Nintendo was pretty silent about Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes after the game's announcement trailer kicked off its February 2022 Direct. A few screenshots of the new Fire Emblem Warriors game have appeared online, but the actual scope of the Dynasty Warriors-styled hack-and-slash spin-off has been left to peoples' imaginations. That is, until a second trailer dropped on April 12, introducing its new lead character Shez and offering some insights into how it will alter the world established by 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Broad strokes from the new trailer show Three Houses' player-insert character Byleth will remain an antagonistic mercenary named the Ashen Demon - a moniker they slowly moved away from in the original strategy RPG after becoming an instructor at the Officers Academy. Shez, a more charismatic character who can be male or female, will take the reins and support either the Adrestian Empire, Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, or Leicester Alliance. This fresh take on Three Houses' narrative is similar to Koei Tecmo and Omega Force reworking Breath of the Wild's backstory in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and Three Hopes would benefit from a similar demo to test the waters.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity's Demo Had the Perfect Scope
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity's announcement was the product of an odd moment in Nintendo history. Thanks to the effects of the (still ongoing) COVID-19 pandemic, the company produced none of its usual Directs in 2020 outside smaller showcases for development partners and individual game highlights. Instead, Age of Calamity was announced via Twitter on September 8, 2020 - following the likes of Paper Mario: The Origami King on May 14 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe on August 5.
The Zelda spin-off released on November 20, 2020, but Nintendo put out a free Age of Calamity demo on October 28 alongside that month's Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase. While game demos are not an unusual sight for the company; Kirby and the Forgotten Land received one prior to its Switch debut this March; Age of Calamity's was expansive. It covered the entire first act of the game, two story missions with optional side-content that cuts off just before Link recruits the four Champions of Hyrule. Those who played the demo could carry their progress into the main game, essentially completing that portion of the adventure early.
A Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Demo Could Fit a Similar Mold
It's easy to imagine the introductory section of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will follow the same overarching path as Age of Calamity, as that would also mimic the opening of the original Three Houses. Intelligent Systems' RPG begins with a prologue in which Byleth and his father Jeralt encounter Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, and Claude von Riegan when they are attacked by bandits. After Byleth battles alongside the trio, their mercenary troupe is invited to Garreg Mach Monastery by the three Lords, and there players get the choice to teach one of the eponymous three houses at the Officers Academy.
Where the plot of Three Hopes diverges from Three Houses isn't clear as of this writing, but presumably Shez will take Byleth's place during the Skirmish at Dawn, meaning the Ashen Demon remains a free agent who becomes an inevitable threat due to their lack of humanity. A demo for the upcoming Fire Emblem Warriors could take fans through the first few missions of the game that establish Shez's place in its existing universe, only to cut off before players choose between the Scarlet Blaze, Azure Gleam, or Golden Wildfire paths.
This arrangement would give curious bystanders the chance to see if Three Hopes is for them, and give everyone a head-start before its release this June. With each path seemingly introducing different party members; from the retainers of Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude to other returning characters like the Blue Lions' Mercedes and Black Eagles' Monica; a basic opening segment released a month or so early could offer fans time to decide where their allegiances lie. Like Age of Calamity, its demo could also be announced alongside bonuses that are applied to the new game if users have save data for Three Houses on their device.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will release for Switch on June 24, 2022.
