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Episodes like this are a perfect example of why I don’t go in with a plan or outline anymore. I had a series of thoughts and questions prepared I wanted to discuss, and then it went so far off the tracks that it forged a path for a brand new railway to nowhere. Nonetheless, it was a good discussion, and one that ultimately had me feeling better about Nintendo.

My Switch doesn’t gather dust these days, so to speak, but it certainly has become less frequently used than my PC or Xbox systems. It’s my PS4 that goes largely ignored, despite having titles like Sakura Wars and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on there ready to be played. In the end, I think it really is a matter of just what sort of game speaks most to my sensibilities, and while Triangle Strategy and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes certainly do, they are competing with the likes of Elden Ring, A.I. The Somnium Files: Nirvana Initiative, and, surprisingly, Cyberpunk 2077. Even if the latter is, on paper, not my biggest cup of tea, it grabs my attention something fierce.

However, on top of being the multiplayer platform of choice, Nintendo does have plenty of games coming down the pipeline that have me excited. It’s just different when you watch a Nintendo Direct and see three or four games announced at the same time, ready to make you salivate and glad to have been an adopter of the platform. Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, and Breath of the Wild 2 were all announced a while ago. They’re “old news” at this point, even though each one will likely be pretty great experiences. The question is what comes after, and that’s a great mystery.

I was skeptical of a new Nintendo platform being announced in the future, and I still am. However, Nintendo’s tight-lipped marketing seemingly running on fumes would make all the more sense if they did have new hardware incoming. While Nintendo is not in a position where they need to release new hardware, there’s certainly a question of taking too long and missing out on the enthusiasm. In any other year, I’d be certain a new system were incoming. In a year where a single tank of gas is costing me as much as a brand new video game, hardware shortages persist, and an even greater loss would need to be taken to release affordable hardware, I have to wonder if now is the time.

We’ll have to wait and see, but at least next week there will be no ambiguity regarding how much we’ll gripe about Square Enix.

What do you think of Nintendo’s current place in the market? Does your system gather dust or are you regularly playing games on it? Feel free to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with your opinions.

Opening theme music by Fallen Prophecy.