On November 18, the nominees for the Game Awards were announced, with Nintendo securing three of the five spots in the “Best Family” category. However, the overall quality of their games this year, averaging a Metacritic score of 76.45, has declined compared to previous years. This shift reflects Nintendo’s focus on future projects, especially their next console, expected to be unveiled soon. Despite lower sales projections, upcoming titles like Donkey Kong Country Returns HD are generating excitement among fans.
The Nomination Landscape
On November 18, the nominees for the prestigious Game Awards were unveiled. In the “Best Family” category, five titles have been nominated, with three of them hailing from Nintendo: Princess Peach: Showtime!, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Super Mario Party Jamboree. In contrast to 2022, when a whopping four out of five nominees were Nintendo titles, this year’s selection showcases a more diverse collaboration. The renowned Big N brand partnered with external developers for Princess Peach: Showtime! (crafted by Good-Feel) and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (developed by GREZZO), which has also made its mark in the “Action Adventure” category, alongside the latest Mario & Luigi: The Brothers’ Epic (created by Acquire).
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While these titles have been developed by reputable studios—Good-Feel being known for its work on Yoshi’s Crafted World—the overall quality of their final products has not met expectations. This is reflected in their Metacritic scores. This marks the first year that Nintendo’s games have averaged a score of 76.45, which is notably lower than previous years. In 2023, the average score for all released games stood at 79. As noted by Charlan in JV Fast, the result indicates “promising concepts that falter in execution” (video available at the top of the article).
Looking Towards the Future
The current scenario can be attributed to Nintendo’s strategic decision to delegate game development efforts in order to concentrate on future endeavors, particularly their next console. According to an official statement from CEO Shuntaro Furukawa, the successor to the Switch is set to be announced before the end of the fiscal year, which concludes on March 31, with a release planned shortly thereafter. Since this announcement, consumer interest in purchasing the existing console has waned. As a result, Nintendo has revised its sales projections downward, now expecting to sell 12.5 million units instead of the previously anticipated 13.5 million, coupled with a decline in Online subscription members (down to 34 million), marking a first.
Shuntaro Furukawa
- Nintendo is entirely focused on the next console.
- The four franchises are thriving, largely due to their titles released on the Nintendo Switch.
Nonetheless, owning a Switch remains worthwhile, as the company has confirmed that upcoming games will be backward compatible. Currently, two major titles have been announced: Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Fans are eagerly anticipating more, with strong speculation that “the new console cannot launch without a 3D Mario or Zelda,” as highlighted by Panthaa in the Fast video. The exact projects that Nintendo’s affiliated studios are working on remain shrouded in secrecy, including Next Level Games (responsible for Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD), HAL Laboratory (known for Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe), and Masahiro Sakurai, the mastermind behind Super Smash Bros. All of these entities and individuals appear to be deeply engaged in undisclosed projects.