Fans Criticize Sportsmates' Return on Wuhu Island

During the Nintendo Direct reveal for Switch Sports Resort, a plane flies over Wuhu Island and the familiar logo appears — then the Sportsmates are back. The series’ Miis were largely replaced by these more generic avatars when Nintendo Switch Sports launched in 2022, and many players were hoping a Mii revival might follow after this year’s Mii-focused Tomodachi Life release.

In the new footage, Sportsmates again dominate; Miis remain technically playable, but will not appear as CPU opponents. Reaction online was swift and sharp. Some fans called the Sportsmates “colonizers,” accusing them of pushing out the island’s original Miis and taking over the setting.

Others posted altered images and unwelcoming artwork, and one commenter said the chilly reception even made them feel a little sorry for the new avatars. The reveal also shows a revamped Wuhu Island, which has unsettled longtime fans.

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