Nintendo’s E3 is going to be very Smash Bros. heavy

Those hoping for any major announcements at E3 in June may be disappointed, as Nintendo confirms it’s focusing on Smash Bros.

It’s been a very quiet year so far for Nintendo, with no major video game releases scheduled for the entire first half of the year (although there is Nintendo Labo this week).

They have announced a few minor new games for the second half of 2018, such as a port of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and a new Yoshi game, but the only thing on the scale of a new Mario or Zelda is Super Smash Bros.

‘As in recent years, Nintendo will focus its E3 activities on games coming soon, with a special spotlight given to a key headlining title: the recently announced Super Smash Bros. game coming to the Nintendo Switch console this year’, reads their official press release.

‘Games launching beyond 2018 will be featured at a later date’.

That doesn’t mean they won’t announce any new games though, and you can see in the E3 schedule below that there’s a little bit of wriggle room to feature currently unannounced titles.

Although the only specific mention of games other than Smash Bros. is a promise that, ‘noteworthy upcoming third-party games on Nintendo Switch will be featured across several Nintendo activities throughout E3 week’.

Last year Nintendo teased Metroid Prime 4 with nothing more than a logo, while the Pokémon game for Switch didn’t even get that – so that’s almost certainly the same approach they’ll take this year.

But the question remains as to whether Nintendo has any other big name first party titles out this year, rather than next.

Given how resistant they are to leaks that’s impossible to say, but they still haven’t said anything about the Switch’s first Fire Emblem game or the Pokémon game – so it’s possible they could be out before Christmas.

But the general rule with is not to expect too much and hope to be surprised…

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