Nintendo Switch: Launch Titles Rumored To Include Fan Favorite Characters And Games


It is about four months until the debut of the Nintendo Switch. Launch titles are always a major concern when it comes to new systems, and the success of the Switch could rely heavily on what games will be coming to the system day one and the few short months to follow.

Nintendo has promised all will be revealed about their next home console (with a portable twist) in an upcoming Direct set for January 17, 2017. However, that hasn’t stopped sites from speculating on what games will be available on the first day of the systems release.

It should be noted that the following information has not been confirmed, but the sources have proved to be very reliable in the past, and they do have some knowledge of the inner workings of Nintendo.

First and foremost, the biggest rumor of this week has not been what will be available the day the Switch hits shelves. It is what will be missing. Two separate highly credible sources have suggested that the long-awaited next title in The Legend of Zelda series, Breath of the Wild, will not be one of the Nintendo Switch launch titles.

Emily Rogers who has been integral in the past with leaking information from Nintendo stated that one of her sources indicated that localization has caused the delay for Breath of the Wild.

“They’ve told me that localization for Breath of the Wild might not be finished until the end of December. After localization is completed, this game will require between (at least) four-to-six months of testing.”

Rogers went on to explain the reason it would take so long to test the game. According to her sources, Breath of the Wild might be the largest undertaking Nintendo has ever tried from the open world aspect, and Nintendo would like the Zelda game to be “as bug-free as possible.”

Let’s Play Video Games Laura Dale confirmed in a separate post that the Breath of the Wild delay was going to effect more than the Switch version. The Wii U version of the game will also see yet another delay. Breath of the Wild was originally slated for a Holiday 2015 release.

Moving on to happier news, Dale went on to give fans the idea of what to expect from Nintendo Switch launch titles, and it seems there should be plenty of solid games to play in March and the few short months after. These games include the Mario title seen in the three-minute preview along with Skyrim and Splatoon.

According to her source, Dale says the Mario title does have a name, but she has not been able to locate any web domains that have been purchased to confirm it. She also claims that the game will be an open-world style Mario game more reminiscent of Mario 64 than Super Mario Galaxy. The game will have a co-op mode, but players will be tethered to one another instead of the split screen format most cooperative titles employ.

[Image by Nintendo of America]

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim also looks to make its debut on Nintendo systems. Dale states that the version of Skyrim seen in the previously mentioned preview will be the recently remastered version that is currently available for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Mods for Skyrim will not be available day one, but they expect to add them post-launch.

[Image by Nintendo of America]

The final bit of news concerned Nintendo’s newest hit IP, Splatoon. A bundle is expected to be made available on day one, and a remastered version of the hit game is the pack-in title.

“A big part of the push for this will be a 1 vs 1 mode where two players on separate Switches can fight over a map, switching their weapon of choice at will mid-game.”

So, will the absence of Breath of the Wild hurt initial sales of the Nintendo Switch? Launch titles like a new Mario game could be enough, but according to some reputable sources like Forbes, Nintendo may be better off delaying the console until the new Zelda game is ready.

[Featured Image by Nintendo of America]

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