Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

I still hold upon the belief that Pokemon Day is going to have both Z-A and Gen 10. Unless the Switch 2 is releasing in November, there's no reason for Gamefreak to leave that slot open otherwise.

@FishyS Yes, I think there will be a major Direct in June with both Switch and Switch 2 games.

I think this is where we get a proper trailer of Metroid Prime 4 to kick off the presentation - by this, I mean we see focused aspects of gameplay along with enhanced visuals which were kept out of the trailer last year, along with an official statement of it being cross-gen. First game could also go to Mario Kart, which would be a massive opening to a show, but I suspect no given that it would be difficult to maintain that momentum afterwards.

The final game of the Direct I anticipate being a Switch 2 exclusive, which could be Mario Kart as mentioned. But... it could also be what I'm most anticipating personally from Nintendo, and that's their next 3D Mario title. I think that's the perfect closer to a June Direct, assuming it releases after the Switch 2 console launches. I don't actually expect too much gameplay in the April Direct for the new console, and suspect this will be reserved for a summer marketing blowout to excite fans about their next generation along with smaller (but also exciting) releases for og Switch owners.

I think the June Direct is actually going to be their biggest Direct in a way, as opposed to April. Hardware is great, but as gamers know, it's software that accentuates a consumer's interest above all else, hence my thoughts on this summer's Direct being the show that gamers, not just Nintendo fans, should tune into so they can see how Nintendo is going to treat the future of hybrid console gaming with their awaited IP cooking.

I guess Nintendo knows that there's enough leverage on their end to keep fans eyed on the Switch 2 Direct, with Donkey Kong Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X to satiate the early year timeline, with a likely drop of something akin to the Kirby Robobot port very soon. Nothing to show for February is easy to pass up for the big N since they know that the trajectory of their future begins in April, and that keen fans will understand why once we're within days reach of the next console.

In fewer words...

April - Switch 2 Hardware Direct
June - Switch 2 Software focused Direct

@Enriesto There’s going to be a lot of games announced at the April Direct. It’s not going to be entirely hardware focused. For starters, Nintendo couldn’t drag their fan base to June without any knowledge of the Switch 2 games after twice telling everyone about the April Direct well in advance.

But secondly they are having invitation events so their fans can actually get to use and play the Switch 2 in April. They have to have announced games in order to do that invitation event.

@FragRed Looking back at Switch 1 preview events, there was:

• BotW
• 1-2-Switch
• Snipperclips
• MK8 Deluxe
• ARMS
• Splatoon 2
• Some 3rd party games (only ones I can find being mentioned are Sonic Mania, Street Fighter 2 and Super Bomberman R)

Considering Nintendo's massive emphasis on backwards compatibility and presumably initial 3rd party support will be stronger than it was on Switch 1, I could see a situation where Switch 2 Experience is less focused on Switch 2 1st party games. For example 2 Switch 2 1st party games (Mario Kart and something which uses the mouse mode), 4 Switch 1 1st party games via backwards compatibility and a wide range of 3rd party Switch 2 games.

As for Direct timing, I still don't think Nintendo will stay silent until April. Maybe a Switch 1 Direct has to be timed such that Legends Z-A isn't present in the Direct itself but also its release date isn't leaked ahead of next week's Pokemon Presents?

If we look back to the June Direct, Nintendo had:

• June - LM2 HD
• July - Nintendo World Championships NES Edition
• September - Echoes of Wisdom
• October - Super Mario Party Jamboree
• November - Mario & Luigi Brothership
• January - DKC Returns HD

When Emio was teased after the Direct, you could tell it was an August release because that month was fast approaching and had no 1st party games.

Not expecting any Direct from Nintendo until April. I do think they'll announce something on Twitter in early March, however. Planet Robobot Deluxe probably, mid-April release.

As for what comes after the April Direct, I think the next major Direct will be the usual September Direct. I think the April Direct will reveal the Switch 2 1st party lineup for the year, and then there will surely be 3rd party announcements over the summer events (SGF, Xbox Showcase, etc). So nothing needed for Switch 2 from Nintendo's end outside of standard marketing until September.

I DO however see them doing a Partner Showcase for Switch 1 in late June.

Oh, no wonder nothing happened this week. Apple had an event on Wednesday:

So while I still think it's unlikely for next week, it seems we can't completely dismiss the possibility of another "Switch 2 reveal on DKC Returns HD release day" moment.

@Grumblevolcano Honestly it's hard to keep track of Apple events (not that I really care to anyways), so this could be a reason to avoid this week.

According to rumours, we're still getting a Direct this month. I don't exactly believe it, and I could totally see some of them backing out claiming they mixed it up with the Pokemon Presents. Nintendo will likely still want to fill this year's gaps for Switch games, so a Direct still makes sense, even though we only have about 1 week left for February. You'd think if anything, Nintendo would want the Direct earlier to stay clear from Pokemon Presents, April Switch 2 Direct, and potentially Mar10 Day.

@Grumblevolcano @PikminMarioKirby We definitely aren't getting a Nintendo direct next week. Nintendo drowning out the release of a port of a 3DS game that was already a port of a Wii game is different from Nintendo drowning out a presentation hosted by one of their biggest partners. I don't see them running a Nintendo direct the same week that Gamefreak is running a Pokemon Presents. They'll either do a Direct the week after, or would've already had one earlier this month if we were getting one at all. Nintendo and Gamefreak generally coordinate with one another when it comes to events in order to prevent one from overshadowing the other. Especially in this stage of the Switch's life, where a Pokemon announcement is going to end up overshadowing any ports or low-effort remasters Nintendo pumps out to keep the Switch alive.

