All summer, I was planning my big return to this column. I had played so many wonderful games, both old and new. Ultimately, I was fairly confident that my first review of this semester would be of Date Everything!
The game went viral upon its release, so I thought this platform would be a good way to spotlight it for anyone who may have missed it. But then, as if intentionally putting a wrench in my plans, Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct on Sept. 12.
The direct was over an hour long. There were high points, such as the announcement of “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” and low points, such as the announcement of a port of both Super Mario Galaxy games to the Switch family that will cost $70.
At the end of this tumultuous hour, however, a final trailer began, showing a vaguely fantasy-esque arena. I was glued to this trailer, as it looked like it could possibly be an entry in my favorite game series.
I kept saying the words “Fire Emblem” in different intonations. I asked it like a question (“Fire Emblem?”), exclaimed it (“Fire Emblem!”) and basically exhaled the name of the franchise for the duration of the two-minute trailer. I literally screamed when I saw the title card.
And, as if that wasn’t good enough, the trailer then showed a character who resembled Sothis from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. As I stated in an article I wrote in February, Three Houses is my favorite video game ever, so this made me even more excited.
First and foremost, I’m just happy to be getting a new Fire Emblem game. The last game, Engage, came out in 2023. I loved Engage, but it didn’t have the same staying power as Three Houses. Since then, it has been radio silence for the series.
I’m guessing that Fortune’s Weave is a prequel to Three Houses. With Sothis appearing as an adult and many characters in the trailer who appear to be Nabetean, I think it’s likely that this covers the war that happened 1,000 years before the events of Three Houses.
We see a few characters in this trailer. Cai appears to be a protagonist, and he seems stock for one so far — he fights to help his father, has blue hair and uses a lance. I like the designs of the other playable characters we see — Theodora, Leda and Dietrich — but we don’t know anything about them yet.
Unfortunately, I already have a gripe with the game, and it’s not one I can easily ignore. It has only been confirmed to be releasing on the Switch 2.
Despite the online backlash to Nintendo pricing Switch 2 games at $80 and the console at $450, the Switch 2 has already shattered records when it comes to home console sales.
Luckily, I didn’t have to make a decision. I haven’t been able to afford a Switch 2 since the system’s launch, so I didn’t have to ponder buying one.
Until the announcement of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.
$80 is a ridiculous asking price for new games. If we let Nintendo get away with it now, they’ll continue to gouge us consumers for every measly penny we’ve got.
I bought the original Nintendo Switch because Fire Emblem: Three Houses was announced. Granted, games were still $60 back then.
I’m genuinely excited that my favorite game series is getting a new installment. I couldn’t be happier about that. But I’m upset that it’s going to be part of a problem that I feel powerless to stop.
Who knows? By the time Fortune’s Weave comes out in 2026, maybe I’ll be desensitized to the $80 price tag on video games. Maybe.
Tolbert can be reached at [email protected]. Tell him what game series you think needs a new installment.
