E3 Questions Nintendo Needs To Address

We are just a little over a week away from getting answers to our E3 questions. Nintendo may have more to gain or lose than any other company on the show floor, this year. Nintendo has seemed to back off on the idea that the new Zelda game was going to be the main focus of their entire show. It is safe to say that the fan reaction to the initial announcement had something to do with their change of heart.

Just this week Nintendo came out and gave the media a quick rundown of what to expect from them each of the three days of E3. Zelda has been slotted in for the first day. However, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, and Monster Hunter Generations, a Capcom game will be shown on day two. In what could be considered a step outside the norm, Nintendo will feature Pokemon on day 3 all according to Forbes.

While this could be considered fan service to most, the changes leave huge E3 questions Nintendo needs to at least give some answers to.

A Date for when Nintendo NX information will be made available is needed.

Nintendo has been sitting on any and all information concerning their new hardware, NX, for over a year. In the meantime, rumors are flying all over the place. Just this past month, Tech Times talked about how the NX could be as powerful as the Xbox One. On the other hand, insider Emily Rogers thinks that the NX isn’t out to compete with either the Xbox or Sony’s PlayStation 4.

“In terms of raw power, numerous sources tell me that NX is much closer to Xbox One than PlayStation 4. Even that might be stretching it a tiny bit.”

The rumors do not stop there. Nintendo President, Tatsumi Kimishima, told investors that the NX would not be available until March 2017. Rampant speculation has persisted as to why the Nintendo NX will not be available this holiday season. Kimishima claims that it is due to the fact it needs a solid launch lineup of software. However, just this week it was reported the holdup could be to integrate Virtual Reality (VR) into Nintendo’s new console.

What does the Wii U lineup look like for the rest of the year?

It is not a secret that the Wii U has failed to perform to the expectations of Nintendo let alone the general public. Marketing hasn’t been clear from the beginning as to what differentiates the Wii U from the Wii with the exception of the gamepad. However, Nintendo does still has about 12 million loyal customers who are wondering if the Wii U software will cease to exist after the next couple of titles are released.

Zelda for the Wii U seems to be the swan song much like Zelda: Skyward Sword was for the Wii. The only other announced first party title that is on the horizon beyond the month of June is Paper Mario Color Splash. While Nintendo prepares to launch a new system, they will need some loyal fans to spread the word. If they expect fans to stay loyal, they would most likely have to have other games ready to announce at E3.

There has been some speculation that a possible Animal Crossing may be in the works. During the same investors meeting, Kimishima laid out plans for the next two mobile games Nintendo will be releasing this fall. One of the games seems to be a companion game to a handheld or console Animal Crossing title. Considering the NX has slipped to 2017 and the 3DS just had Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer, Nintendo might be bringing a version of Animal Crossing to the Wii U.

One thing is for sure, the Kyoto-based company is not the only company faced with E3 questions. Nintendo at least has a presence on the floor this year. Their performance could go a long way not only to shaping their future, but the future of E3 itself.

[Image via Nintendo]