Nintendo is reportedly sitting on an unannounced sequel to 1-2 Switch after the title failed to impress playtesters.
According to a report from Fanbyte, which spoke with multiple anonymous sources familiar with the troubled project, the sequel was at once point called Everybody's 1-2 Switch and featured a range of mini-games that could accommodate lobbies as big as 100 players.
The aim going into production was the preserve the appeal of the original release, which incorporates 1v1 mini-games aimed at smaller groups, by offering players something new. The report states that Nintendo looked to developer Jackbox Games for inspiration and sought to replicate the big-party appeal of Jackbox Party titles like Fibbage and Quiplash, which proved a hit during the pandemic.
As a result. Everybody's 1-2 Switch would facilitate the use of smartphones while filtering in some of the original's quirky motion controls by asking players to move physically around environments in mini-games such as Musical Chairs.
The idea itself doesn't sound too far-fetched, but it seems like (in something of a rarity) Nintendo struggled to make good on the pitch. Fanbyte claims the title tested "horribly," with playtesters delivering "brutal" feedback.
While it's hardly uncommon for games to test poorly before being whipped into shape like a delectable meringue, the response apparently caused bedlam internally. Those working at the Switch maker feared that releasing Everybody's 1-2 Switch would severely harm the company's reputation as a stellar first-party developer, seemingly leaving the project in a state of perpetual limbo.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Everybody's 1-2 Switch, Nintendo reportedly began working its way through the publishing checklist, printing out cover art and assembling boxes ahead of a presumed release. According to Fanbyte's sources, there are currently stacks of empty Everybody's 1-2 Switch game boxes waiting in the wings ahead of a release that might never come to pass.
Indeed, at the time of writing there are differing opinions as to what Nintendo will actually do with the title. Some sources claim certain company execs still intend to push ahead with a full $60 retail release, while others suggest releasing the project as a Nintendo Switch Online bonus is an idea that's also being tossed around.
Until Nintendo comments publicly on the project, we'll never know for sure, but the story makes for an interesting glimpse behind the curtain of one of the games industry's biggest players.
Be sure to check out the full write-up over on Fanbyte for more details.