Will Fire Emblem Return to Consoles?

[Sentacotus]

So here is a topic that's been on my mind and I want to see what you all think about it. We all know that Fire Emblem got its start on home consoles but its popularity and survival can be credited to its handheld market by far. However, even though I think the series is secure for the foreseeable future with the successes of Awakening and Fates will it remain on the handheld? A couple of years back in 2005-2008 I might have said hell yes. But with the increase in smart phone technology and popularity I don't see another dedicated handheld gaming console in Nintendo's future. At least not in the traditional sense. Lets be totally honest about something for a minute. Nintendo is lucky enough this generation the 3DS sold as well as it did and had a hard enough time as is in the beginning. Now smart phones are more prominent than ever and have a huge share of that market. In short, it doesn't make very much economic sense and its highly risky for Nintendo to release a dedicated mobile gaming console in today's market. This seems so much the case that there is speculation that Nintendo's next system the NX will be a hybrid of sorts with games that could be mutually exclusive or have some sort of incompatibility.

I do enjoy the console Fire Emblems and they are hands down still my favorite games but they also didn't perform well sales wise and nearly tanked the series. While the series is in a far better position than what it was I think its easy to say Fire Emblem is fundamentally a title that suits handhelds better. But like I said with smart phones as popular as they are now how feasible is this? With the speculation that is the NX I guess we will have to wait and see...

[Alex95]

I think it'll depend on SMT X FE's success. I would love a console version of FE; high-rez maps, largest cast of characters, long story-line... Just as long as the game isn't like the crossover in terms of profanity ratings (i.e. Teen or lower), I'd play it! Give it the option to battle online like in Fates and people will certainly play it more. Given the recent success of Awakening and Fates, it's not a bad idea.

[Anacybele]

I don't think being handheld was a big factor in Awakening and Fates's sales at all. I think a lot of marketing and the addition of casual mode were the biggest. Since the Wii U didn't sell too great, a Wii U FE wouldn't sell as well, but it would probably have okay sales if it got the same marketing and such as Awakening and Fates did.

I mean, Shadow Dragon didn't do too well and it was handheld. Its sequel wasn't even localized because of poor sales.

I really do want another home console FE though, since Tellius is still my favorite.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Anacybele

[Sentacotus]

Yeah I don't think there will be a Wii U FE at all while I do think casual, marriage, and all the new mechanics are a factor I do think install base helps alot. If there will be a console one I think it will be on NX how that will work with given speculation at this time is any one's guess. However, I think the days of a dedicated handheld gaming machine are pretty much over.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

I mean, Shadow Dragon didn't do too well and it was handheld. Its sequel wasn't even localized because of poor sales

Shadow Dragon was sold actually well, better than the Tellius parts.

The critics were just poor.

[Nobody]

If the NX sells well, then sure.

I'd personally rather they stayed on Handhelds, though. I always liked handhelds better than consoles, specially when it comes to game like Fire Emblem.

[Jedi]

With the huge successes of Awakening and Fates, IS can afford to take more risks, although I wouldn't blame them for playing it safe with their hugely successful formulas.

[Sentacotus]

If the NX sells well, then sure.

I'd personally rather they stayed on Handhelds, though. I always liked handhelds better than consoles, specially when it comes to game like Fire Emblem.

I think most of us would but just think about how feasible it is to have a dedicated handheld gaming device now in days. I know I sound like a broken record but if you at sales numbers of the 3DS (all models) aside from special editions they've been slowing down even with Nintendo throwing everything they have at it in terms of game titles and support.

What I think would be interesting is that if the speculation about the NX is true about it being a hybrid system is if there will be two versions of the game that way especially given the success of Fates.

[X-Naut]

Not likely in the near future unless they're feeling adventurous, as the handheld features have been a boon to the series. (Then again, the WiiU did introduce a second screen, so it could pull off the DS's stat sheet implementation.)

[Avarice Shadow]

I feel like making a Fire Emblem game on the handheld would be the safest option. It's more accessible by far on handheld and personally, I prefer it more.

[CooledEvergreen]

It kind of has with SMTxFE/FE#, but with main series titles, I'd say they will stick to handhelds, considering how well Awakening and Fates been doing sales-wise. Maybe they'll try it out with the NX, but it would have to do a lot better than the Wii U.

[Locke087]

Well it the NX is a console/handheld hybrid like rumored it will return to console by default along with every other franchise....

Edited February 27, 2016 by Locke087

[TheCaptain]

Well to justify being on console over handheld the console would have to be able to do something that the handheld cannot. This is the reason we see 3D Zelda games on console and top-down on handheld. With Fire Emblem, There isn't a whole lot they could add if the game was put on console besides fancier graphics, but i feel like the style on 3DS is pretty good, or it at least works for everyone. There honestly isn't a huge reason to put FE on a console at the moment, as the basic engine has stayed fairly simple through the years, remaining as 2D sprites on a map with some fancy battle animations. Compared again to Zelda, which started on the same system as FE, FE simply hasn't evolved its system to the point that makes it necessary to be on a more powerful system. Not saying that it's impossible or that it shouldn't happen, but i don't see a huge need to put it on console.

[Anacybele]

Shadow Dragon was sold actually well, better than the Tellius parts.

