Microsoft, for example, already has a tentative release schedule throughout the rest of 2021 and for most of 2022, as per their announcement at E3 2021. However, unlike Microsoft, whose games lineup are mostly new IPs that fans have no idea what to make of, both Sony and Nintendo often keep their future games close to the chest, as most are either spin-offs or sequels to well-established franchises. In the case of Nintendo, it’s a sure bet that it will always have a new game based on either Mario, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda. Now, it appears that an industry insider has leaked information for the Japanese company’s 2022 games lineup that would include new entries on all three of its big franchises, among many others.
How credible is the 2022 Nintendo games lineup leak?
markomaro is a notable industry insider. They successfully leaked Metroid Dread months before Nintendo announced the game at E3 2021. Although leaks can be wrong, everything that markomaro states carries weight. Further giving credence to their leaked lineup of future Nintendo games is the statement of the journalist and gaming personality, Cameron Hawkins. Hawkins corroborated the lineup of titles on his personal Twitter account, saying the leaked lineup “checks out with a lot of things” that he’s heard himself. Scroll down below for a complete list of all the leaked games:
A new 2D Donkey Kong title Pikmin 4 3D Kirby adventure with RPG elements Metroid Prime Collection HD remakes of Twilight Princess and Windwalker, with Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask as well as Oracles of Ages and Oracles of Seasons also possibly in the works Pokemon Let’s Go sequel Pokemon Pinball Detective Pikachu port to Nintendo Switch and sequel
If even a fraction of the lineup is true, then 2022 is going to be a big year for the Nintendo Switch - much bigger than anyone could have expected. We already know that Pokémon Legends: Arceus will release in January 2022, with the Breath of the Wild sequel expected to release within the same year as well. Although the Nintendo Switch OLED might not have been the Nintendo Switch Pro that everyone was hoping for, Nintendo is going to need to beef up its lineup of the best Nintendo Switch games even more, especially now that it has indirect competition in the portable console market with the Steam Deck. With all that said, one thing that we can take away from this is that Nintendo doesn’t want to explore other venues for its exclusives just yet. Earlier this year, Sony confirmed that it is planning on releasing more of its exclusive titles on the PC. The arrival of Days Gone and the rumors of Uncharted 4 and Ghost of Tsushima following suit only serve to reaffirm this. On the other hand, Nintendo remains steadfast in its commitment to the Nintendo Switch. The leaked 2022 lineup should only give audiences even more of a reason to hold on to their consoles.
