2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for most people across the globe, and gaming has done wonders to help everyone stay busy while locked inside. However, when a major video game company pulls off questionable executive decisions over the course of a few months, it’s difficult not to get frustrated. Nintendo has aggressively defended its intellectual property, even though it accomplished little more than upsetting its loyal fanbase. If the company hopes to escape the negative press it’s been accumulating, Nintendo best have some killer games coming out next year.
Even without considering any of its controversial executive decisions, Nintendo’s 2020 was one of the studio’s weaker years since the Switch launched back in 2017. The first half consisted of only Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which sold phenomenally but doesn’t appeal to every gamer on the market. Paper Mario: Color Splash and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity were many months apart, and every other major title Nintendo released this year was a rerelease or a remaster of some kind. Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition are all good games, but these have all been available on other platforms for years.
Nintendo’s last few months were more condensed in terms of its release schedule, but its public decisions against the competitive Smash Bros. and Splatoon scenes were concerning. Nintendo has never shown much love for competitive Smash, but canceling the Big House tournament and the Splatoon 2 North American Open tournament finals was a low blow that upset fans. Many people found comfort in connecting over a shared passion for Nintendo’s high-quality content, and the studio’s response to those using its intellectual property in a way it might not approve of is questionable.
What 2021 Nintendo Games Can Save It From Controversy
While gamers are undoubtedly upset about this controversy, Nintendo’s ace in its sleeve is its first-party offerings. Nintendo consistently hits it out of the park with outstanding games, many of which push the industry forward in a meaningful fashion, but there aren’t many major Nintendo games scheduled for next year. Super Mario 3D World and Bravely Default 2 will be coming to Switch at the beginning of the year, but most of the games confirmed for next year are third-party offerings that will also be available on other platforms.
Breath of the Wild 2 is integral for next year, assuming the title will be ready by the holiday season. Nintendo has said nearly nothing regarding the game since its original reveal, so it is difficult to say for sure if it will be out in time. Zelda is more popular now than it has ever been, so it would likely make a huge splash if it released next year. New Pokémon Snap is another major title that fans are looking forward to, but Nintendo has yet to announce a specific release date for it. It’s clear from Sephiroth’s launch that fans will go crazy over new Super Smash Bros. characters, and there are still a handful of fighters left to be announced for the Ultimate’s second Fighters Pass.
After the surprise drops of nearly all of 2020’s Nintendo games, it’s also likely new titles will be announced out of nowhere, which makes for an unpredictable lineup. For perhaps no one’s fault but its own, Nintendo has had a tough few months. With the right games backing it up in 2021, the company might manage to win its fans back.