The critics were just poor.

Selling better than Tellius doesn't mean it sold well. And if it sold well in Japan, but not anywhere else, then I still consider that to be poor sales all around.

I also believe Tellius was really under-marketed and released with poor timing. In fact, I think most of the series was under-marketed.

[Hardin]

It's no secret that the Tellius saga poisoned the well, and #FE certainly didn't manage to reverse that. I don't think there's much of chance of a return in the near future, unless it can be demonstrated that the fanbase plays on home consoles.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

Bringing out round based strategical games for party consoles like Gamecube and Wii (U) is always a risk, because it won't really reach the audience.

In my case it's the opposite: I only still own the Wii just because of the Tellius games.

I'm not interested in platformers or racing games and there aren't many round based strategical RPGs besided Fire Emblem for the Wii unfortunately. Honestly I can't think of any game for the Wii, which is similar to FE.

[Acacia Sgt]

Honestly I can't think of any game for the Wii, which is similar to FE.

I can think of at least one: SRW NEO. Where the only (big) gameplay difference from FE (or other SRW's for that matter) is that map movement is free-range rather than grid-locked (range is instead shown as a circle with the unit in the center). But of course, the game is Japan-only...

But other than that... yeah, I can't think of anything else either.

[Alertcircuit]

Putting a Fire Emblem game on the Wii U would've been a pretty huge mistake. The series just got out of financial jeopardy, why put it on a console that hasn't even sold a quarter as many units as the 3DS?

The NX though? Maybe...

[Sentacotus]

As far as handhelds I think that's an obvious point and probably where it fits best. But it seems like most everyone here is assuming there is going to be another dedicated handheld gaming device from Nintendo in the first place but with smartphones now I just don't see that happening anymore and I don't think FE will have much of a choice as far as what its released on. Unless they release a game on smartphones full of microtransactions and all "free to play goodness".

I mean if the NX is a hybrid platform I could see it being a "handheld version" exclusive not quite sure how that would work though.

Edited February 28, 2016 by LordTaco42

[Draxal]

As far as handhelds I think that's an obvious point and probably where it fits best. But it seems like most everyone here is assuming there is going to be another dedicated handheld gaming device from Nintendo in the first place but with smartphones now I just don't see that happening anymore and I don't think FE will have much of a choice as far as what its released on. Unless they release a game on smartphones full of microtransactions and all "free to play goodness".

I mean if the NX is a hybrid platform I could see it being a "handheld version" exclusive not quite sure how that would work though.

Nintendo is much more likely to abandon consoles than handhelds, one of the big boy IPS is still handheld exclusive for their mainline games(pokemon)

[Sentacotus]

See I think the opposite. All you really have to do is look at sales numbers of the hardware itself dropping off and I can't in good confidence say that a launch of a new handheld would be successful in today's market. I mean even now with Nintendo throwing everything they have at it its managed 58 million compared to the DS at 158 million. Still strong sales but shit thats like a 1/3 of what the DS did and when you look back at what was different it was that smartphones were not nearly as popular nor accessible back in 2004. I think Nintendo realized this as well with the whole DeNa partnership thing announced. Also as bad as the Wii U is doing if they were to abandon consoles that would be a quick way to tank their stock in a hurry especially since video games are the only thing they do...they're not like Sony or Microsoft whose primary business is in other divisions.

[Draxal]

Nintendo really can't compete head on with Microsoft and Sony, and Nintendo knows it. Sony's abandoning the handheld space, so Nintendo will have sole control of a rapidly shrinking market.

The point you have failed to make is that that the console market is rapidly shrinking as well, the PS4 is doing better than the 3, but the One is know where the 360 was at, and let's not talk about Wii to Wii U comparisons.

[Rapier]

I don't think it will, because standard FE games don't require much of the console's capacity, and it's a bigger waste of budget to make standard FE games for tabletop consoles. SMT x FE is quite an exception because it seems that it requires more console capacity than a 3DS game could.

I know, my opinion is biased because I lack a Wii U, but I'd rather FE games to be released for handheld systems. I can think of a couple of reasons:

First, the costs for making a handheld game are smaller than the costs for making a console game, as far as I know. Second and related to the first point, FEs don't really demand much of the consoles and possess a simplicity that does not require the capacity of tabletop consoles. Third, I think it fits better in a handheld than in a tabletop, its chapters are small enough to be played in 15 minutes or less, ideal for those who can take a quick break to play for a while (when riding a bus, for example).

[Mackc2]

Would a virtual console return of RD and PoR count because I would love for them to come so I can actually play them.
Also a HD fire emblem would be a definite buy for me It would be so amazing and I can't even imagine it

[Tolvir]

We may see one for the NX, but I think that the poor sales of POR and Radiant Dawn drive them away from the concept. I would personally love it, and to be completely honest there are times I wish IS wasn't attatched to Nintendo because I think Nintendo in a way holds them back. The limitations there are for making a game on handheld are massive, and Nintendo's systems are so behind the curve its not even funny. I don't even think the NX is going to catch them up to the capabilities of Playstation 4 or Xbox One.

I really wish Fire Emblem would end up a cross platform game because I think it has so much potential if it was just released to systems with better capabilities than a DS or Wii.