The thing that’s making me hesitant to say that we’re not getting a June Direct is that we have no idea what’s in store for the second half of their year apart from some DLC and Pikmin 4. And September is pretty much too late in the year to show off Q3 of the year. 2022 was different in that aspect because we knew pretty well in advance what major releases for the second half of the year were thanks to the February Direct, but we just didn't get that this time. So I'm holding out hope for a June Direct and I definitely think it's possible based on what we know (or rather don't know) at this point in time.
"Science compels us to explode the sun!"
Currently playing:
Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition (Switch)
Balatro (PC)
I would at least say, that people shouldn't rule out a june direct completely. They could be showing a lot for the second half of the year. I mean, there really is still a lot that can happen at this point since we only got Pikmin 4 as the title for the second half of the year. Doesn't have to be, but its not totally unlikely either.
"on a scale of 1 to 10, she's an 11, and she'd give herself a 12" ~The Burst, Furi
Nope, everyone's collectively decided that there's for sure going to be a Zelda direct before May but nothing else until September. No new information has been revealed, of course (we've known about E3 for a while now), but the talking points are out.
Baten Kaitos 1+2 (Monolith Soft) is scheduled for Summer
Pokemon Presents on Monday (could reveal stuff like there's currently a June gap)
There's a lot of story DLC and Nintendo pretty much gave September 2018 to Torna
Nintendo did shadow drop Metroid Prime in the February Direct so they could essentially shadow drop something like Prime 2 in a September Direct if they felt like it
@StarPoint I'm not convinced that Pikmin 4 and DLC isn't basically all we're getting (plus maybe a few shadow dropped remakes/remasters like Prime 2 Remastered). It feels like they've been intentionally holding back big 1st party games for the last several years, no new Mario Kart, no new main series Mario, rumors of a new DK game that haven't come to fruition, Prime 4 feeling like it's time to be shown off but still MIA) to the point where I can totally buy that that's all we're getting for the holiday and they're gearing up for next gen in 2024. Feels like we've just been getting scraps waiting for next gen at this point.
Nintendo not being at E3 means nothing in terms of a June Direct. PS & MS are skipping it as well, and I highly doubt that they don't have anything to show for their merely two year old consoles. This is an "E3 is irrelevant" thing & not a "Nintendo has nothing to show" thing.
I'm not saying they have a bumper crop waiting in the wings or that there's not new hardware coming next year, just that this specifically isn't the sign everyone's making it out to be.
Even if there is new hardware next spring, we're not going to go the last six months of the year with no first party releases. It may just be Prime 2 Remastered, couple of quick Wii U ports (I guess Paper Mario Color Splash & Yoshi's Woolly World are still possible), & whatever TPC releases in the autumn, but it'll be something.
Currently Playing:
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PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)
@RR529 I'd be shocked if there were a bumper crop of games they're waiting to show off in June. For as much as Nintendo likes to keep their cards close to their chest they are fairly open about titles coming in the further future, they just don't give us a lot of details on those further out games. The fact that we don't really have this kind of "further future" game waiting after Pikmin 4 (okay, technically we have Metroid Prime 4, but no release window which leads me to believe they're waiting to reveal the next gen hardware to reveal that it's cross gen) is what's most signaling that things are winding down for the Switch really, Nintendo not attending E3 is a secondary concern here. Now I don't doubt that they have a couple of smaller titles they can reveal in Twitter drops and the September Direct, but I don't think the Switch is getting much else besides those smaller remake/remaster/port types of games. Other than that, it's extremely likely that that bumper crop of games everyone's waiting for is for next gen.
Also, the Pokemon fanbase is expecting SV DLC for this year, adding to the parade of DLC that is so far all we know for the lineup past July. TPC might reveal new spinoffs at the Presents Monday, but they probably don't have a new mainline Pokemon game for Holiday 2023, just a SV + DLC bundle.
@Euler BotW got it's own direct effectively. Remember E3 2016's digital event, where they showed nothing but BotW that year?
