RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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We've rounded up everything announced in today's Nintendo Direct broadcast focused on Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave , including a big reveal of the game's true protagonist, several big choices and some heroic timey-wimey shenanigans.
Today's broadcast featured 20 minutes of new details for Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 exclusive, which is set to launch in just over a month on September 17.
Fortune's Weave is the first major launch in Nintendo's beloved RPG franchise for several years, and looks to once again embrace the gameplay that made 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses so successful. After a so-so successor in Fire Emblem: Engage, this new title looks to very much be a Three Houses sequel, with the return of Heroes' Relics and Crests, and a familiar face in an older Sothis.
As ever, Fortune's Weave will feature the Fire Emblem series' familiar turn-based gameplay and colorful characters, this time set in and around an enormous arena, site of a championship named the Heroic Games. Read on for all the new details!
Four Character Stories to Choose From
Fortune's Weave is set in The Dagda Empire, 1449, and in the capital city of Dagison — a bustling hub, which is where the Heroic Games take place in a Roman-style amphitheature. On offer is a worthy prize: the granting of one wish from Dagda's ruler Solel.
Each of the game's four heroes offer their own storyline and set of allies:
Cai is a young farm boy looking to save his imprisoned father.
Dietrich is a brooding seafarer attacked by an enormous monster, washed ashore and seeking glory.
Theodora is seeking to win to restore peace to her remote home kingdom that worships a mysterious goddess.
Leda is a young woman born into prestige but who becomes consumed by rage at her father's murder. She learns that the killer's plan is to participate in the games.
There's Plenty of City Activities Outside Battle
Beyond fighting in the arena, there's plenty to do before you prep for your next scrap. Once a week training is available at the arena to level up your fighters. Here, you can also watch battles between your opponents to gather useful intel on their techniques. The shopping arcade, meanwhile, will let you enhance your weapons.
A temple will allow you to receive a blessing, which provides stat buffs in battle. Certification Exams let you try to obtain different classes for your characters. Townsfolk quests are also available to complete for rewards. And you can recruit powerful warriors, who may try and turn you away at first. Luckily, you can try again after winning them over — either by giving them gifts or taking them to dinner.
Inns allow you to rest and recharge, and also receive materials automatically over time. It's here that you'll engage in conversations with your support characters. (And yes, we did get a glimpse at a bathhouse scene.)
One final, mysterious location was also shown: the Pale Raven's Perch. Using the powers of this mysterious bird, you can swap to one of the other heroes, allowing you to play through all four characters in parallel!
Adventure Further Afield via The World Map
Exploration beyond the city of Dagison is possible, with overworld skirmishes against bandits and dungeon exploration. But time will pass as you explore, inevitably calling you back to the arena once more.
One major reveal here was regular turn-based combat in dungeons, rather than the grid-based battles the series is known for. These battles will let you combo attacks with support allies, and all four characters will offer their own unique abilities. Dungeons will also allow you to collect materials and other items.
The Story Continues, Five Years Later
After a time jump, Fortune's Weave will reveal its main protagonist, Eshmel, a hero who must stop the destruction of Dagda in 1454. Yes, those four characters earlier were merely the introduction!
Playing as Eshmel, you are called down by Sothis to try and save the kingdom. And it's here that Fortune's Weave will give players another big choice: to save the kingdom solo, or bring the game's earlier four heroes to the future to help in your quest, aided by the time-travelling powers of goddess Fortuna.
Today's presentation wrapped up with a quick look at the Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Dagdan Collection, a special edition featuring a SteelBook case, character art cards, a map of Dagda and an artbook. Later today, Nintendo Music will be updated with selected tracks from Fortune's Weave, including the main theme. Tomorrow, the Nintendo Today app will also gain a Fire Emblem theme.
Those were all the big announcements from today's Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Nintendo Direct. So, what did you think?
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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