Total: 1½ point
Soothsayer ranking: Madame Clairvoya.

BROODWARS

Well, the port train continues full steam ahead but it's gotta start slowing down now... right? How much more can still be ported/remastered at this point?

Wind Waker HD, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Wind Waker HD, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Skyward Sword (today’s Mario announcements make me want to revisit the other thread).

Also: Yoshi's Woolly World & Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water.

Also Also: The Wii & Wii U Virtual Consoles.

Broodwars jinxed it and now Nintendo are releasing Fire Emblem 1 separately from their NES app for 6 dollars instead of zero. ½ point
Soothsayer ranking: Doug Bowser.

MR BUNGLE

Here are my predictions for Nintendo's first party line up in 2020

• Either BOTW 2 or Bayonetta 3 (but not both)
• A mini-game collection (Super Mario Party 2, Wario Ware, etc.
• A Mario RPG (Paper Mario or Mario and Luigi)
• A Mario Platformer (2D or 3D)
• A sports game (probably Mario)
• A Wii U port (could be one of the above, my guess is Super Mario 3D World)
• A 3DS port (could be one of the above, my guess is Kid Icarus: Uprising
• Something from a new IP
• Something from an IP we have not seen in a while
• A Kirby game
• A Donkey Kong game of some sort

-I'm counting Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics as a mini-game collection. 1 point
- Paper Mario: The Origami King came out 1 point
- Not one, but two Mario platformers: Super Mario Bros. 35 and 3D All-Stars Collection. 1 point
- Fitness Boxing 2 and Jump Rope Challenge are both new sports games. 1 point
- Multiple Wii U ports happened, 3D World is coming next year. 1 point
- No 3DS ports unless you convince me Xenoblade Chronicles is a port of the New 3DS version.
- Kirby Fighters 2 is your new Kirby game 1 point
- Jump Rope Challenge is technically a new I.P. 1 point
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics was a dormant I.P. since the DS days. I'm not counting Brain Training, since that had a 3DS game in Japan and PAL regions. 1 point
Total: 8 points!!!
Soothsayer ranking: S tier! Mr. Bungle, what's gonna be the winning lottery ticket?

KHUSHRENADA

It seems no one called "unannounced shadow drop Mini Directs". No one in this thread knows anything!   

[…]

With the way the Paper Mario trailer seemed to end on the odd note of Mario with the Samus helmet, it makes me wonder if this was meant for their E3 Direct and would then lead into a Metroid game announcement. Highly doubt it would be anything Prime 4 but people talked about a possible 2D Metroid game from Mercury Steam. Maybe that is what it could have been leading to.

[…]

So, I'd say it is now official that we won't be seeing a Direct this year unless something happens late December for next year releases. Nintendo is just shadow-dropping new games and sudden release dates individually instead. Not sure a new Hyrule Warriors game trying to ride the BotW coattails is really something that could compete against new consoles possibly dropping at that time over 3D World but that's what Nintendo is going with.

Khush was right about how we wouldn't see a general Direct this year. 1 point
He was also correct about none of us knowing anything, but we already knew that fact so it’s not really a prediction.
Soothsayer ranking: Captain Obvious.

OEDO

This reveal lends more credence to the 3D Mario collection rumour, since this was also part of it, and Venture Beat also casually dropped "Pikmin 3 Deluxe" as something that's supposed to be part of Nintendo's 2020 plans today as well. If those two rumours pan out, then their second half of the year lineup is starting to take shape.

Granted Oedo's were based on someone else's rumors, but hey, Lindsay Lohan built a music career on Rumors. 2 points!
Soothsayer ranking: Herbie Fully Loaded.

STRATOS

I wonder if this was the case, but it was being made for the 3DS since allegedly there were several 3DS projects that got tabled when Bowser's Inside Story bombed. So presumable it would be ported to Switch, but that change could delay the game, especially if MercurySteam has little-to-no experience working with Switch.

[...]

Also, this doesn't rule out a base SKU upgrade like the one last year that gave the Switch extra battery power.

[...]

I've seen some theories that with Zelda's 35th coming up in the Spring we may see a similar blowout for that franchise once the Mario anniversary winds down in March.

Things we could see in a Zelda anniversary:

• Wind Waker HD / Twilight Princess HD
• Re-release of 4-Swords Anniversary title (the GBA remake on DS that was released for previous anniversaries)
• Zelda 3D collection (OOT, MM, Master Quest) or a rerelease of the Gamecube Zelda collection bonus disc (though most of those are released on S/NES Online)
• 2D Zelda online battle royale (4-Swords like title?)
• Zelda Dungeon Maker announcement
• 3DS Zelda Collection (OOT, MM, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks)

I think the first three are more likely than not, the others are just me throwing ideas at the wall.

[...]

I was about to go into a breakdown of these challenges they created for themselves, but this isn't the thread for that. My point is BOTW2 and Odyssey 2 could have been planned and pushed back, so the ports could be forced to hold up the holiday lineup. I hope I'm wrong, but it is a possibility.

