Rumours have kicked off about a potential Nintendo Direct next week, to take place just after the one year anniversary of the Nintendo Switch 2.
The cadence of Nintendo Direct presentations this year has been odd to say the least, with an emphasis on lots of smaller showcases, and no big first party Direct to announce major new titles. However, there is an expectation that will happen this month.
Nintendo has traditionally held a major Direct in June almost every year, especially when E3 was still going. The only time it hasn’t recently was last year, when it held a special presentation dedicated entirely to Donkey Kong Bananza, following the Switch 2’s launch a few week’s earlier.
If last year was an anomaly due to the launch of a new console, it seems this year is back to the regular routine, at least according to insiders.
Speaking on his Game Mess podcast, mostly reliable insider Jeff Grubb claimed the next Nintendo Direct will take place on Tuesday, June 9.
‘I’ve heard Tuesday, next Tuesday,’ Grubb said on the subject of Nintendo’s next showcase, although he does mention it ‘could happen on Wednesday’ as ‘things can get mixed up in terms of time zones and days’.
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‘There’s a possibility it could happen on Wednesday, but I’ll say the date I keep hearing is next Tuesday and Tuesday morning specifically,’ Grubb added (he’s based in the US, so it will be afternoon for the UK). ‘And that’s coming up a lot more frequently in the last couple of days.’
Earlier this week, fellow insider Nash Weedle posted an image teasing the date of the next Nintendo Direct. The image shows a leaf over the US flag, which some believe relates to the release date of Animal Crossing: New Leaf in the US, which was also June 9.
While it’s rare for two insiders to line-up like this, it’s still worth taking it with a pinch of salt still as Nintendo is famously difficult to predict. It’s also worth noting that neither of them indicate what kind of Direct it will be, so while there’s an assumption it is the big ‘general’ Direct, it could still turn out to be a Partner Showcase for third party studios.
However, if it is on Tuesday, it would mark a return to the classic E3 days when Nintendo presentations would happen on a Tuesday, directly after Sony and Microsoft. Sony held its State Of Play last night, while Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase takes place on Sunday, June 7.
Regardless of when the Nintendo Direct happens, one is certainly overdue. Nintendo’s Christmas line-up is largely a mystery at the moment, although rumours suggest a remake of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time will be this year’s big Switch 2 title.
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