The initial release of Life is Strange: True Colors is still on track, but a new tweet from the game’s Twitter account indicates that the Nintendo Switch version will come at a later date. Despite the snag, PC, Xbox, and PlayStation owners will still be able to play the game on September 10. Life is Strange: True Colors serves as the fourth game in the Life is Strange franchise, and the second game to be developed by Deck Nine.
The original Life is Strange was widely adored at launch due to its heartwarming characters and engaging time-travel narrative based in a quaint seaside town. The franchise has developed a significant following, leading to widespread disappointment when Life is Strange Remastered Collection was delayed to 2022. This was announced at the same time that the True Colors DLC, Wavelengths, was given a release date. With the emergence of the Nintendo Switch news, this has been a busy week for the game just a couple of months following the game’s reveal.
While Deck Nine still plans to release the Switch version of Life is Strange: True Colors in 2021, no official date has been revealed. The team simply tweeted that the game is “running late," and “won’t be quite ready to release on September 10.” The language indicates that the game isn’t too far behind its PC, Xbox, and PlayStation counterparts, but as the year begins to draw to a close, the lack of a date is reason enough for Switch owners to be concerned. This news particularly stings given that Nintendo’s E3 press conference made fans excited to finally play the series on their Switches. Now, with the delay of Life is Strange: True Colors and the Remastered Collection, the franchise’s Nintendo debut will have to wait.
True Colors introduces a brand-new protagonist, Alex Chen, who must use her supernatural ability to see, feel, and manipulate others’ emotions in order to uncover the truth of her brother’s tragic death. While Life is Strange has always taken place in a supernatural world, Alex’s abilities are a bit of a departure from previous entries in the series, which have tended to be more physical, such as telekinesis and time travel. True Colors’ Narrative Director shed light on how emotional auras work in the game, but fans are still curious how such an ability will be used for things like environmental puzzles, which are commonplace in the franchise.
Alex’s gift (or potential curse) more closely resembles visionary and telepathic abilities in Tell Me Why, another game based on supernatural powers that was released in 2020 by Dontnod Entertainment, the original developers of Life is Strange and its sequel. It’s possible that what fans see in Life is Strange: True Colors will represent the series going forward, as there are rumors indicating that Dontnod won’t be returning to the franchise. Life is Strange is owned and published by Square Enix, and Dontnod has expressed its desire to stay close to its own IPs, including those of the 5 games it has lined up. With that said, it’s important for the franchise that Life is Strange: True Colors performs well, and the delay of the game on Switch is a major development on the road toward that outcome.
Life is Strange: True Colors releases on Google Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, P5, and PC on September 10, 2021.
Source: Deck Nine/Twitter