Summary
TheFire Emblemfranchise is in a position to capitalize on the success it had on the Nintendo Switch and carry it over to Nintendo’s next platform. With theSwitch 2 confirmed to be announced within the next fiscal yearand no current announcements of a new game within the strategy-RPG series, speculation is that Nintendo is working on the next entry right now.
The series had four entries on the Nintendo Switch. The first wasFire Emblem Warriors, which Omega Force developed with gameplay mimicking itsMusoutitles. Then cameFire Emblem: Three Housesin 2019. The title is the best-selling entry in the franchise and won multiple awards after its release, including multiple categories at The Game Awards that year.Three Houseswas so successful that it spawned an alternate history spin-off viaFire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Finally, in 2023,Fire Emblem Engagewas released on Switch and was also successful on the platform.
Fire Emblem Engage Review: Peak Tactics Lacking Class
Fire Emblem Engage is a smart tactical game with plenty of class variety and combat switchups, but it’s a step back for story.
How Nintendo Can Build Off The Success Of Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Compelling Stories & Characters Are The Most Important
All four titles on the Switch were successful sales-wise and got positive receptionfrom critics overall. For the Switch 2, Nintendo and developer Intelligent Systems can analyze these four games and use their strengths to advance the series further. The best example of this comes fromFire Emblem: Three Houses, which sold the most Switch games and was the most praised. The biggest reason for this was that the tale of the titular three houses and the characters within the realm of Fódlan were enticing, intriguing, and fun to watch unfold.
Characters like Edelgard and Dimitri were praiseddue to how they were portrayed in the branching storylines. In many ways, they were far more important than the player character of Byleth. Both their tales broke stereotypes and highlighted why the series arguably is Nintendo’s best narrative franchise. To that end, the four storylines withinThree Houseswere all unique and told from different perspectives. People wanted to not only beat the story chapters but unlock support conversations so they could learn more about their comrades.
This fellowship is bolstered through the gameplay elements within Garreg Mach Monastery andhow people interact with the many characters. As Byleth, people trained their chosen house to become various classes, including ones the characters might not have wanted to be initially. Then, through activities like having a tea party, cooking, choir practice, and more, people could grow their relationships with their students or even faculty members more easily. This helped ensure their support rankings grew quickly, unlocking even more story elements. The nextFire Emblemtitle must embrace this level of character depth and worldbuilding.
How Nintendo Can Build Off The Success Of Fire Emblem Engage
Gameplay & Style Changes Can Go A Long Way
As forFire Emblem Engage, while the title wasn’t as praised for its story by critics, its gameplay was proclaimed fun while advancing what past titles did. For example, they upgraded the user interface to feature character animations instead of simple static images. It also included the Engage feature, which would pair a character with a pastFire Emblemseries protagonist to give them a power-up in battle.These features being received positivelyshow that people want to see advancements within the gameplay itself, so long as it doesn’t take away from the story.
Outside the gameplay,Fire Emblem Engagewas praised for its graphics and cutscenes. The visual aesthetic was far more stylized in the 2023 outing, attracting many people. This carried over to the game’s animations, which in the past featured incredibly basic strikes or attack patterns in battle. Here, the game put more personality into each character as they fought. The little details can sometimes help elevate a title, as this game showed. Thus, Nintendo and Intelligent Systems should consider the little details and changes they can make to elevate the nextFire Emblem.
The Potential Of Spin-Offs & Remakes
If Made Properly, They Can Do Well
As for the twoWarriorsspin-offs, high sales for both games highlight that there is room for theFire Emblemfranchise to have meaningful titles outside of its mainline games. It’s not unlike how Nintendo was able tocapitalize on thePokémonfranchise on Switchvia that same notion.Three Hopes,in particular, had deep storylines and new insights into the characters people already knew. It’s incredibly possible that the Switch 2 could feature a set of spin-off games from this franchise. What’s more, they could feel the need to experiment once again to see what other genresFire Emblemcould fit into.
The wild card, though, is the past titles inFire Emblem’shistory that haven’t been brought outside of Japan. Currently, there are several titles that people haven’t gotten to try, includingFire Emblem: The Binding Blade,which features Roy, who is a mainstay of theSuper Smash Bros.roster. These titles areranked highly within the seriesdespite not being localized. Given the series' popularity in recent times and Nintendo’s love of remastering and remaking older games for new generations,it’s entirely possible that the Switch 2 could bring a previously unreleased title to the worldwith a huge upgrade.
There have long been rumors of aFire Emblemremake being in the works, with rumors claimingGenealogy of the Holy Waras the likely candidate.
In the end,Fire Emblemproved on the Nintendo Switch that it could move units and get acclaim from critics. Nintendo is known for its vast IP library, andFire Emblemis now firmly in the AAA franchise bracket of that catalog. There are many rumors and reports about what Nintendo has in development for the Switch 2’s launch lineup and beyond. If they’re wise, they’ll ensureFire Emblemhas at least two entries on the platform, as there is still much potential to be mined within it.
