I Cannot Wait for Fortune’s Weave

Out of everything shown during Nintendo’s June 9th Direct, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave was the game I was most excited about. Honestly, I had already seen enough from that presentation to know I was all in. Since I’d like to go into the game as blind as possible, I skipped the dedicated Fortune’s Weave Direct on August 4th and haven’t read any of the previews that have come out since - although I know they’ve been glowing!

Part of the reason for my excitement is the timing. I literally just finished my fourth playthrough of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, wrapping up Dimitri's route after previously completing Claude's route, both of Edelgard's routes, and the DLC campaign. After spending well over 300 hours with Three Houses, I can confidently say it's my favorite standalone Fire Emblem game.

So naturally, when Nintendo revealed Fortune's Weave, it immediately had my attention.

It Looks Like a Huge Step Forward

The first thing that jumped out at me was the presentation.

The game simply looks better than Three Houses.

We're getting a much higher resolution presentation, smoother visuals, and perhaps most importantly, 60 frames per second gameplay. That's a huge upgrade for a series that has traditionally been more limited technically.

I'm also curious to see how Nintendo handles story scenes this time around. Traditionally, Fire Emblem games use static backgrounds with animated character models layered on top. It works, but I'd love to see them push things a little further with higher-quality backgrounds or more dynamic presentation.

That said, even if they stick with the traditional approach, I'm perfectly fine with it. The writing, characters, and gameplay are ultimately what matter most to me, and Fire Emblem has always excelled in those areas.

Four Characters, Four Stories

One thing I immediately loved about the reveal is the structure.

Much like Three Houses, Fortune's Weave appears to be built around multiple story paths. This time, however, we're getting four protagonists right from the start.

I'm already thinking about which route I'll tackle first.

My initial instinct was to pick Dietrich because he's exactly the type of character archetype I usually gravitate toward in RPGs. But because of that, I think I'm actually going to save him for last.

Right now, I'm leaning toward starting with Kai.

Either way, I fully expect to play through all four routes. That's one of the things I loved most about Three Houses. Getting to see the same world from different perspectives added tremendous depth to the story, and I'm hoping Fortune's Weave follows a similar philosophy.

The $80 Price Tag Doesn't Bother Me

One topic I've seen a lot of discussion around is the game's $80 physical price point.

Would I prefer it to be cheaper?

Of course.

But honestly, if there's one Nintendo franchise where I can understand the premium pricing, it's Fire Emblem.

I grew up during the SNES era when RPGs often cost more than other games because they required larger cartridges and contained significantly more content. Fire Emblem has always felt like that kind of premium RPG experience.

Just look at Three Houses.

The amount of voice acting alone is staggering. Nearly every conversation in the game is fully voiced. The support conversations, story scenes, monastery interactions—there's an incredible amount of production value packed into that experience.

And when I think about how much time I'll spend with Fortune's Weave, the value proposition becomes pretty easy for me.

I'm going to play through all four routes.

I'm going to spend dozens—if not hundreds—of hours with the game.

I'm going to get my money's worth.

Would I have preferred a lower price? Absolutely.

But if Nintendo is positioning Fire Emblem as one of its premium RPG franchises, I'm okay with it.

September Can't Get Here Fast Enough

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave launches on September 17, and it will absolutely be a day-one purchase for me.

The good news is that I just wrapped up my fourth Three Houses playthrough, so I have a little time to decompress before diving back into the world of Fire Emblem.

But make no mistake: the anticipation is already building.

The game looks fantastic, the multiple-route structure has me intrigued, and after spending so much time with Three Houses, I'm more than ready for a new Fire Emblem adventure.

September can't get here fast enough.