Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

Apparently there's going to be a big focus on Stellar Blade in the SoP, so I'm very excited about that. Anything else interesting is just extra.

I just want a direct and think that we will get it soon

I’m placing my bets on Feb. 7 for the Direct as it follows the pattern Nintendo’s been doing for the past two years

Feb is this week. Then the direct season will fully kick off.....hopefully 🫠

@luckyseven I agree I think this week (bc of the playstation thing and apparently Nintendo did a direct the same day as the playstation thing once, which means they will always do it now!! [real]) or next week (Bc as you said Nintendo's trend) are reasonable choices.

@GalaxicGlobe Direct and State of Play happening on the same day occurred twice, September 2022 and September 2023. 2 isn't enough for a trend but it's at least looking like more than just a coincidence.

I just have a weird feeling about this... if there is a Direct in February, and they've already said we won't get anything about Switch 2 until at least March... what in the world are they gonna talk about? It's clear they're just clearing out the dregs when it comes to remaining software on Switch 1.

Or like @skywake said, it's gonna be a "Switch-is-still-great-don't-worry" kind of thing that clearly tells people to stay tuned in Spring for the Switch 2 stuff lol

@rallydefault technically they only said there is no new hardware out this quarter, not that they aren't allowed to announce new hardware this quarter. That said, I think the Feb direct will still be software.

They could talk a little about Splatoon DLC, have a long segment on Peach, show the latest 22 third party tactical rpgs and farming sims, announce another remake/port (zelda?? They have had a zelda game almost every year during Switch), possibly Metroid Prime 2, maybe something Kirby (there has also been a Kirby game almost every year), bigger game announcement which may turn out to be cross-platform-focused but we don't know until later this year. Mario Wonder DLC?? (that may be my wishful thinking).

@rallydefault Well if Switch 2 is backwards compatible, there's nothing stopping Nintendo from having a Switch 1 lineup that's as packed as 2022/2023 up to the launch. That would mean at least 3 unannounced 1st party games to be announced in a January/February general Direct (1 for shadow drop, 2+ for filling in months from April to launch that aren't already taken up by TTYD and LM2).

Considering September 2019 Direct only announced 3 1st party games (Super Kirby Clash, TMS#FE Encore, XCDE), a general Direct could easily work provided there's enough 3rd party support.

@rallydefault Well they need to give us dates for TTYD and Luigi's Mansion 2 HD, show a bit more of Peach (maybe a demo?), then announce the Switch 1 lineup through this summer.

We're due for a new Mario sports title from Camelot, and then there's that rumored FE Genealogy remake that's supposedly been done for a while.

@Fizza February 29th would be interesting for marketing, but that's 2 days after Pokemon Day, which will likely have a Presents. So I think the last week is out of the question too. If a full Direct is happening at all in February, it's probably either the week of the 5th or the 19th. And I'm feeling much better about the 5th, Directs tend to take place in the first half of the month and that would be the least likely time to distract from MvDK and the Presents. I'm going to predict a full Direct is either happening next week, or not at all in February.

3pm UK time has passed so we know there's no Direct tomorrow and as a result Direct would be February (1st, 7th and 8th are left as possibilities).

@Grumblevolcano See but that's September, February is usually on the 2nd week on the 7-8th so we will see.

@Grumblevolcano Careful speaking in certainties, while Nintendo has frequently had a general Direct in February, it is absolutely possible that we don't get one at all in February either. If the rumors about Switch 2 are true this is far from an average year and they need somewhere to present the launch lineup, so that might throw the typical schedule off.

I guarantee a Nintendo Direct is coming.

I just don't know when.

I think it's worth pointing out that last year for the Switch was unprecedented, as far as late-stage console cycle releases go. If that trend continues, I don't think these last months before the release of the successor are going to be as dry as people think...though I do think the bulk of what we'll see are remasters and remakes. If we do get anything that's all-new aside from Princess Peach: Showtime, I'm guessing it'll either be a smaller project like a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon or Rhythm Heaven, the long-rumored new 2D DK, or the Star Fox game that Nintendo appears to have been working on in-house (Nintendo Switch Sports has a handful of out-of-place files mentioning Star Fox with elements like the Wolfen and lasers coming up, and brand-new trademarks - not renewals - have been recently filed for Star Fox). I think there'll be more than enough to fill out one last Direct before we even get an official hint of the followup console.

@PikaPhantom Ehh, DK sells a tad too much to be considered a filler game just before the Switch 2 launches. DKCR sold 6.53 million and the Switch port of TF sold 4.62 million. That's not exactly chump change. If the DK game is indeed real, it's probably an early Switch 2 title, or at best cross-gen.

I could imagine DK as a game they advertise now but then also advertise especially for Switch 2. The same could happen with Mario Wonder DLC. Any big games late this year will likely automatically be cross gen sellers (or Switch 2 exclusives but we wouldn't hear about those now). Being in this direct doesn't necessarily mean 'filler'.

Donkey Kong is a fairly big franchise but it might get even more popular if Nintendo has a new game before the Mario movie hype fully wears off.

@FishyS I don’t think Nintendo will use a 2D Mario, especially DLC, to try and push the Switch 2. They’ll want to showcase the power it has and I’m pretty sure a 3D Mario is going to be there either at launch or very soon afterwards and that’s the better way to show off the need to make that upgrade to the new console.

Sure, there will be Switch 2 exclusives used to really push Switch 2 but that doesn't mean there won't also be cross-gen games this year they try to sell heavily on both consoles, maybe even with a special edition or something for Switch 2.