A MAJOR video game maker appears to have just leaked one of the first games coming to Nintendo’s next console.
During a recent online Q&A, Japanese developer Rabbit & Bear Studios let slip that its new game “Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes” would be released on “Nintendo’s next-gen hardware”.
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That may come as a surprise to some gamers, as Nintendo hasn’t announced it’s working on a new console – though it’s been rumoured for months.
It’s said to be a juiced-up version of 2017’s Nintendo Switch that supports 4K graphics to match the visuals of new consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
And it appears the gaming powerhouse, apparently called the Switch Pro, will be getting Rabbit & Bear Studios’ latest blockbuster game.
In a Q&A on Kickstarter last week, the developer was asked which platforms Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be released on.
Fans helped to pay for the game’s development on the crowd-funding site, where it was the most successful video game project of last year.
In response to the query, Rabbit & Bear Studios mentioned Nintendo’s “next-gen hardware” as one of the platforms to support the JRPG.
“As originally pledged to the backers the game will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo’s Next Generation Hardware,” the firm said.
It’s not clear precisely what the developer was referring to in the comment.
It could mean the rumoured Nintendo Switch Pro, or a different new console in the works.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes raised the equivalent of $4.6million from 46,307 backers on Kickstarter.
Gamers got their first look at the action-packed game at this year’s E3 gaming showcase earlier this month.
It’s out in 2023. According to the rumour mill, the Switch Pro is due for release in 2021 or 2022.
The console will apparently do away with its predecessor’s ability to swap from a handheld console to one that plugs into your telly.
It’s believed to be Nintendo’s answer to new, high-powered consoles released by its biggest rivals.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5 both hit shelves in November 2020 and have proven hugely popular.
Nintendo hasn’t launched a new flagship console since the Switch came out in 2017.
News that a major upgrade is in the works was broken by Bloomberg last year.
Like the PS5 and Series X, the new Switch will likely support 4K gaming, unnamed insiders told the US news site.
They said “several outside game developers” have been asked by Nintendo to prepare their titles for a 4K upgrade.
As the current Switch doesn’t support 4K, its safe to assume these upgrades are in light of a new Nintendo console on the horizon.
The report did not provide an exact release date for the rumoured console, nor did it hint at how much the high-powered machine will cost.
However, leaks have since hinted that the Pro will ship for around £399/$399.
For comparison, the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles start at £249/$299 and £349/$399 respectively.
It wouldn’t be the first time Nintendo has released an upgraded version of its chart-topping console.
Last year, a refreshed edition of the Switch with better battery life was launched across the globe.
Nintendo also released the Switch Lite in 2019, a cheaper, handheld-only version of the console that ditched the TV dock.
The firm has shipped more than 60million Switch consoles worldwide but will be looking to freshen it following the release of the Series X and PS5.
