Time for Prime?
Ah, the magical time of year when Geoff Keighley crams the entire gaming industry together on a Thursday evening to hand out awards is finally upon us. Now, while it may seem that I'm not enthused for The Game Awards this year, that really isn't the case. While I wish that the show was held earlier in the day, didn't last so long, and wasn't padded out by silly nonsense, I genuinely enjoy seeing the industry come together. Typically, everyone is so stratified; existing in their own pockets of the landscape except for this night. There's something cozy about the presentation and something exciting about seeing gaming's biggest names on stage. And, there's something hype about the accompanying game reveals. Particularly, as they relate to Nintendo.
This year, fan speculation is running rampant after last year's bombastic showing from Nintendo. People are predicting many different reveals, but the prevailing hope between most fans is a Metroid Prime 4 gameplay showcase. Now, I love 2D Metroid, and I'm incredibly interested to see how this new development team handles Samus Aran's 3D escapades. But, I don't believe this is the right time to show off gameplay, as other games, one in particular, could leverage this airtime much more effectively.
While this may sound redundant or silly, I think it rings true: you can only reveal gameplay once. As soon as Metroid Prime 4's gameplay is out, any subsequent showings are robbed of their weight. Considering how important of a title Metroid Prime 4 is to Nintendo, I'm unsure why the game would be shown off at a non-Nintendo event, one where the messaging isn't in their control. The Game Awards is a multi-platform celebration and chances are, other games of Metroid's caliber will be announced, diluting the potency of this key title. Metroid Prime 4 should be officially unveiled on a stage all its own; where it can receive the attention it deserves.
However, this sentiment is often countered by the idea that The Game Awards attracts non-Nintendo gamers. As such, this is the perfect time to show off a title with wide appeal, like Metroid Prime. Due to the series' mature tone and first-person gameplay, Metroid pulls in more than just Nintendo faithful. So, building excitement at The Game Awards is a solid strategy. To an extent, I agree. Metroid does have appeal beyond the Nintendo fanbase, but that is exactly why I think it shouldn't be shown at The Game Awards. Since the series is so transcendent, wherever and whenever its gameplay does get shown off, the message will percolate out to the wider industry regardless of format. Whether that's an E3 showcase, a Direct, or a random YouTube video, people will pay attention. If you only have one night a year to speak directly to all gamers, not just Nintendo enthusiasts, why waste that time on a game that will already reach this wide audience?
The answer: you don't waste time on a game like that. Instead, you expose a game with the potential for mass market appeal that hasn't yet taken off. In my opinion, the game that fits the bill is Pikmin 4. It has been known for quite some time that Pikmin 4 not only exists, but is deep in development. In fact, we've known about Pikmin 4 for several years at this point but have never seen even a logo for the game. This is unfortunate; and I think it is time to rectify the issue. And, The Game Awards are a perfect time to do so because Pikmin needs more exposure.
Pikmin has been cursed with a terrible fate; all three mainline games have been released on hardware that has severely under-performed. Pikmin 1+2 were early GameCube titles, whereas Pikmin 3 was an early Wii U title. Not exactly healthy ecosystems to release games in. But, on the Switch, Pikmin finally has a chance to be released on a system with actual traction and engaged players. But, I don't think that alone is enough to propel Pikmin to financial success. Games release on prosperous platforms all the time, but without the proper messaging, a thriving install base means nothing.
Pikmin needs to be marketed to people outside of Nintendo's core fans. I know that Pikmin is a super unique and fun series from the creator of Mario himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. I bet you know that as well. But, does the average Game Awards viewer know that? I'd wager that they don't. So, what better time than now, when interest in Nintendo is at a high, to make Pikmin into the star franchise it should be? I mean, the series has such personality and a charm that I feel could easily go mainstream, much in the way that the Rabbids or Minions did. The series also has a reputation for being gorgeously photo-realistic, but that reputation has never been fully realized due to hardware limitations. Even Pikmin 3, which was an HD title, began its life as a Wii game, so we've never seen just how beautiful and detailed Pikmin could be, built from the ground up for the modern era. The one-two punch of the expressive Pikmin and gorgeous environments could captivate Thursday's crowd and finally give Pikmin a fighting chance.
So, do I think that Pikmin 4 will be the game that Nintendo exhibits on Thursday? I doubt it. In all honesty, I think that a Metroid Prime 4 gameplay reveal, unless something crazy like Star Fox Grand Prix happens, is the most likely outcome. The game has been teased to high hell since it was announced back in June of 2017, and the game will resonate at The Game Awards for all the reasons I discussed above. I simply don't think this is the best course of action. A game like Pikmin 4 needs the exposure way more than Metroid Prime 4. That isn't to say I wouldn't be stoked to see Prime 4, I would be, but merely to posit that the time at Thursday's show would be better spent on a different project. Alas, I don't have a crystal ball, so your guess is as good as mine. I suppose we'll just have to wait and find out on Thursday night. Don't let me down, Mr. Nintendo!
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