January 6th 2025.
Another year of rumors has come and gone, and the Monday Inbox is skeptical about the supposed reveal of a Switch 2 this week. One reader even asks about a theory involving the Joy-Con controllers being used as a mouse.
The first rumor that caught my attention was the supposed Christmas Day leak about the Switch 2. However, like many others, I found that it didn't really tell us anything new. We've known for months that it will likely look similar to the current model. It seems like we've been going around in circles since then.
Despite all the rumors, we still don't know much about the new buttons and games for the Switch 2. This makes me doubt that Nintendo is in any rush to make an early announcement. Regardless, I have a feeling that there will be a flurry of rumors this week about the Switch 2 being revealed. And when it doesn't happen, the cycle will continue into next week and beyond.
Someone is bound to get it right eventually, but even then, it's just a guess at this point. I've heard talk of a possible reveal on Wednesday, January 8th, but I'm sure that will just be the first of many rumors this year. If I were to make a guess, I'd say it will likely be announced sometime in January, maybe on Thursday, January 30th. But really, who knows if that will be any more accurate than the so-called insiders.
Moving on to other gaming news, I want to commend GC for their Top 20 games of the year list. As usual, it's a solid lineup. However, I agree with the sentiment that while there are many good games, there isn't necessarily a standout that has tempted me to drop everything and play it.
I'll eventually get around to playing Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and maybe Dragon Age: The Veilguard. But for now, I'm in no rush as I know they will only get cheaper and have more DLC over time. I'm not sure if it's the game's fault or mine, but none of them are exceptional enough for me to justify paying the high price of £70.
It's clear that publishers have successfully pushed for this new standard, but it has made me less likely to make impulse purchases. I'd rather wait a year and get the game for half the price or even less.
Looking ahead to upcoming titles for 2025, I'm curious to see which ones will actually make it to release and which will be overshadowed by the highly anticipated GTA 6. The release of the Switch 2 will also add an interesting dynamic, as I wonder how publishers will react to this new console and if they will view it as competition for their own releases.
In my opinion, we will see a lot of third party support for the Switch 2, but I doubt we will see many PlayStation 5 games. Nintendo will likely want to showcase that the Switch 2 can run PlayStation 4 games smoothly, rather than admit that it struggles with current gen games.
And honestly, I think that's the best approach. If games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Elden Ring, and Baldur's Gate 3 can run perfectly on the Switch 2, it will still be impressive and more than enough to impress most people. It may also decrease interest in the Steam Deck, as the games will be optimized for the Switch 2 rather than being squeezed uncomfortably onto it.
On a different note, I hope that Game Central and all its readers had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's and were able to get all the games they wanted. For any Shenmue fans like myself, Limited Run Games is currently taking pre-orders for official Shenmue merchandise until Sunday, January 12th, 2025. As a big fan, I'm definitely getting the Shenmue cap and T-shirt, and maybe even the Shenmue cat with a can of Sega Tuna!
I would also like to mention that I agree with the sentiment expressed in Geohero's Reader's Feature on Sociable Soccer. I recently purchased it for my PlayStation 5 and have thoroughly enjoyed playing it without any predatory microtransactions. Despite some initial bugs, which seem to have been fixed, I highly recommend it to any football game fans.
Speaking of games, I'm currently playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard and absolutely loving it. It may even be my game of 2024. The characters are fantastic, the combat is engaging, the side quests are interesting, and the world is a joy to explore. Even the hair is beautifully designed. What more could you want?
However, it's disheartening to see that certain individuals have been review bombing the game simply because it includes diverse and inclusive characters. In my opinion, this does not take away from the excellence of the game itself. If anything, having a diverse cast of characters adds more depth and interest to the experience.
So, for anyone on the fence about playing this game, I urge you not to believe the naysayers. It's a fantastic game, especially if you've enjoyed other titles from BioWare.
Thank you to GC and all its readers for providing a platform to discuss and share our thoughts on all things gaming. Here's to another year of rumors, releases, and fun in the gaming community.
Another year of rumors has come and gone and the Monday Inbox is filled with speculation about the possibility of a Switch 2 reveal this week. One reader even asks about the Joy-Con mouse theory. It's hard to believe that there was an actual leak about the Switch 2 on Christmas Day, but as usual, it doesn't really tell us anything new. We've known for months that it will look similar to the current model, so it feels like we've just been going around in circles with these rumors.
Despite all the rumors, we still don't know much about the new console. We don't know what the new buttons will do or what games will be available. It doesn't seem like Nintendo is in any rush to make an announcement, but I'm sure there will be plenty of rumors this week about the Switch 2 being revealed. And when it doesn't happen, the rumors will just continue into next week and the week after that. Someone may eventually get it right by accident, but even then, it's just a guess at this point. I've heard people talking about Wednesday, January 8th as a possible reveal date, but I'm sure that will end up being just another rumor. If I had to guess, I would say the announcement will come sometime in January, maybe on Thursday, January 30th. But who knows if I'll be any more accurate than the so-called insiders.
Moving on to something more positive, the Top 20 of the year list from GC is as good as always. I haven't played many of the games on the list, aside from a few indie titles, but it seems like a solid lineup. However, I do agree that there's no standout game that has tempted me to abandon my backlog and play it immediately. I'll eventually get around to playing Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and maybe Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but I'm in no rush. Plus, waiting means the games will likely be cheaper with more DLC included. Is this because the games aren't good enough to justify paying the standard £70 price tag, or is it just my personal preference? I can't say for sure, but either way, it has made impulse purchases less likely for me.
Speaking of upcoming games, the list for 2025 looks interesting, but we'll have to wait and see which ones actually make it to release. With the highly anticipated GTA 6 and possibly even the Switch 2 coming out, it will be interesting to see how other publishers react. I believe we'll see a lot of third party support for the Switch 2, but I doubt we'll see many PlayStation 5 releases. It would make sense for Nintendo to focus on showcasing how well the Switch 2 can run PlayStation 4 games, rather than trying to compete with current gen titles.
Switching gears, I hope everyone at Game Central had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and received all the games they wanted. For fans of Shenmue like myself, Limited Run Games is currently taking pre-orders for official Shenmue merchandise until Sunday, January 12th, 2025. I'm definitely going to splurge on the Shenmue cap and T-shirt, and I might even treat myself to the Shenmue cat with a can of Sega Tuna!
I also want to mention the Reader's Feature by Geohero on Sociable Soccer. I recently purchased it for PlayStation 5 and have been thoroughly enjoying it. It's just good, simple fun without any pesky microtransactions. Thankfully, any bugs it had on release seem to have been fixed, and the only issues I've encountered have been with some glitched trophies. I highly recommend it to any football fans out there.
Lastly, I've been playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite games of 2024. The characters are great, the combat is fantastic, the side quests are interesting, the world is a joy to explore, and the hair is lovely... what more could you ask for? Well, apparently for some gamers, the inclusion of diverse characters is enough to write off the entire game. It's a shame that these people are actively campaigning against a game they haven't even played, simply because it features transgender characters. In my opinion, having a diverse set of characters only adds to the game's appeal. So for anyone on the fence about playing this game, don't listen to the naysayers. It's a fantastic game, especially for fans of BioWare's other titles.
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