People gave up on the switch two reveal despite it being leaked and look what happened, I would not rule out a February direct yet

The lack of Direct or announcements is making me worried about Metroid Prime 2/3 remaster that was heavily rumored. I was really hoping to play them on the Switch before the fourth game comes out.

There's no chance of a Direct this month. They'll let the Pokémon Presents have its say, drop a few more trailers for Xenoblade X on socials, maybe announce a game through socials, and that will be it until the Switch 2 April Direct. Unless they surprise us with a Direct in March.

To be fair, most people (at least according to polls on famiboards if I recall) still thought the reveal would be January, they were just very skeptical of it dropping on the leaked day of donkey kong release. I think similarly now, people are skeptical of a direct the week of Pokemon Presents but I see zero reason there couldn't be a direct in early March. Also I think a partner showcase (which the current leak might be) could be basically anytime including next week.

@PikminMarioKirby @VoidofLight I'm leaning towards like 90% no, 10% yes regarding next week. It makes a lot more sense to do a Direct in early March when compared to next week however not having Prime 2+3 in February makes timing Prime 4 in such a way that it doesn't get overshadowed by 3D Mario more complicated.

February - Prime 2+3
May/June - Prime 4
September - 3D Mario

If 3D Mario is a rigid September release because of the anniversary and Prime 2+3 isn't February, you get something like:
May - Prime 2+3
August - Prime 4
September - 3D Mario

Which is pretty much sending Prime 4 out to die.

@Grumblevolcano Prime 2+3 could technically be one month before Prime 4 like Pikmin 1+2 was for Pikmin 4. Here's my prediction:

• May/June: Prime 2+3
• July: Metroid Prime 4
• October: 3D Mario

This would give a good amount of time between the two games. 3D Mario being in September for the anniversary could definitely be true, but recently they've been doing October for their mainline games and lines up to be a great holiday title.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 2+3 isn't going to be released. Nintendo is just going to release 4 without it.

Given that this Thursday is Pokemon Day, I'm going to give my thoughts on what they'll show off.

I feel like Pokemon Legends Z-A is probably the most likely to be here. Especially given it's set to release this year. We know that two Mega Evolution themed sets are releasing in Japan within the general time-frame of the summer- so that'll probably be when the game releases.

On top of this, I feel like Legends Z-A will be set in either Future or Present day Lumiose. It won't be in the past, given that the trailer we got shows off people with modern fashion and Lumiose in a state that doesn't exist by the time of X and Y. Many people think it'll be otherwise due to the focus on "Urban Redevelopment," and how that period of time happened closer to when Pokemon Legends Arceus took place- but I don't personally think that means anything. Especially given that Urban Redevelopment can happen at any time.

I also will go out on a limb and say that Gen 10 of Pokemon is going to be revealed at the end of the Presents. There won't be any concrete information as for Gamefreak to not overshadow Z-A, but there will be an announcement of titles and a tease for what people can expect. The full reveal will probably be after Z-A's release, and the launch will happen November of this year for the Switch 2. The reason why I believe this is mainly due to how the TCG itself is lining up. From what I've heard, Pokemon cards stop being tournament legal three years after the set launches. This would apparently put most of the early Scarlet and Violet cards out of use within the tournaments. People I've seen talk about this think that there's a chance that the Z-A sets could act as a "pseudo-generation" for the sake of Competitive play, but given we only have the titles of two sets (which will be one in western releases), then that means unless they trademark more down the road, Z-A only gets the single set.

On top of this, Z-A being slated for a summer release due to the TCG parity means that November is wide open. While it could mean nothing, it just feels weird for them to leave that slot wide open without a game to maximize profits. You'd think they would take the opportunity to put Z-A in the November slot if that was the only game that Gamefreak were releasing this year. Sure- it could probably be the Switch 2's release month, hence why Gamefreak is taking the Summer.. but on the chance that it isn't, then it makes no sense why they wouldn't take that month.

Given what we know about Generation 10 of Pokemon through the Teraleak, it seems like Gamefreak is steady into that game's development. There's references to it being on Switch 1 originally, before (potentially) moving development over to Switch 2. Due to this, there might be a chance we'll see it this year as the big Switch 2 RPG. It would break a few patterns for Gamefreak, given that they never had a time where they released a big new Pokemon game on the launch year of a new console- but it makes sense given the Switch to Switch 2 wouldn't be as large of a leap for them as the 3DS to the Switch, or the DS to the 3DS.

Another thing to note is that a new generation of Pokemon always tends to come out every three years. The only times where it didn't was when they delayed Generation 2, and skipped 2015. While they could skip 2025 and go on to 2026, I just feel like Gamefreak rather make something else that celebrates the big anniversary coming up.

For what it's worth, a supposed leak gave a specific day and it is in summer.

I think we will definitely get the official release date this week.

@FishyS Oh, without a doubt we're getting Z-A's release date. I just feel like given how everything is lining up, it would be strange for the game to release in the Summer with Gamefreak ignoring November. Especially given they tend to like maximizing profits. If it's also worth anything, the Teraleak confirmed that Z-A was originally supposed to launch back in 2024, meaning that could be why the timing would be so tight between Gen 10 and Z-A's releases.

@Novamii This is why I feel like Gamefreak might break that "no first year releases" for the first time in years. They'd stand to sell a good bit more consoles if the next Pokemon is a game that launches in the first year.