Stratos didn't make a lot of 2020 predictions, so the best I can do is give ½ point for the Zelda Dungeon Maker. But maybe that was already announced for Link's Awakening by that time?
Soothsayer ranking: Madame Fanadi

SURE I'LL GRADE MY OWN TEST

- Nintendo finally launches their sleep sensor for Pokémon Sleep. It's a Bluetooth device that counts snores.
- Ring Fit Adventure will get a big expansion pass. Maybe it's a sequel with a different exercise device.
- Super Mario Party 2 comes out. The last one sold close to EIGHT MILLION copies.
- Super Mario Maker 2 gets another big content update centered around a Nintendo character. (DK? Wario? WALUIGI AT LAST?)
- A new Nintendo project by Ubisoft Milan & Paris is announced, but won't release until 2021.
- Splatoon: Paint Bucket (spin-off). It's a drawing tool made by the Art Academy studio, to tap into Splatoon's artsy fanbase.
- Captain Toad 2 comes out. They've had a team porting this game twice in 2018, and added DLC to it in February last year. I think those people have been building levels ever since and a sequel releases this year.[/list]

[…]

I was pretty close with my June/July release window for the Xenoblade Chronicles remake. Will this be the year I play my virtual console copy? Will pigs fly at last?

- Ring Fit indeed got a big update (endless jogging mode, a rhythm game, and new languages support). However, it was a free update rather than a paid one, and no new accessories were produced. ½ point
- Super Mario Maker 2 did indeed get a big content update, but it was not centered around a character. Rather it added the ability to create entire worlds. ½ point
- Once again, pigs did not fly this year.
Total: 1 point I could not see mist in a crystal ball.
Soothsayer ranking: stop the count I won by a lot!!! Wow what an honor I want to thank the Academy and...

FAWFUL

Hopefully the rumor of a traditional Paper Mario comes true, and it's actually a full return with the story depth and original cast of characters like the first 3, not some "it's an RPG again but still all toads and shallow story"

Well, YMMV I suppose Fawful, but the new Paper Mario has unique characters, and a new story! Hope you weren’t disappointed.1 point
Soothsayer ranking: Merlon.

SHAYMIN

It wouldn't be the first time Nintendo dropped a questionable Zelda game on the same day as a new PlayStation console.

Some markets didn't get PS5 until November 19th, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a questionable Zelda game which released... November 20th. ½ point for Shaymin.
Soothsayer ranking: Xatu used Foresight.

MOP IT UP

I'm still hoping for Super Mario Odyssey 2.

Also what's going on with Pikmin 4? It's been years now, are we sure it wasn't in fact Hey! Pikmin? Does it really exist? And if it does exist, why does this keep happening to Pikmin?!

Why indeed, Mop It Up, for now there's Pikmin 3 Deluxe. ½ point
Soothsayer ranking: Magic 8-Birdo.

KAIRON

God I hope Pokémon Snap releases sooner rather than later. It's not that big a scope of a game, you're basically on rails so a lot of it is level design and polish and making a world look pretty without having to account for players actually navigating it freely. Could that make Fall 2020? That'd be so much fun. Or barring that at least an early 2021 release to catch the post Xmas buyers, like in February or March.

We don't really know yet Kairon! But here's ½ point for taking part!
Soothsayer ranking: participation amiibo.

ADROCK

Well, the port train continues full steam ahead but it's gotta start slowing down now... right? How much more can still be ported/remastered at this point?

Wind Waker HD, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Wind Waker HD, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wind Waker HD, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Skyward Sword (today’s Mario announcements make me want to revisit the other thread).

No real predictions here, but I'm feeling generous, ½ point for Adrock.
Soothsayer ranking: Fortune Street for Nintendo Wii.

Leaderboard:
Mr Bungle: 8 points
Nickmitch: 4½ points
Insanolord: 2 points
Oedo: 2 points
Luigi Dude: 1½ point
Discord.RSS: 1 point
Fawful: 1 point
Khushrenada: 1 point
Adrock: ½ point
Broodwars: ½ point
Kairon: ½ point
Mop It Up: ½ point
Shaymin: ½ point
Stratos: ½ point

Congrats to all the winners, please join us in the next thread which can be found here!

[Khushrenada]

Wow! That's a lot of work going through everything and making up a big review for that. One honk for the best thing to come out of NWR's Discord!

[Order.RSS]

Yeah, not going through that again next time, so for the new thread I'd prefer if folks submitted their new predictions in list/bullet point format. I'm also not gonna track all predictions throughout the year, just the first month or so. So far that's working well, hope more people send in honkable visions of the future.

[Stratos]

That was a fun read!

We could always try a "betting pool-style" format for 2021. We all start at the beginning of the year to predict what will come out this year from a list and no one can pick the same thing twice, so we have a "draft" and let people make their picks from the list until everyone has three options.

The order for picking would be determined by everyone's performance last year similar to sports team drafts.

[Order.RSS]

On the bright side, 2021 might be STACKED.

Not to be pessimistic, but I think delays will stretch well into 2021. I wonder if Nintendo will try to plug some holes in their line up, by releasing Brain Training Switch in the West, or perhaps translating the Famicom Tantei Club detective games.

If they want to keep up monthly releases, something like this could be feasible I think:
September: Pokémon Crown Tundra expansion & Cadence of Hyrule expansion 2.
October: Pikmin 3 DX, Animal Crossing update & Cadence of Hyrule expansion 3.
November: Detective Pikachu
December: No More Heroes III
January: Brain Training Switch
February: Bravely Default 2 (I'm thinking this gets delayed out of 2020).
March: ...Famicom Tantei Club??? (unlikely to ever get translated, but seems like something they could spin up now.)

Just dredging this topic back up one more time to highlight how right I was last August about the Famicom Detective Club games being a possible back-up to pad out the release schedule! Although my March suggestion was 2 months too early.

[broodwars]

*Edit: Wrong topic. Please delete*

[nickmitch]

That was a fun read looking at everyone's grades!

I should've rolled forward my Splatoon prediction.