Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

I bet they'll add some mouse stuff.

I vote we ban all mention of NtH in this thread to keep it more speculation.
Just kidding, of course! It does make it less fun, though.

@CaleBoi25 I mean... I feel like the date speculation is a little silly when we know something is coming in September regardless. The couple times recently when Nintendo told us a direct date far in advance didn't make speculating what would be in the direct any less fun - if anything speculation became more fevered since we had a date.

@FishyS oh I still love guessing what will be there. I just prefer unreliable leakers because then we all argue about if it's true or not. With Nate, most of the time folks just say, oh, well, that's that. But we can still speculate on what will be there!

That's a nice segue into my predictions:

• Mario Wonder S2E
• Splatoon Raiders info (possibly including 2026 release date?), S3 update (Shadow drop for new kits/Splatfest?)
• HW AoI (release date)
• Prime 4 (release date, special direct?)
• Air Riders reminder
• NSO game update (Sunshine)
• Mario Movie cast or something?
• MarioKart World DLC something

Metroid prime 4 opening
Updates in things from switch 1 direct
Mario kart world free periodic updates with DK characters
Eldin ring
Free bare bones switch 2 update for games like brothship that desperately need them
MM2 switch two edition
NSO
New star fox with mouse controls that will be reveled to be optinal later

I'll post more predictions later, but one thing I'm going to predict is that Splatoon Raiders will be a no show. We'll see that in February!

I guess I'll share predictions as well:
Pokémon Legends Z-A trailer (new Mega reveal?)
Kirby Air Riders trailer
Shadowdrop of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Remastered (releases on both Switch 1 and 2)
Metroid Prime 4 Beyond trailer: release date October, November, or December 2025
Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment trailer: release date January 2026
Rhythm Heaven Groove trailer: release date February 2026
Free update for Rhythm Heaven Groove that adds mouse controls on Switch 2
Tomodachi Life Living the Dream: March 2026, Switch 2 Edition detailed and is launching on the same day
Splatoon Raiders trailer: release date summer 2026
Maybe a teaser trailer for a new Animal Crossing or Fire Emblem tba 2026?
Mario 40th segment:
Mario Wonder Switch 2 Edition for late October
Mario Maker Switch 2 Edition or Mario Maker 3 trailer: release date April 2026
First Mario Kart World content update for November or December (DK Bananza crossover?)
Sunshine for GameCube NSO shadowdrop
Western release of the Hello, Mario! app shadowdrop
Teaser trailer for new 3D Mario that is openworld: release date tba 2026 (probably releasing in the fall of that year)

I know that most of my guesses are going to be so wrong lol 🤣

I have 2 predictions regarding next week, 1 in the outcome of SMB 40th anniversary Direct and 1 in the outcome of general Direct. I'm leaning towards it being an anniversary Direct but figured I'd make a prediction in case there's a general Direct instead:

SMB 40th anniversary Direct

• Start with Mario Kart World, 1st major content update and perhaps giving a roadmap for the game
• Headlines - Switch 2 editions of Mario Wonder, Sparks of Hope and TTYD
• NSO - Sunshine, SMB Deluxe, maybe something like the GBA Mario Sports games or the return of SMB 35
• Ingame events - Splatoon 3 Splatfest, Tetris 99 Maximus Cups (TTYD/Jamboree/Brothership/MK World), maybe F-Zero 99 event
• Merch
• 2nd movie debut trailer
• End with a teaser for 3D Mario

General Direct

• Start with FE4 remake (Switch 1)
• 1st party headlines - Legends Z-A, Kirby Air Riders, Rhythm Heaven Groove, Age of Imprisonment, Yoshi's Woolly World (Switch 1)
• Spotlight segments - Tomodachi Life Living the Dream, Splatoon Raiders, SMB 40th anniversary
• End with a long focus on Prime 4 and a shadow drop of Prime 2+3 (Switch 1)

I'll list my 3rd party predictions for the general Direct later.

@Grumblevolcano, I actually completely forgot about Ubisoft's president announcing an interest in a re-release of Sparks of Hope on the Switch 2. Makes me wonder how it will turn out: a paid Switch 2 Edition or just a free update? Sparks of Hope is one one of my favorite games ever, so annoying related to a performance boost on the Switch 2 is good news, especially since I've heard the game has a few issues on the system.

Also forgot about that rumored Fire Emblem 4 remake. That's honestly probably more likely than a new one at the moment, now that I think about it.

I am going to be brutally honest here: I don't think we are getting a 3D Mario teaser! Firstly, it's unneeded. I know DK and Mario fill different roles, but honestly, folks, just have some patience! DK was an amazing game, and I am sure Mario's next outing will be, too, but give him some time. Odyssey was perfectly.... fine, but I want something actually new here. Let them cook, even if it takes a while. Yes this is a bit ranty but I am just SO tired of hearing about "Where's the next 3D Mario?!"

@Grumblevolcano
Would be pretty disappointing if the only new announcements from the September general Direct are Switch 1 games, and not even new games at that. I'd personally expect more.

@CaleBoi25 Maybe we'll get something like this for Mario Kart in the next 3-4 years

@westman98 Unless Age of Imprisonment is December and/or Rhythm Heaven + Tomodachi Life are later on in 2026 like Summer/Fall (my guess is Rhythm Heaven in January, Age of Imprisonment in February, Tomodachi Life in March though), I see a September general Direct mostly acting as a catchup on already announced games Direct for the 1st party side of things kind of like what happened in September 2017 considering September general Directs focus on September - March.

@Grumblevolcano Not having any new 1st party announcements for Switch 2 for next year would be incredibly tone deaf. They don't have to blow their load and reveal the entire lineup, but they do need to show something, or else they WILL receive major backlash and deservedly so

@Grumblevolcano @IceClimbers Yeah, that will not go over well. Bare minimum they should at least have a Switch 2 Edition or a remake/remaster to show (possibly even S2Es of Rhythm Heaven/Tomodachi Life if things are REALLY bad) if they don't have much for the Switch 2 in Spring, but having absolutely nothing in Q1 is a bad look.

@Bolt_Strike @IceClimbers The theoretical lineup I had in mind when making my general Direct predictions was:

• September - Prime 2+3
• October - Legends Z-A
• November - Prime 4 (could be October 30th/31st instead), Kirby Air Riders
• January - Rhythm Heaven Groove
• February - Pokemon Champions, Age of Imprisonment
• March - Tomodachi Life Living the Dream
• April - Splatoon Raiders, Yoshi's Woolly World
• May - FE4 remake (30th anniversary of the game is on May 14th which is a Thursday)

Having 1 major Switch 2 exclusive per quarter (Q2 2025 was Mario Kart World, Q3 2025 was DK Bananza, Q4 2025 is Kirby Air Riders, Q1 2026 being Age of Imprisonment, Q2 2026 being Splatoon Raiders).

Throw in a few Switch 2 editions of already released Mario games and an update for MK World announced in the SMB 40th anniversary segment. I think that while it would be a disappointing general Direct to those who were expecting some massive E3 scale announcement blowout, it's solid enough while preventing a repeat of Prime 4.

If we get a general Direct then I'd be pretty disappointed if there isn't any interesting new first party game annoucements, even if it's for a game or two a little further off than usual. The Switch 2 lineup has been underwhelming so far so I'd just like something else to actually look forward to.

If 'one more thing' was just a single still frame of Isabelle with no other information, the internet would go crazy.

Just saw that Marvel Rivals is coming to PS4 on 12th September in time for the next season.

...Right when next week's Direct is going to be, could it drop on Switch 2 as well?