Recently, notable rumors regarding Nintendo's plans for Super Mario's 35th anniversary have been making the rounds. If accurate, it's going to be a fantastic year for the iconic video game character. However, if Mario is indeed getting a lot of content in 2020, this could indicate the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won't be releasing this year. Some have speculated Breath of the Wild 2 could release later this year, but that might not be the case if Mario takes center stage.
What Are The Mario Rumors?
Both VGC and Eurogamer have sources saying Nintendo has big game plans for Mario. The year 2020 celebrates the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Nintendo will reportedly celebrate with new and old games. According to the reports, most of Mario's catalog will be receiving remasters on Switch, along with a new Paper Mario installment. Not only that, but there are "several other Mario titles" on the way.
Eurogamer's sources indicate Super Mario Galaxy will be remastered. Also, those sources state Super Mario 3D World is getting the deluxe treatment. Altogether, the implications of these reports are massive. Remasters of Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64 would make headlines, as an example. Plus, it's not known what these "several" other Mario games are. If this rumor is accurate, a lot of Mario is on the way.
What Does This Mean For Breath Of The Wild 2?
Breath of the Wild's sequel was announced during E3 2019. Since then, little has been shared regarding development progress. There was no confirmation it would release this year, but a 2020 arrival did make sense. Sony and Microsoft are releasing their next generation consoles this year, so Nintendo needs something grand to not get left behind. Breath of the Wild's sequel would have fit the bill.
However, if Nintendo is set on releasing so many Mario titles this year, it's hard to picture a massive release like Breath of the Wild 2. Yes, remasters would technically be older games. But, HD remasters of Sunshine and Galaxy would be big deals. Plus, that's not even considering the unnamed Mario games and the new Paper Mario. While it's true Nintendo released Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild in 2017, this is different. Nintendo would likely put its largest emphasis on Super Mario's 35th anniversary, with other notable games being titles that don't conflict, like a potential release of Bayonetta 3.