Nintendo Announces Five Fire Emblem Games
[Updated 1/18/17 – Fire Emblem Heroes Release Date]:
Nintendo has clarified the release date for Fire Emblem Heroes. It will arrive on both iOS and Android devices on February 2, 2017 as a free to download game.
[Original Story]:
Nintendo hosted a special Fire Emblem Direct, which lasted about twenty minutes. We expected them to show off more Fire Emblem Warriors and maybe debut their new mobile game in development, but they really blew the doors off with five game announcements.
The first game to come out this year will be in just a couple of weeks: Fire Emblem Heroes. It may be heading to Android devices first on February 2, 2017. It will be hitting iOS devices “soon”. Nintendo of Japan is indicating that the iOS version comes out the same day, but the North American branch indicated it would come later, so we’re waiting on release date confirmation. It does seem odd that Nintendo seems to not be able to launch its games simultaneously across both platforms (Android users are still waiting for Super Mario Run). Hopefully it won’t be too long of a wait for Apple owners. We will update the article when the iOS date gets solidified.
The next game up for release is Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. This is a new entry in the series that’s based on the second game for the Famicom: Fire Emblem Gaiden. This time around there will be dungeon exploration and townsfolk to chat with, giving it some traditional RPG vibes mixed in with the traditional Fire Emblem battle mechanics. Also releasing alongside the game will be a new two-pack amiibo set featuring the two characters: Alm and Celica.
This fall we get not one, but two versions of Fire Emblem Warriors. The first is going to the Nintendo Switch and the second will be made available for the New Nintendo 3DS. It’s being developed by the same team that created Hyrule Warriors.
Finally, sometime next year a brand new mainline game in the series is heading to the Nintendo Switch. This marks the first time this has happened since 2007 when Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn released on the Wii. No details yet on this new game.
As fans of the Fire Emblem franchise, we’re super stoked to be getting so much love over the next year. It’s fantastic to see Nintendo support the series so heavily and hopefully it continues to be successful as it finds new audiences.
Nintendo surprised Fire Emblem fans today via a Nintendo Direct announcement with the news that multiple games from the hit strategy-RPG franchise are in development. These include a new game for smart devices, two games for Nintendo Switch and multiple games for the Nintendo 3DSfamily of systems. There’s no question that this is by far the most fiery, most emblematic Nintendo Direct ever.
“In recent years, the popularity of the Fire Emblem franchise has grown exponentially,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The devoted fan base and series newcomers alike will soon have an abundance of new games to play on a variety of devices. There’s never been a better time to be a Fire Emblem fan or jump in for the first time.”
Below is a sampling of the news that Nintendo announced today. To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit http://nintendo.com/nintendo-direct.
Fire Emblem Heroes comes to smart devices: Nintendo launches its next adventure when Fire Emblem Heroes arrives soon on mobile. For detailed information about release timings by platform, please check https://fire-emblem-heroes.com/. Fire Emblem Heroes is an original strategy RPG about two warring kingdoms in a bitter clash. As a summoner, players build their army by calling upon popular Fire Emblem heroes from worlds that span the breadth of the series. Players will wage tactical battles streamlined for on-the-go play and level up a mix of new combatants and legendary heroes. Some familiar hero characters will become allies, while others will become enemy generals. Players can enjoy the full majesty of tactical role playing on bite-sized maps designed to fit nicely on a smartphone screen, even when playing in short bursts. Players lead their armies with easy touch-and-drag controls, including the ability to attack by simply swiping an ally hero over an enemy. If they manage to defeat every enemy on a given map, victory will be theirs. The heroes are depicted in new art hand-drawn by a variety of illustrators, and their voices have been newly recorded. Beyond the main story mode, players can engage in other modes to strengthen their army or to compete against others. Free and timely updates will add new characters and content for additional hours of gameplay as well. Fire Emblem Heroeswill be available as a free download with optional in-app purchases available. Visit the Fire Emblem Heroes website for details about pre-registration.
- To prepare for the launch of Fire Emblem Heroes, today Nintendo kicks off the Fire Emblem Heroes: Choose Your Legends event. Fans can visit https://events.fire-emblem-heroes.com/vote to browse through characters from the Fire Emblem franchise and select the ones they’d like to see make an appearance in Fire Emblem Heroes. The global community’s top-ranked hero and heroine will then be featured in Fire Emblem Heroes as Choose Your Legends event characters. Nintendo Account holders will receive a Platinum point bonus for voting.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia: In 1992, the second game in the Fire Emblem series, Fire Emblem Gaiden, launched exclusively in Japan. Now, for the first time, fans outside of Japan will get a taste of this classic game on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is inspired by the 1992 original, reimagined on a grander scale. Every aspect of the Fire Emblem Gaiden game’s presentation has been updated, along with the game being fully voiced. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia recreates classic Fire Emblem gameplay with a modern twist, mixing in exploration of dungeons crawling with enemies. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia will launch on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems May 19. Characters from the game, Alm and Celica, will be available as amiibo figures in a two-pack, also on May 19.
Fire Emblem meets KOEI TECMO GAMES’ Warriors series: Fire Emblem Warriors is coming to both the Nintendo Switch and New Nintendo 3DS systems, which includes New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL. It’s being developed by the team that created Hyrule Warriors, and is scheduled to launch this fall.
Fire Emblem is coming to Nintendo Switch: For the first time since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn on the Wii console in 2007, a new mainline game in the series is being developed for a Nintendo home system, with the ability to also be played on the go! The new game is scheduled to launch in 2018. Nintendo Switch goes on sale March 3 at a suggested retail price of $299.99, and lets players take their home games with them wherever they go (games sold separately).
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
