Intelligent Systems' Fire Emblem franchise of tactical turn-based RPGs has been one of Nintendo's most consistent since the NES, but not always its most successful. The franchise was famously on the brink of ending following 2007's Radiant Dawn before 2012's Awakening took advantage of an ambitious design that helped drive sales on the handheld 3DS. It has continued to thrive ever since, with the 2019 Switch game Fire Emblem: Three Houses becoming the best-selling entry in the series.
With that kind of momentum it's hard to imagine the franchise ending anytime soon - despite complaints from those who are dismayed by the abundance of Fire Emblem representation in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In fact, a rumor started by Nintendo leaker Zippo earlier this month suggests a Fire Emblem remake is in development for Switch, though nothing has been officially confirmed by Nintendo nor Intelligent Systems. If something does come to pass, it would behoove the game to build off one of Three Houses' defining features: The Garreg Mach Monastery hub area.
Echoes of the Past
There have been a number of Fire Emblem remakes, many of which revolve around the games starring bona fide series' figurehead Marth. Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, which released in English for the first time as part of the series' 30th anniversary last year, was remade as Shadow Dragon on the DS in 2008. Its campaign was also included as "Book One" in the 1994 SNES title Mystery of the Emblem, in which "Book Two" acts as a sequel to Marth's adventure. However, the 2010 DS remake New Mystery of the Emblem only includes the sequel content from that SNES title.
A more instructive game in terms of what upcoming remakes may look like is 2017's Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia on 3DS. This was a more thorough reimagining of Fire Emblem Gaiden, the second-ever Fire Emblem game released on NES in 1992. Not only did it retain and improve upon what made the original a unique "black sheep" of the franchise, such as open-world dungeons to explore, it also added new characters and story beats while retrofitting parts of modern entries to fit that older formula. This blend shows the potential for a Switch-based remake to use Three Houses elements to enhance an old blueprint.
The Potential for Future Open Hub Worlds
Of everything Three Houses contributed to Fire Emblem's ongoing development, using Garreg Mach Monastery as a hub area is undoubtedly its most stand-out addition. Byleth, a player surrogate akin to Robin and Corrin from previous titles, is a professor at the Officers Academy housed in Garreg Mach. Between missions, players can take Byleth around the 3D space to meet with students, engage in activities like eating or fishing, and more. Titles like Fire Emblem Fates experimented with giving players a hub via its "My Castle" feature, but that wasn't near as successful at presenting a real, lived-in world.
Based on the aforementioned rumor, speculation points to a remake encapsulating either SNES title Genealogy of the Holy War or Game Boy Advance title The Binding Blade. The prior is easier to map onto the idea of bringing back a more fleshed-out hub area akin to Garreg Mach. Similar to Three Houses, Genealogy of the Holy War includes a time skip that sees players transition from characters like Sigurd to the children of that generation; characters like Seliph.
By bringing back a lived-in hub world for a Genealogy remake, Intelligent Systems could retain the same emotional impact: giving players the opportunity to view the same place at high and low points. Games like The Binding Blade could also benefit, especially if the developer were to remake The Binding Blade and its prequel The Blazing Blade in one package. For now, fans will have to wait and see what comes next, but regardless of the content it should still make sure to build upon Three Houses' highlights.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available now for Nintendo Switch.