Japanese gaming titan Nintendo has filed new patents in the UK, leading gamers to believe that a much-loved console will make a début on Nintendo Switch Online and Expansion Pass.
Nintendo is yet to confirm any news about the Gamecube, but it has gamers speculating what could be a sign of the iconic console possibly becoming a part of the pantheon of retired devices on the online platform.
The patent was first spotted by X (formerly Twitter) user Jo Reggelt and he took to the social media platform to flag the filing;
Some Nintendo Trademarks were filed this week in the UK… pic.twitter.com/z04e5MYg9p
— Jo Reggelt (@Jo_Reggelt) January 27, 2024
What was the Gamecube?
The Gamecube was a disk-based gaming console that was placed on the market to rival the Playstation 2 in the early 2000s. After the N64, this console had a lot to live up to, taking away the well-known cartridges for 1.5bg micro disks for the very first time.
Unlike the consoles designed by Sony that could support mixed media like DVDs and CDs, the Gamecube focused solely on gaming. This would prove to be a major drawback of the console in comparison to other devices, as multimedia and gaming would become a sought-after standard across the decade.
It featured a compact block design and came with the now legendary chunky controllers that made button-bashing games like Super Smash Bros. Melee incredibly satisfying to play.
Games like Pikmin and Aminal Crossing would come to prominence on the console after a slate of delays and the eventual cancellation of the supped-up 64DD.
Nintendo today
The Nintendo Switch continues to rule the roost in the sales charts as the gaming giant recorded its nineteenth straight year of dominance in Japan and boasted the most gaming titles of any console across 2023.
Which is excellent news ahead of a possible Switch 2 announcement at some point this year.
Nintendo’s possible housekeeping
Nintendo could possibly just be keeping the patents up-to-date with this filing, but gamers have long memories and there would be a lot of excitement around a possible new controller that harks back to iconic titles.
Switch adapters are currently used to make use of the iconic Gamecube controller that players still use for the brawler to this day.
There are existing remasters of Gamecube games such as Metroid Prime and Pikmin 1 and 2, so it remains to be seen if this is just a bit of paperwork or the sign of a bigger expansion to Nintendo Switch Online.
Image credit: Pexels.
