Jerry’s Marginalia — The Nintendo Fan Panic Cycle
- Filed under: Franchise Weather Patterns
Every few months the same storm rolls in.
A Nintendo Direct appears on the horizon, and suddenly the internet becomes a room full of gamblers staring at a slot machine.
They aren’t asking:
“What games exist?”
They’re asking:
“Will my logo appear?”
If the answer is no — if the presentation dares to show something like Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, or some third-party oddball — the verdict arrives immediately:
“Worst Direct ever.”
This reaction isn’t really about the games.
It’s about expectation addiction.
The reveal culture trained people to treat presentations like fireworks shows. Every event must produce a moment where the crowd screams:
“IT’S Super Smash Bros.!”
But video game development doesn’t operate on hype schedules.
Teams make the games they make.
The studio behind The Legend of Zelda doesn’t stop because a trailer for Mario Kart happened.
These are separate kitchens cooking separate meals.
Scott’s core point — hidden beneath the sarcasm — is simple:
If you only care about one franchise, that’s fine.
But then don’t sit through the entire buffet complaining that the room contains food you didn’t order.
Just wait for the dish you like.
Everyone else is busy trying new things.
And sometimes the weird dish turns out to be the best one on the table.