Nintendo last summer sparked excitement among retro gamers when it filed a trademark application with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for a controller for the Nintendo 64, a console it discontinued way back in 2003.
Given Nintendo's recent success with its nostalgia-inducing NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition consoles from 2016 and 2017, respectively, most assumed the filing was proof that Nintendo was indeed working on a miniature version of its beloved N64.
Nintendo never publicly addressed the matter but now, we've got some additional fuel to add to the fire.
Japanese Nintendo recently uncovered a trademark filing for the N64 in Japan for purposes that include "video game program, controller for game machine, joystick for video game machine, TV game machine and more."
Nintendo announced earlier this month that it will be bringing the NES Classic Edition back from the dead on June 29. It'll join the SNES Classic Edition on store shelves through at least the end of the year and will retain its original $59.99 asking price.
Nintendo said during its most recent earnings report that it has sold more than five million SNES Classic Editions.
With E3 2018 just around the corner, the timing would be perfect for a Nintendo 64 Classic Edition announcement. Having all three miniature systems available to purchase this holiday season would be a retro gamer's dream come true. Here's to hoping Nintendo can secure the licensing deals needed to deliver the console with the games people actually want.