Switch will allow for “a completely different Fire Emblem,” will breathe life into characters “like never before”

Tying in with the launch of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, French site Jeuxvideo spoke with three of the game’s developers. They are as follows:

– Masahiro Higuchi (Intelligent Systems), producer on Fire Emblem Echoes, Heroes and Fates
– Hitoshi Yamagami (Nintendo), producer on Fire Emblem Echoes, Fates and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
– Kenta Nakanishi (Nintendo), director on Fire Emblem Echoes

One portion of the interview touched on how Fire Emblem never ended up on Wii U, and the series has had a focus on 3DS over the past few years. Yamagami explained that the series has a “long history of home console games,” and it’s not primarily considered a handheld franchise. Nakanishi chimed in by saying Fire Emblem Switch will allow for something “completely different” while “breathing life into our characters like never before.”

Here’s the full excerpt:

Do you see Fire Emblem as a handheld series first and foremost? The latest home console release was Radiant Dawn ten years ago; and though a new Fire Emblem is coming to Nintendo Switch next year, a lot of players had their hopes up for a Wii U installment. Do you think the Wii U wasn’t suited for a series like Fire Emblem, or were there other reasons to focus on the 3DS?

Yamagami: The Fire Emblem series has a long history of home console games. While we were developing this title on a handheld console, we felt like we were reaching the apex of our work on Nintendo 3DS. Looking back, we don’t believe the series is a handheld one above all else. In the future, we hope to have more opportunities to create home console games.

Nakanishi: As it was said earlier, we’re currently working on a Fire Emblem game on Nintendo Switch. With this title designed for home consoles, we should be able to offer a completely different Fire Emblem, breathing life into our characters like never before.

Just to highlight one more excerpt from the interview, Jeuxvideo also asked ideas for Fire Emblem spinoffs. Yamagami had this to say in response:

“I think many people were surprised of our collaboration with Atlus for Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. If we revealed our ideas beforehand, there wouldn’t be a surprise anymore! (laughs) This autumn, another game based on a collaboration will come out: Fire Emblem Warriors. I hope you’ll look forward to it!”

Big thanks to Kyrio for the native translation.