Nintendo isn’t exactly known for its horror games, so it’s a bit odd that one of the most critically-acclaimed horror games of all time is exclusive to a Nintendo console.Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiemis one of the top-rated horror games ever produced, and a recent trademark renewal byNintendohas fueled speculation that the company may be pursuing a new game in the series.
Nintendo recently renewed a variety of trademarks in Australia and South Korea, which includes theEternal Darknesstrademark. Now, it should be stressed that video game trademark renewals don’t necessarily mean anything. And in fact,Nintendo renewed theEternal Darknesstrademark back in 2017with no announcement being made. However, the fact that these trademark renewals are happening so close to when a Nintendo Direct is expected to take place has given the rumors a bit more “oomph” than they would have otherwise.
RELATED:Paper Mario Fans Really Want Nintendo to Port The Thousand-Year Door
While the most likely scenario is that Nintendo has renewed theEternal Darknesstrademark for no reason other than routine paperwork, there is always the possibility that it has bigger plans in store. Perhaps Nintendo is going to move forward with anewEternal Darknessgame for the Switchor maybe even port the original release with some enhancements.
Maybe Nintendo is looking to expand the Switch’s library of older games. The other trademark renewals Nintendo made around the same time were all for older games, mostly 3DS titles, and include the likes ofOcarina of Time. Perhaps these games will be used to bolster the Switch Online lineup, or maybe Nintendo plans on releasing them as individual titles in order to give the console some more content this holiday season and beyond.
Something working against this theory is that Nintendo has shown very little interest inEternal Darknesssince the original launched in 2002. Even though the game earned near-universal praise from critics and stands as one of thebest Nintendo horror games, it struggled to find an audience.Eternal Darknesswas simply not a commercial success, and so Nintendo may not see much value in attempting to bring the game to the Switch.
In 2013,Eternal Darknesswriter and director Denis Dyack attempted to create aspiritual successor calledShadow of the Eternals, seeking funding through Kickstarter. Unfortunately for Dyack andEternal Darknessfans, theShadow of the EternalsKickstarter failed to generate much interest and fell short of its $750,000 funding goal. This led to Dyack scrapping his plans for the game, and there hasn’t been any majorEternal Darknessdevelopments since then.
