There is no denying that Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is an ambitious RPG, and it has already managed to impress quite a few veterans in the genre. The game features four different protagonists whose stories eventually come together, and although this is not the most traditional approach, it is certainly a breath of fresh air. However, even though many players consider it an excellent game, others have pointed out on multiple occasions that some parts of it do not feel as developed as they should, and unfortunately, they might be right.
It’s important to mention that sometimes the criticism comes from people who actually love the game and have praised it quite heavily. In any case, the problem seems to be that certain characters, storylines, and even gameplay systems feel unfinished. And considering the details Nintendo has revealed about the development of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, there’s actually a good reason to believe that the critics may have a point.
Some of Fortune’s Weave’s Storylines Leave Too Many Questions Unanswered
Having four protagonists with different storylines that eventually come together is all fun and games until you actually have to make sure that there are no plot holes and every question you have raised ends up being answered at some point or another. And although this approach is not only interesting but also quite successful in this case, it does create certain expectations, especially when it comes to how conflicts are resolved. For example, Reddit user CamdeusCain points out that the fates of Iliana and Yanjin remain unclear, and others quickly supported this statement by adding that Cruaidin just seems to suddenly disappear from the story, regardless of the fact that he played an important role previously.
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Moreover, players seem to agree that Bertrand’s rise to power is unexplained, saying that the game never really elaborates properly on how he even became King of Brezerant or how he obtained Zalmoxis from the Bloodaxe, despite his importance to the story. Yes, it is true that not every single detail needs an explanation, but ignoring the context of essential plot points is quite a big misstep. Moreover, when this same pattern is repeated across several characters, it makes sense for players to start wondering whether Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave could have benefited from a little more development time.
Fortune’s Weave Was Originally Supposed to Be Much Bigger
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Although it’s obvious that Fortune’s Weave is an ambitious title, it’s interesting to know that the developers had even bigger plans for it and its development. Toshiyuki Kusakihara, the lead director of the Fire Emblem series, revealed in an interview that the team initially wanted to have 8 protagonists instead of 4 since the idea was to go way beyond what Fire Emblem: Three Houses had achieved. However, this could have easily made things way more complicated than they had to be, so the team decided against it. Of course, since introducing so many protagonists can actually open the door to a lot of problems, this decision certainly sounds reasonable.
Players seem to agree that Bertrand’s rise to power is unexplained, saying that the game never really elaborates properly on how he even became King of Brezerant or how he obtained Zalmoxis from the Bloodaxe…
However, it is also a significant change to the original vision that may be exactly the reason why some parts of the game feel way less developed than others, especially when it comes to some characters’ storylines. Interestingly enough, the complaints about Fortune’s Weave don’t end with the storytelling. According to Nintendo, the game uses a shared file that brings together the progress from the different storylines, so the game does not have to rely on separate saves for each protagonist. However, although this makes sense from a dev’s perspective, it might also explain why some Reddit users have criticized the saving system, stating that it has an aggressive autosaving pattern that doesn’t necessarily make the game unplayable, but it can definitely be frustrating.
Major Development Changes May Explain Why Fortune’s Weave Feels Incomplete
Another point worth mentioning is that, according to Nintendo, Eshmel was added during development simply because the original approach did not successfully bring the different storylines together. This does not prove that other parts of the content were brought in or deleted at later stages, but it would certainly make sense if that were the case, and it was the cause of the unfinished stories. Moreover, we know that Eshmel’s introduction also changed the direction of the entire narrative, moving it toward the past as well. This is a huge change, considering that the developers were probably halfway done with the game by the time the character was introduced.
Last, but not least, according to a few Reddit users, some of the game’s locations have a purpose that was never fully fulfilled, such as Solomon Island. Megaliths directs Anatolia there, but in the end, the location doesn’t really lead anywhere. The Palace of Sand was also mentioned as a location that does not serve any particular purpose. This is by no means proof that the devs removed content, but it’s certainly a strange coincidence. Overall, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is certainly an excellent game in most people’s eyes, but it’s difficult to disagree with players who believe that some ideas simply deserved more attention than they received.
- Released
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September 17, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, In-Game Purchases
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
