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Could Mario and Luigi Brothership be the last Mario game on the Nintendo Switch?

Following the recent release of Mario and Luigi Brothership on the Nintendo Switch, players have wondered if this may be the last Mario game to launch on the ever-popular handheld device. With the announcement of the Switch 2 almost inbound in the not-so-near future, the latest Mario game might very well be the last title of its franchise to be released on the Switch.

Do note, however, that this has not been confirmed by Nintendo as of yet, and is speculation based on trends. Below, we will explore why Brothership may be the final hurrah for Nintendo's ever-popular handheld.

Note: The contents of this article are speculative and subjective in nature.

Also read: Is Mario & Luigi Brothership turn-based?


Mario and Luigi Brothership may be the last Mario game on the Switch

With the Switch being originally launched in 2017, its hardware is over seven years old at this point. While older consoles do get supported and receive game releases well into their life cycle, companies often shift focus to their future releases when newer hardware is on the horizon.

Brothership may be the final Mario game for the 2017 handheld (Image via Nintendo of America)
Brothership may be the final Mario game for the 2017 handheld (Image via Nintendo of America)

Although Brothership's reception has been positive as far as visuals and features are concerned, there have also been many comments regarding poor performance on the Switch. This suggests that despite Nintendo's optimizations, the end of this iconic console's life is drawing ever closer. So, while this is speculative and Nintendo may have some other smaller releases planned, it isn't very far-fetched to believe that this Mario title might mark the end of the series on the popular handheld.

Taking into account Nintendo's history, the game may even end up being a launch title for the Switch 2. Although Mario Kart 8 was originally released in 2014 for the Wii U, it was ported over to the Switch when it launched in 2017, making it one of the earliest games on the console. Moreover, it was recently announced that the Switch 2 will be backward compatible, making this scenario even more likely.

The Switch 2 could see a native port of Mario and Luigi Brothership as a launch title given Nintendo's previous history (Image via Nintendo of America)
The Switch 2 could see a native port of Mario and Luigi Brothership as a launch title given Nintendo's previous history (Image via Nintendo of America)

Despite the announcement for the Switch 2 scheduled for early 2025, readers are advised to keep in mind that all these theories about the series' fate on the Switch console are speculative. There has been no official confirmation by Nintendo on the matter yet.


Read more Mario and Luigi Brothership articles below:

  • Does Mario & Luigi Brothership have co-op multiplayer?
  • Mario & Luigi Brothership pre-order guide: Editions, pre-order bonuses, and more

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