The Real Reason E3 Disappointed Us

Leaks.

Leaks ruined E3 2018 for the Nintendo fan.

Each and every year, Nintendo endeavors to surprise and delight you. They spend months holding meetings about E3, planning their lineup, signing deals, scripting speeches, recording VO, and editing trailers meant to drop your jaw.

Each and every year, gamers scour Internet forums and fansites for the latest news, rumors, and speculation.

Is there any wonder why you weren’t in shock and awe after the Nintendo Direct?

For some unknown reason, Nintendo fans expect that they can examine every patent, floor plan, internal email, and industry job listing—yet STILL be blown away when it finally comes time for the Big N to show their big guns.

You can’t have it both ways!

Badly Kept Secrets

Do you know how epic (pun intended) it could have been when Fortnite was revealed? That was a moment that was passed over without fanfare because we knew it was coming. Imagine going into E3 blind, then finding out: not only is Fortnite confirmed for Nintendo Switch, it’s free… and you can get it now!

Or Killer Queen Black, a 5v5 arcade game that’s sweeping the scene with its unique gameplay and set up, now coming to a much more convenient portable/console hybrid.

Dragon Ball FighterZ, Paladins, FIFA 19, Overcooked 2, and more… all these announcements were stolen from Nintendo.

Unmet Expectations

Another way leaked information harms the industry is… well, sometimes it’s not true. And who are we to say what’s fake and what isn’t? Nintendo “doesn’t comment on rumor or speculation,” so anybody with a Resetera account can string along the entire community of Switch gamers, get every podcast and YouTube channel talking about them, just by making something up and saying they “heard” it. Since when did we decide to be this gullible?

There are actually people feeling down about the absence of Star Fox: Grand Prix and Simon Belmont in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate because those things didn’t materialize. You could argue that Nintendo is holding those cards for the future, and maybe they are—but I prefer not to peak at the player’s hand across the table. It takes the fun out of the game.

Put a Cork in It

Curious how Nintendo feels about E3 leaks? Here’s Reggie via IGN: “You know, as a company, we want to surprise and delight our fans. That’s what we live to do. So when leaks happen, it’s really disappointing. We work hard to maintain the confidentiality of our information. In this day and age where everyone has a camera and everyone is looking for their 10 seconds of internet fame, it’s really tough. But we try hard, very hard to keep our information confidential and keep leaks from happening.”

Nintendo is doing their part, but Reggie is right: after the advent of smartphones, leaks can’t be stopped. You simply can’t cork all the holes in the boat.

But you CAN put a cork in your mouth, and help stop the spread of leaks. If you find yourself underwhelmed at Nintendo’s announcements, maybe it’s time to start doing things differently. Make a change. Ask content creators to stop reporting leaks as news, or at least preempt them with a spoiler warning.

Let Nintendo surprise us again!


(By the way, I heard Retro Studios is working on Mach Rider: The RPG. My name is Scott Campbell and I would love to be Internet-famous. Please spread the news!)

Star Fox Grand Prix Rumors – Real or Fake?


Is Retro Studios REALLY making a Star Fox racing game for the Switch? It sounds crazy, but all manner of sources around the Internet are reporting it as true. Simeon and Scott share their take on the rumors currently circulating ahead of E3.

“Exit the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What is “L is Real 2401”?

I guess we’ll have to wait 384 years to see what this cryptic message means.


#576 – L Is Real. Those 3 mysterious words have echoed in our minds since the Nintendo 64 days, where they showed up in Super Mario 64 and later in Ocarina of Time. But the question still stands: what does it mean? This video goes out to Crew member Rachel!

Footage credit: The Easter Egg Hunter
“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Switch VR Prediction – For The Record

No, the Switch isn’t even on the market yet. (So close!)

Yes, I’m already looking ahead to what’s next.

I want to put a prediction down, timestamped and dated, so that I can say “I told you so!” when it turns out to be true.

