Nintendo Announces Their E3 2017 Plans

Nintendo announced their E3 2017 plans today. We thought there might be a video for this announcement but instead they just released a press release with all the details. Check out the press release below and along with my thoughts on their plans!

Nintendo released a press release today detailing their E3 plans. We can expect a video spotlight, Nintendo Treehouse Live, and two tournaments at E3! Here’s the press release with all the details:

“REDMOND, Wash., May 11, 2017 – As part of Nintendo’s plan to deliver news about upcoming games all throughout the year, the company will provide a packed week of activities at the E3 video game show, which runs from June 13 to June 15 in Los Angeles. Proceedings will be headlined by the first-ever opportunity to play the Super Mario Odyssey game, Mario’s upcoming sandbox-style adventure for the Nintendo Switch system, as well as other Nintendo Switch games. Additional activities at the annual show include a Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 video presentation announcing new details for Nintendo Switch games launching this year, the return of Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, and tournaments for the ARMS and Splatoon 2 games livestreamed from the show floor.

“Our various E3 activities will showcase the next steps for Nintendo Switch, from a summer of social competitive gaming to a holiday season highlighted by a milestone Mario adventure,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. “With Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, fans at home can watch in-depth gameplay of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS games launching this year.”

Nintendo’s E3 activities kick off Tuesday, June 13, at 9 a.m. PT with its Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 video presentation. Available to view live at http://e3.nintendo.com, this presentation will offer more details about Super Mario Odyssey and other Nintendo Switch games, with a focus on games launching in 2017.

Immediately following Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017, Nintendo is once again bringing back Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, a livestreamed showcase of upcoming games for Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Gameplay for all the featured games will be streamed from the E3 show floor June 13 to June 15 via http://e3.nintendo.com, as well as on Nintendo’s channels on YouTube and Twitch. In addition to gameplay, the livestream will include behind-the-scenes info and commentary from game developers and members of the Nintendo Treehouse.

When Nintendo’s booth space opens at noon on June 13, show attendees will be among some of the first people in the world to get their hands on Super Mario Odyssey, as well as other games for Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Odyssey is Mario’s first sandbox-style game since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.

In addition to all of these activities, Nintendo will also host game tournaments that will be livestreamed from the E3 show floor. The 2017 Splatoon 2 World Inkling Invitational splats onto the scene on June 13 and features Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch. Composed of four pre-qualified squid squads from the U.S., Japan, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, the tournament will find teams participating in the first-ever international Splatoon 2 competition. The second tournament, the 2017 ARMS Open Invitational, takes place on June 14 and will feature Nintendo’s upcoming ARMS fighting game for Nintendo Switch.”

My thoughts on all of this?

Well, first of all, I’m disappointed that Nintendo didn’t do a video to show off their plans. I loved how goofy and wonderful their previous E3 announcements were. Are the days of wacky Nintendo over with? I hope not!

As for the actual E3 plans, I’m glad that they will have a video presentation before the Treehouse again. Though they are calling it a “video spotlight” instead of a digital event. I’m hoping the video is not as straight forward as it sounds! Also I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed, but not surprised, that the video spotlight will be just about Switch games. I’m a huge fan of the 3DS and would love to see it get some focus too. I guess we’ll have to wait till Treehouse Live for that.

Of course Treehouse Live is back again. There was never any doubt of that! I’m sure we’ll see tons of Switch games and 3DS games during the event. I’ll be watching this as always. It should be a lot better than last year!

And finally, there will be two tournaments at E3 instead of one. The first will be a Splatoon 2 tournament and the other will be for ARMS. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Splatoon one but I will definitely skip the ARMS tourney. I have no interest in that game. The only disappointment about these tournaments is that Nintendo will be holding them at their E3 booth. It sounds like Nintendo is looking to save money this year…

Overall, Nintendo’s E3 plans for this year sound better than last year but will it top the year we had the Smash Tournament or the year we had the World Tournament? I suppose time will tell.

More Thoughts From Me next week for my E3 predications. I’ll let you know what I think we’ll see from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft at E3.

Also, keep an eye out for special More Thoughts columns during E3 week!