Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

@westman98 No, that if there isn't new Switch hardware launching alongside TotK it's more likely that the next general Direct is in March rather than February.

2022 and 2023's lineup is the biggest thing that suggests new Switch hardware is inbound soon. Given new entries outside of Pokemon are generally every 5-6 years nowadays, the opportunities for a strong launch lineup are running out unless they don't release the Switch's successor until like 2027/2028 which seems unlikely.

We have to keep in mind that Nintendo dropped a large portion of Wii U first party support in 2015, two years before the Switch launched. The Switch would not have had such an amazing 2017 otherwise. So if Nintendo wanted to prepare for a late 2025 or early 2026 launch of their next platform, we should see their first party output drop off in 2023.

No doubt the Switch will coast on ports and shovelware through 2024.

Who's ready for Super Bomberman R2? I know I'm not.

@Grumblevolcano Ehh, I disagree there. The 1st party titles revealed in the February Direct aren't about the early part of the year, it's the ones releasing late spring and into summer.

This year's February Direct revealed Switch Sports, Mario Strikers Battle League, FE Warriors Three Hopes, Live a Live, and Xenoblade 3.

So new hardware not launching alongside TotK does NOT make the Direct more likely to happen in March. It'll still happen in February regardless, where we'll see Zelda get a proper unveiling, as well as whatever is coming in June/July (probably the next Mario Sports game from Camelot and something else).

@IceClimbers The point was we already know the May game while in the past years when we got a February general Direct, we knew nothing non-Pokemon with precise release dates past March so a general Direct could wait until March as long as there's not new hardware or an unannounced April non-Pokemon game. The airing month seems to depend on what's happening 2 months from the airing date meanwhile the precise airing date seems to depend on shadow drops.

February 2022 Direct had to happen in February because of Switch Sports for example.

Pikmin 4 will probably be Nintendo's June game.

Sent out to die in front of the landslide that will be TotK.

@Grumblevolcano What makes you so sure we're getting new hardware next year? Isn't the chip shortage still a prevalent issue?

@VoidofLight If you look at what's likely to release in the next few years based on patterns, 2023 looks like an extremely strong year where most of the huge franchises have either a new game releasing or updates/DLC for the current game alongside a load of other stuff. Also it'll likely have that big 2017 style new Zelda + Mario combo given the Mario movie.

If they've already used up most of their franchises for new entries in 2022 and 2023 then 2024 would likely be on the quieter side for new games (think 2018). Ports, remasters and remakes are fantastic but Nintendo likely wouldn't choose to release the successor in a year where that's the focus. Specific timing could make 2025 a suitable successor year but the lineup wouldn't be as strong as 2023.

As for the chip shortage, while it does still exist it's definitely a lot easier to get PS5/Series X this holiday season.

@Magician I bet you June 2023 is Mario Baseball.

Since there is a gap in the schedule for April, anyone else feel like that's a lock for Advance Wars?

@Magician you have to consider that before the launch of Switch, Wii U was Nintendo last home console, they have to develop to 3DS and Wii U, now it would be much easier to make games, now that Nintendo is focusing on a single console(unless, they return to a home and handheld consoles in the next generation, they release two consoles at ounce).

@ElRoberico I'm thinking Detective Pikachu being announced in a Pokemon Presents. 2020 had a bunch of Pokemon spinoffs alongside DLC for the current mainline games so I think the same will happen in 2023.

@Grumblevolcano
The Detective Pikachu sequel was announced in 2019, not 2020.

@westman98 Mystery Dungeon remake, Cafe Mix and Smile all released in 2020, that's what I was referring to by 2020 having bunch of Pokemon spinoffs. If you want to also include announcements in 2020 for later releases, New Pokemon Snap and Unite were both announced in 2020. TPC did a similar thing in 2015 when there was no mainline release at all so it's a reasonable guess that 2023 would be full of spinoffs.

Detective Pikachu comes to mind for release in 2023 because it's one of the few spinoffs that have been announced but not released. Pokemon Sleep is the other.

A Tears of the Kingdom Switch OLED model has leaked:
https://i.imgur.com/2bMz2RA_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thu...

@westman98 Finally, proof to debunk the "TEARS OF THE KINGDOM WILL LAUNCH ON SWITCH AND SWITCH 2!" claims. Nintendo isn't going to release brand new hardware along side TotK if they're also pushing an OLED model base console.

This also means we're probably bound for news in the coming weeks, since if they're already manufacturing the consoles, then they're most likely getting ready to announce them.

@westman98 @VoidofLight If that's real, it really shows Nintendo's very limited promotion of TotK as bizarre.

@Grumblevolcano
If Tears of the Kingdom doesn't get a big detailed trailer by February, then sure, things are bizarre. But until then, the marketing seems fine and the game remains very highly anticipated.

Looks like it’s going to be a 2024 release for the Switch successor. That asks the question what big games they have for that year since it can’t be TokT

@FragRed Folks assume it'll be Mario Odyssey 2 and Metroid Prime Remake.

@Magician
To be fair, a new Mario or Metroid (be it Prime 4 or Prime 1 Remake) are decent candidates for Switch 2 launch titles. It won't be TOTK, that's for sure.