N64 Classic on the way? Nintendo drops huge hint with trademark application
Release date could be as early as the end of the year as NES Classic production ramps down -- but licensing problems mean it might not have the games you want
WHEN Nintendo re-released the Nintendo Entertainment System as the NES Classic it was overwhelmed by demand.
The mini retro console packed with classic games sold out quicker than you could say Duck Hunt and was being flogged on eBay for ten times the original price. The Mario maker followed that up with an SNES classic - which then started fans clamouring for a packaged version of the next console in line, the N64.
It looks like fans might not have long to wait before those calls are answered if a new N64 trademark application in Japan, spotted by the blog, is to be believed.
This is the second intellectual property filing hinting at an N64 Classic; the Zelda firm filed to protect a new image of the N64's classic three-pronged controller last year.
It was thought at the time that this might have been to do with the firm's Virtual Console service on Switch, but now we know that's not happening, an N64 Classic is probably the most likely candidate.
Given the trouble Nintendo had in keeping up with demand for both the NES Classic and SNES Classic worldwide, it is entirely possible that they slowed their plans for an N64 version until they had caught up with production for the earlier models.
That time is nearly upon us too. The NES Classic will be back in stock in the UK next month, while shops in the USA that had been particularly plagued by shortages started selling the SNES Classic again earlier this month.
When Nintendo announced the return of the NES Classic to our shelves, it did come with a caveat; they were only guaranteeing stock for the rest of the year. That could also point to plans afoot for an N64 Classic, given it suggests that production capacity is needed elsewhere.
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Fans should probably temper their expectations, however. Many of the N64's most fondly remembered games from GoldenEye to the WCW/WWF wrestling titles depended very heavily on licensed intellectual property, and many of these deals have since been superseded by other publishers.
These problems have already killed off an Xbox GoldenEye remake, and could well pose serious issues for Nintendo if it tries to re-release these fan favourites.
We've asked Nintendo for comment on the filing, and will update you with any more news on the N64 Classic as we find it.
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