With the Nintendo Switch starting off strong in the sales department, the future of Nintendo’s latest console/handheld hybrid is pretty bright at the moment. With games such as Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe all due to release this year, the Switch will have a very strong year 1 library. The lack of games argument for the Switch should die out by the time E3 rolls around. With a strong library full of great indie games as well as some big name titles, the Switch should remain a hot commodity for the long haul. What would truly cement the Switch in the eyes of the public and casual gamers? A strong E3 conference that announces some surprisingly big games would do just that.
No, not those big games
Before you get ahead of yourself and start hoping for Call of Duty and Red Dead Redemption 2, it would be wise to remember we are dealing with Nintendo. If you bought a Switch hoping for the aforementioned games then you are just setting yourself up for disappointment. As unfortunate as it is to say, big time AAA titles are just not ready for the Switch right now. A Skyrim port is a great start but it’s a 6-year-old game, they’re not just going to jump into the here and now with more ports such as this one. NBA 2K18 and FIFA are a good start but this will take time.
The Big Nintendo Games to think about
Nintendo already has games that they are ready to show off including the new Super Mario Odyssey (sure to be a focal point) as well as Splatoon 2 among others. These will not be neglected and are sure to be main attractions for the conference. However, there are big games that can be merely given a glimpse at E3.
So which games am I talking about? What would be a Nintendo property that would allow the Switch to sustain its hot start? A few games come to mind:
New Pokemon game New Animal Crossing game New Metroid game Smash Bros for Switch New Mario Party game
Those are just 5 games that could really hype the Switch even more. Nintendo would be wise to bring at least 1 of these games to E3, as it would cause hype to go even further through the roof for Switch. While these are the big hitters that Nintendo should consider, a truly great conference for the big N will have a cherry on top.
Announce VC/Ports
There is not a single current owner of the Nintendo Switch that goes a day without wondering when Virtual Console will be announced. The thought of playing classic Nintendo games on the go has fans salivating. E3 is the almost too obvious time to announce that Virtual Console titles will slowly be rolling out week by week. I have no inside sources, I am not using anything concrete to base these claims off of, but color me shocked if VC is left out of the Nintendo E3 conference.
Next up for Nintendo will likely be to announce some ports of older games to the Switch. What games will be ported from earlier systems? Who knows, but Nintendo usually is good for at least 2 to 3 ports of big name titles and the E3 conference is the perfect time to unleash them.
Nintendo can steal the show
I can’t stress enough how important this E3 is for Nintendo and, more specifically, the Switch. This new piece of technology has the chance to become the standard form of gaming. Nintendo has built up a strong amount of support already for the Switch but if they truly want to reach Wii-like sales numbers then E3 is the time to shine. The demand for the Switch is greatly outweighing the supply at the moment. With a strong conference at the biggest gaming event of the year, it will remain that way.
