Update [Mon 3rd Jun, 2024 09:30 BST]
They're at it again. Midori (みどり) is back with another potential codename from Nintendo, and it sounds like it might be related to the Splatoon franchise.
In a fresh post on X, Midori states, "There is a a game project at Nintendo with the codename Spiral. By researching the data I have received in the last month, it is very likely that this is the codename for the next entry in the Splatoon series".
Obviously, we'll reiterate this this should be treated as a rumour, as always, but gosh, a new Splatoon game? Yeah, count us in. It seems like a given, too, right? The franchise has only grown in popularity over time, so it would make sense for Nintendo to capitalise on this with its upcoming new console.
Midori also states that "I will be careful now with Nintendo information, because I want to be a comfortable plant with a lot of sunlight". So in other words, maybe don't expect a bunch more leaks related to Nintendo projects going forward. You know what The Big N is like.
Original Article [Fri 31st May, 2023 14:00 BST]:
Prominent leaker Midori seems to have been giving Pyoro a run for their money recently, leaking details of unannounced gaming projects from multiple publishers, including Nintendo.
However, rather than outright hinting at upcoming announcements, Midori is putting more focus on project codenames. So while we may be getting a view of potential games in development over at Nintendo, we (and Midori, it seems) are currently unable to definitively confirm what these relate to.
Take the latest couple of codenames, for example: Midori reveals that Nintendo is working on projects with the codenames 'Edward' and 'Anna'. With the former, they state that this might be related to a new title in the Zelda franchise, while the latter may be a sequel to Nintendo Switch Sports. They clarify that Nintendo Switch Sports was developed with the codename 'Elsa', and for those not in the know, Anna and Elsa are sisters in the Disney animated movie Frozen. Makes sense!
A project going by the codename 'SPRed' is also seemingly in development at Nintendo, with Midori confirming that 'Red' is the general codename for Mario, while Super Mario Odyssey was developed under the codename 'RedStar'. Of course, we doubt anyone would be surprised to hear that Nintendo is working on a new Mario game, but still, we'll take any potential scrap of evidence we can get.
They also reveal yet another Nintendo project with the codename 'Banquet', specifying that this may be in development by the subsidiary company NDCube, known for its work on the Mario Party franchise, along with a developer called SmileBoom.
Moving away from codenames, we know that new information on Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is likely imminent from Square Enix following a recent tease, but Midori specifically states that it will feature at Nintendo's upcoming June Direct showcase (which, at the time of writing, still has no confirmed date).
Finally, after revealing an internal logo for Atlus' unannounced Persona 6, Midori confirms in a response that Persona 3 Reload, Persona 6, and upcoming unannounced Persona remakes will all be heading to Nintendo's next system, currently referred to as the 'Switch 2'.
Phew! Yeah, that's a lot. As always, we'd highly recommend approaching any potential leaks with an appropriate level of scepticism. Midori has proven to be highly reliable, but we all make mistakes, so it's best to take this information with a hefty grain of salt until otherwise proven correct.
Still, it's exciting stuff, right? We're particularly keen on seeing more Persona on Nintendo hardware, so we're up for seeing Persona 6 on the Switch 2. Hopefully, it won't be too long until Atlus decides to spill the beans.