That was an E3 treehouse, not a direct.
A pedantic point to make. Their entire E3 show that year was pretty much entirely BotW, if anything you would argue that BotW had more than just its own Direct. Although admittedly the BotW situation was kinda unique in the sense that they didn't have much to talk about outside of the upcoming Switch at E3 that year except for BotW. And the game released with the Switch so in the months immediately prior the focus was obviously going to be on the hardware. So it's not really a comparison worth making, TotK not releasing in the same environment even remotely
........... unless you somehow still think that Nintendo will release new hardware in (checks calendar) 75 days alongside the release of TotK. Quite literally less than half the time between now and TotK than there was between the Switch reveal trailer and BotW
In any case, I think we can say that BotW "had its own Direct"
@Bolt_Strike From what I can tell, these were the known upcoming Nintendo published lineup (and games like Mario + Rabbids) just before each E3 or what E3 week would've been in the years there was no E3:
Just before E3 2017
June - ARMS
July - Splatoon 2, Flip Wars
September - Pokken DX
2017 - Fire Emblem Warriors, Mario Odyssey, XC2
2018 - Fire Emblem Three Houses
TBA - SMTV
Just before E3 2018
June - Sushi Striker, Mario Tennis Aces
July - Captain Toad, Octopath, Go Vacation
November - Pokemon Let's Go
2018 - Smash Ultimate, Yoshi's Crafted World (delayed to 2019 at E3), Fire Emblem Three Houses (delayed to Spring 2019 in the E3 Direct), TWEWY
TBA - SMTV, Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3
Just before E3 2019
June - Cadence of Hyrule, Mario Maker 2
July - DQ Builders 2, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Fire Emblem Three Houses
August - Astral Chain
Fall 2019 - DQXIS
November - Pokemon Sword/Shield
2019 - Link's Awakening, Daemon X Machina, Luigi's Mansion 3, Animal Crossing New Horizons (delayed to March 2020 in the E3 Direct)
TBA - SMTV, Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3, Detective Pikachu
Just before what would've been E3 2020 week
June - Clubhouse Games
July - Paper Mario Origami King
2020 - Bravely Default II (delayed to February 2021 in the October 2020 Partner Showcase)
@Grumblevolcano Yeah, and that's all much more than what we know about 2023 where we literally just have Pikmin 4, Metroid Prime 4, and a bunch of DLC. Right now the only lineup in that list that's remotely comparable is 2020's and that was the brunt of the pandemic. Again, that speaks volumes about the Switch's prospects that the lineup looks that dire.
It's certainly a bit lean at this point and I do think we'll get something significant dropping during that "E3 window". A window which I'm going to say is from around May to August. But I do agree with @Bolt_Strike that some of the lean-ness in the medium term line-up probably has something to do with new hardware. Probably some post-COVID slowdown still washing out of the system for the rest of it (even small games take years to make). Realistically a bit of both. I still believe they would have planned for the new hardware to be already out by now but supply restrictions and an unexpected late surge in demand induced by COVID delayed their plans
I think we'll see something Paper Mario/HD Remaster/2D Zelda tier to keep us going for a bit. Maybe like an Oracle of Seasons/Ages HD remaster, a Wind Waker HD or a Galaxy 2 tier thing. A brand new 2D Zelda, Wario Land or Kid Icarus Uprising HD if I was to wish something into existence. Probably some more DLC for Switch Sports if we're being more realistic. Stuff that they already have the engine for and/or titles that would be asset overhauls rather than start from scratch titles. But I wouldn't expect like Odyssey 2 or entirely new IPs and I'd be hugely surprised if this year ends up being 2017/18/19 tier
@Grumblevolcano Yeah, and that's all much more than what we know about 2023 where we literally just have Pikmin 4, Metroid Prime 4, and a bunch of DLC. Right now the only lineup in that list that's remotely comparable is 2020's and that was the brunt of the pandemic. Again, that speaks volumes about the Switch's prospects that the lineup looks that dire.
