New Switch 2 Leak Hints At The Return Of A Classic Nintendo Series At Launch

Summary Nintendo is working on a new unannounced game codenamed Banquet, likely for the Switch 2.

The developers tied to the project previously worked on Mario Party titles.

If true, it could signal a strong first-party lineup for Switch 2's launch.

A prominent game leaker has revealed that Nintendo is developing a new unannounced game. The codename of the title is Banquet, and it is presumed to be a game for the Nintendo Switch 2. Just as important, while the game itself was not teased, the developers tasked with making it have teamed up to work on a key franchise in the past: Mario Party.

The leaker in question is Midori, who has been leaking accurate gaming intel across multiple brands, including dropping key details about the Persona franchise from Atlus. On Midori's X (formerly Twitter) account, Midori posted on May 6, noting the game's codename, Banquet, then posted on May 15 with a follow-up to that statement.

They noted that NDcube and SmileBoom were tied to the in-development title. Both of these dev teams have worked on Mario Party games in the past, including the most recent, Mario Party Superstars.

Related Nintendo Switch 2 Release May Be Repeating A Winning Strategy Following official acknowledgment of the Nintendo Switch 2, it seems that Nintendo may be following a proven strategy in preparing for its release.

Nintendo May Be Developing A New Mario Party As A Switch 2 Launch Title

NDcube & SmileBloom Created The Most Recent Mario Party Games

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NDcube doesn't just have a history with this franchise, it's been the main developer of the series since Mario Party 9. That means it was the studio in charge of the two Switch entries, Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars. The former was essentially a soft reboot of the franchise and sold over 20 million units by the end of 2023. Mario Party Superstars came out three years later and collected some of the best mini-games from the series' long history for people to enjoy. It sold over 12 million units by the end of 2023.

SmileBoom acted in a support capacity for Mario Party Superstars, and is likely being called in again for a similar role on this new title. Another connection between this leak and past entries is that the codename for Super Mario Party was Buffet. One of the reasons behind the suspicion that this would be a Switch 2 title is that the leak noted the game was being developed instead of being close to an announcement or reveal.

Many rumors and leaks have circulated about the Nintendo Switch 2 in recent weeks. One pointed to Pokémon's next generation coming out sooner than expected, and another stated Breath of the Wild could get a remaster for the Switch 2 to help ensure sales right off the bat. Bringing in the Mario Party franchise at or near the new system's launch would paint a strong message that Nintendo is bringing in as many franchises as possible to help sell its next console and have many genres available within its launch window.

Source: Midori/X