The Nintendo Switch has housed successful new iterations in many of Nintendo's beloved franchises: Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Pokemon Sword and Shield among them. It has proven to be a big seller for niche franchises via games like Pikmin 3 Deluxe as well, and E3 2021 revealed more including WarioWare and Metroid are coming to the console soon. However, while Fire Emblem: Three Houses already offered Intelligent Systems' tactical RPG series time to shine on Switch, a recent leak suggests another Fire Emblem game is on its way.
Nintendo leaker Zippo said a new Fire Emblem remake is almost finished with development. While leaks such as these should be taken with a grain of salt, there is a lot in its favor. The 3DS era saw a huge surge in Fire Emblem's popularity thanks to Awakening, leading to Fates and Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia; a remake of the NES game Fire Emblem Gaiden. After Three Houses released in 2019 it became the best-selling entry in the franchise, with DLC and Byleth's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate extending its presence. Another Echoes-style remake would be perfect to capitalize on this success, and there are a few standout choices.
Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
Zippo's leak speculation suggests one of the two potential Fire Emblem games being remade is 2002's The Binding Blade for Game Boy Advance, and frankly this seems the most likely choice. In 2003 its prequel The Blazing Blade was the first in the series to release internationally, but this only happened because of interest stoked by Roy's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Melee to advertise The Binding Blade.
Roy has become a staple in Smash Bros., returning as DLC with a new design in Smash 4. The young Lord character would be a big selling point for a remake because of universal recognition afforded by Smash Bros., even if The Sacred Stones on GBA could arguably work better as a standalone story. If fans are lucky, maybe the two titles set in Elibe will come as a double-pack ala Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp.
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genealogy is the second game Zippo suggests may be remade on Switch, and it's probably more deserving than The Binding Blade. Thanks to various remakes and re-releases, many of the NES and SNES Fire Emblem games are available for modern devices in different capacities. However, the 1996 SNES title Genealogy of the Holy War has never been released outside of Japan, nor has its spin-off Thracia 776.
This game may not have characters as immediately recognizable as Roy, but it is considered by many fans to have one of the series' best narratives. The idea of its multi-generational conflict would go on to inspire similar mechanics in games like Awakening, so fans would likely get a lot out of seeing the original - especially with so many of its units fleshed out in the mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes.
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn
Discounting aforementioned titles like Thracia 776, the duo of Tellius games would likely be the next most deserving of remakes. Path of Radiance released in 2005 on GameCube and Radiant Dawn released in 2007 on Wii, and both are generally well-regarded for strong characters (including Super Smash Bros. mainstay Ike) and a story tackling issues like racism between humans and animal-like shapeshifters called Laguz.
The games did not sell particularly well on their respective consoles and were arguably held back being Fire Emblem's first steps into 3D. Intelligent Systems is far better versed in 3D game design, and the Switch has proven to be a great platform to offer older titles a second chance. Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a good example, having previously struggled to find an audience on the Wii U.
Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn were games that contributed to the near-death of the Fire Emblem franchise before Awakening, so it would be fun to see the series' developer give them another go from this more comfortable position. That being said, The Binding Blade and Genealogy of the Holy War are just as good candidates for the Echoes treatment. For now, fans will just have to wait and see what comes if the rumors are true.
A Fire Emblem remake is rumored to be in development for Switch.