Nintendo Switch

[Jordan]

Metroid Prime 4 was delayed, and there is some speculation Fire Emblem may follow suit.

[SkyPikachu]

Wasn't really delayed more so they completely scrapped it and started again with a new dev team (retro studio)

[Kong Wen]

Wasn't really delayed more so they completely scrapped it and started again with a new dev team (retro studio)

Scrapping it and starting again with a new (old) dev team has resulted in the game being delayed.

[SkyPikachu]

Wasn't really delayed more so they completely scrapped it and started again with a new dev team (retro studio)

Scrapping it and starting again with a new (old) dev team has resulted in the game being delayed.

Yeah I was more so just explaining what happened in details. Also it's not like we had a 2019 date that's now been pushed back to 2021 or something.

Regardless this has moved the date back a year at least probably way more.

[Kong Wen]

I sure hope Fire Emblem isn't delayed too. But I guess the key question is, was Fire Emblem in the same boat as Metroid 4? Like, had Nintendo assumed full developmental control from Intelligent Systems (presumably to let the latter continue focusing on dumping predatory content into their mobile gacha?), or has IntSys been working on this whole time?

I think the issue was they wanted someone who knows what they're doing to work on Metroid, not just that everything in the pipeline is going to be pushed backwards. But there could be other problems that we don't know about.

[Jordan]

The Fire Emblem delay speculation is actually irrespective of the Metroid Prime 4 issues. I connected it with recent events because the news of Metroid Prime 4's delay served as a catalyst for speculation about Nintendo's other properties. If Fire Emblem got delayed, it won't be because of anything related to Metroid Prime 4, but because of completely separate issues.

The reason for speculation about Fire Emblem's delay is as follows: They set a Q2 2019 or "Spring" release date, but it's close to Spring and we still have no news about the game. We haven't really heard anything about Fire Emblem Three Houses since E3. It seems weird that they would infodump everything within a month and then release the game. Consequently, some youtubers have asked the question "Where is the FE: Three Houses news?" or more directly speculated that the game's release date may be pushed back.

I should mention the caveat that this is entirely speculation. There is no official news whatsoever leading to this conclusion. It is being hypothesized based upon the lack of any news for months despite the game originally being slated for Spring 2019. My best guess is that the next Direct will show Fire Emblem details and give a definite release date, including day and month. Then again, I've been thinking for months now that they would show us some more details about the game...

[Kong Wen]

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were delayed. That said, Q2/Spring 2019 could be anything up to and including June, so it wouldn't be out of the question to get some more news about it in February, some more marketing hype in April, and then the game in June. It wouldn't be great if all of Nintendo's tentpole games for 2019 have to shuffle down the line. Relying too heavily on ports and indies is at least a part of what killed another fantastic piece of hardware's momentum.

[The Shoemaker]

I know there's a Fire Emblem expo in May so people expect the game to come out after that, could be a May/June release. Yoshi is so late in March it's essentially an April game, and the rest of April is filled up with Final Fantasy and other ports, so May or later makes sense for Fire Emblem.

2019 was looking pretty good on paper but it's starting out a bit like 2018. 3 months of no new games until Yoshi hits, which isn't exactly a big hitter, then we wait until May/June for the first big title?

[kitroplious]

The only thing I would call Fire Emblem being delayed is if we have to wait another year (for 2020 or later).

[The Shoemaker]

The only thing I would call Fire Emblem being delayed is if we have to wait another year (for 2020 or later).

I'd say anytime past June is delayed, as it has a spring 2019 release window.