Nintendo has been making headlines recently regarding upcoming titles, though often unintentionally due to leaks. While recent leaks have fueled discussions about a The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, the postponement of a major 3D Super Mario title, and a potential Star Fox revival, a new official development has surfaced from Nintendo.
The company has registered two new patents with the relevant U.S. authority. The first describes new adapters for Joy-Con 2 controllers, designed to facilitate easier independent use of each controller. The second patent, which is of particular interest, details a new processing mechanism for an in-game combat system.
While a new combat system might not seem immediately notable, Nintendo’s accompanying illustration for the patent filing strongly suggests a connection to the Xenoblade Chronicles series. The diagram displays a HUD featuring various action options at the bottom of the screen, with four characters surrounding a larger central figure – a layout strikingly similar to those found in Monolith Soft’s Xenoblade Chronicles games.
Without speculating whether this patent will be applied to a future, unconfirmed Xenoblade game, it’s worth noting that Monolith Soft’s current projects are largely unknown. The studio has a history of collaborating internally on other Nintendo first-party titles. This development sparks speculation among fans regarding a potential hint towards Xenoblade Chronicles 4 or another title from Monolith Soft.