I remember. Back in 2020 when everyone was sure that new hardware was just around the corner. It wasn’t. Now, Nintendo skipping E3 means they’re not releasing anything else this year. Never mind that the other two companies aren’t going either.
@Euler BotW got it's own direct effectively. Remember E3 2016's digital event, where they showed nothing but BotW that year?
That was an E3 treehouse, not a direct.
A pedantic point to make. Their entire E3 show that year was pretty much entirely BotW, if anything you would argue that BotW had more than just its own Direct. Although admittedly the BotW situation was kinda unique in the sense that they didn't have much to talk about outside of the upcoming Switch at E3 that year except for BotW. And the game released with the Switch so in the months immediately prior the focus was obviously going to be on the hardware. So it's not really a comparison worth making, TotK not releasing in the same environment even remotely
........... unless you somehow still think that Nintendo will release new hardware in (checks calendar) 75 days alongside the release of TotK. Quite literally less than half the time between now and TotK than there was between the Switch reveal trailer and BotW
In any case, I think we can say that BotW "had its own Direct"
And Tears of the Kingdom won’t be getting anything like that. No E3 presence other than the occasional short trailer.
@Grumblevolcano Yeah, and that's all much more than what we know about 2023 where we literally just have Pikmin 4, Metroid Prime 4, and a bunch of DLC. Right now the only lineup in that list that's remotely comparable is 2020's and that was the brunt of the pandemic. Again, that speaks volumes about the Switch's prospects that the lineup looks that dire.
I remember. Back in 2020 when everyone was sure that new hardware was just around the corner. It wasn’t. Now, Nintendo skipping E3 means they’re not releasing anything else this year. Never mind that the other two companies aren’t going either.
Who were you talking to that thought new hardware was coming in 2020? That was way too early, unless the console is a total disaster, you never see a new generation that soon. It's obvious that 2020's drought was due to the pandemic. Here, not so much, the pandemic shouldn't be a factor at this point.
And again, you guys are missing the point. It's not just about Nintendo skipping E3. It's about Nintendo having little on the horizon past TotK and Pikmin 4.
@Bolt_Strike There's been speculation about Switch Pro for most of the Switch's lifespan. If I recall correctly the rumours started in 2018 or 2019 where there were reports about Switch Pro and Switch Mini, the latter turned out to be the Switch Lite (announced July 2019 with September 2019 release) which fuelled more speculation about Switch Pro. The announcement of TotK at E3 2019 and 1st party rough framerates in 2020/2021 fuelled even more speculation about it.
I figured a more powerful Switch would've launched alongside TotK though it's become very clear recently that my prediction was wrong and TotK is another Skyward Sword style situation.
@Grumblevolcano Yeah, but a Switch Pro would have little to nothing to do with a lineup drought since a Switch Pro would be a mid-gen upgrade, not a new generation. The basic Switch model was still expected to get games even in the presence of a Switch Pro, the Pro would've just offered optimized versions or at best a handful of exclusives. So the notion that the Switch would stop getting games in 2020 doesn't really make much sense and I didn't see anyone claiming so. The only reasonable explanation for the game drought in 2020 was the pandemic. That was the worst year of the pandemic, when everything was shutting down and companies didn't know how to adapt.
Here the situation is different. In 2023 the Switch is 6 years old, which is much closer to the point where consoles tend to see their successors release. AAA releases and big IPs have been relatively absent lately, with major IPs like Mario and Mario Kart (as well as a few smaller ones like Metroid Prime 4 and DK) feeling about ready for new entries but there's not a word of new entries, leading to the feeling that they're being intentionally held back. The pandemic is all but over with many businesses reopened and even if they are somehow still suffering, companies are much more used to working during the pandemic so there's a sense that things should be getting back to normal. The lineup is equally weak as 2020, but the circumstances are not the same as @Euler is implying. The timing is far more right for development resources to shift to new hardware now than in 2020 and the pandemic was much more of a factor in 2020 than it is now, and those two differences imply very different causes of the droughts.
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