Let’s start with the facts before we get into prediction territory (plus I want to keep you in suspense a little while longer.
Many aspects of the Switch were “leaked” by patent sleuths who were keeping an eye on what Nintendo was filing.
At the end of one particular and very long series of patents, we find this:

Ladies and gentleman, that there is a Nintendo Switch Virtual Reality (VR) patent filing!

Were this patent to become a product, its usage would be fairly simple: strap on the headset, slide the Switch tablet into the slot, and play! Individual Joy-Con would be perfect controllers for a VR experience, with motion control, analog sticks, and a handful of face and shoulder buttons.

Really, this filing is quite ingenious. But, Nintendo can’t be credited for this implementation of VR – plenty of Samsung and Google devices have been doing this for years. So, why is Nintendo trying to patent it?
I’m not sure about the answer to that question, but it could be that they are filing for protection of the idea of using a home console itself in a VR headset. Or perhaps, only making a headset for the Switch console would infringe this particular patent. I don’t speak the legalese to give a firm answer, but I can certainly deduce the gaming implications of this document.

After this leak occurred, many fans hoped they would see a Virtual Reality segment during the January Switch Presentation. I knew we wouldn’t.

There’s one big problem with making the above patent a real product: the resolution of the screen. For those that own a PS4 already, PlayStation VR is on the lower end of the cost barrier, and that solution provides a 1920×1080 (full HD) display, which could be considered the bare minimum for virtual reality.

With VR, the screen is mounted very close to your eyes. That’s why Oculus Rift and other VR-equipped smartphones have such high pixel density – you don’t want to be distracted by pixels in the screen a few inches away from your face.

This is what would happen if it was done with the current Switch model.

For this reason, I don’t believe we’ll see Nintendo step into the VR market with this iteration of their console… which brings us to my prediction:

I predict: Nintendo will release an upgraded Switch model midway through the console’s lifecycle.

Name: Switch Vision
Release Date: Holiday 2020
Resolution: 4k (allowing for 2k to be used on each eye)
Headset: Can charge separately, lends extra battery to the tablet
Backward Compatibility: Works with all existing games and accessories
Exclusive Software: Special VR-enabled games will be produced, 3 main titles from Nintendo (Mario spinoff, Metroid, New IP)
SKUs: Purchase the tablet-only for previous Switch owners, or a bundle option for new customers

Can you picture the marketing? Switch Vision – 2020.

The industry is well adjusted to mid-console cycle upgrades. Is this so far-fetched? I don’t believe so, especially with an official patent document showing that Nintendo is at the very least interested in this technology. Of course, many of their patents never see the light of day as finalized products that make it to the market… but…

Should it happen, remember that you heard it here first!

The Latest Switch Rumors (Dock Power!)

You just never know what to believe these days, but we might as well get excited about every little rumor while we can!


As the release of the Switch draws ever nearer, leaks and rumors are picking up more speed (and credibility). We’ve been learning a lot about Nintendo’s new console, what kind of ports the system has, as well as how the dock itself helps enhance gameplay while using the system at home. Certain developers are also starting to pipe up and say what games they may or may not have running on Switch development kits. Everything is just rumors at this point as we lead up to the January 12th full unveil of the Nintendo Switch, but these are some tasty pieces of gossip to tide us over!

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What’s Taking SO Long for NX Reveal?

As a Nintendo fan, I’m frustrated. if I were a Nintendo investor, I would be frustrated AND worried.


The patience of Nintendo fans is dreadfully thin, if not already gone. Nintendo hasn’t let a word slip about the NX for months and we’re expected to be primed for purchase in March! Scott presents three compelling cases for why the video game manufacturer is maintaining tight lips.

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What Will NX’s Final Name Be?

Can’t wait to play Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Gome!


NX is a codename for Nintendo’s next console/handheld, but what will the system go to market with as an official name? We each take a few swings at predicting the final name of the NX, in hopes of having a correct guess on record!

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

What if NX has a Modular Controller?

I’ll take some NX news over these patents, rumors, and leakes please…


More patents have surfaced, and they may well indicate the direction that Nintendo NX is heading! We discuss all aspects of what modular controllers could bring to the table for Nintendo gamers.

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/