Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

If we're getting new hardware this year, and it's an upgrade on the current Switch specification as opposed to something entirely different and new... then Nintendo are going to need some strong software announcements to generate the hype and demand for hardware that could, at first appearance, be deemed by many as something they don't desperately need.

I love my Switch, but I'm not desperate for a slightly bigger screen and a generation up in power. I can happily wait on that.

So, software is needed.

Why then, would Nintendo do a Direct before the new hardware is announced?

@nocdaes Hardware by itself can only have a negative impact on sales (see the confusion around the WiiU or the issues Sony and Microsoft have had in different generations) games have always been the driver of sales. The Switch wouldn't have have sold 140m units without; Zelda BoTW, Mario Odyssey and Animal Crossing.

I see what you mean, they need as many exclusives as they can get for Switch 2, but they can't completely abandon Switch 1 customers. I doubt we'll see any major releases on Switch 1 now, I think Metroid Prime 4, Zelda WindWaker and Twilight Princess will all be exclusive to Switch 2, but I think they'll put a few more Switch 1 releases out, like Metroid Prime 2 and 3, maybe the original Luigi's Mansion so the trilogy is on there?

My switch is on its last leg. And it's only 6 years old. It's worn out and the joycon wiggle on the rail. I need something new, and I'm certainly not buying a current gen switch.

1 hour to go if there is a Partner Showcase today.

Ya'll are setting yourselves up for dissapointment hoping for a direct to shadow drop today.

Unless it is some weird situation which shadow drops immediately after the Microsoft thing.

I feel like that is just Pyoro being snarky after too many people asked them if a direct is happening...

@FishyS @Croctopus Yeah that’s both good points. Can totally see Pyoro losing their cool with everyone. Can also see Nintendo not doing any Directs too.

It's not happening.

3pm UK time has passed so it's not happening. I do wonder why today for the Xbox event rather than earlier on in the week then.

well that's a bit of an anticlimax isn't it XD

I do wonder if we're going to get a March Direct now as a result (general or Mini). I doubt it given how many Switch 2 rumours are swirling about the place but them skipping February and doing a presentation in March does have precedent (remember the 2018 one that revealed Smash Ultimate and Octo Expansion?).

I’m fine waiting till March for absolutely nothing to happen and people have been tricked once again by internet people without legitimate sources the switch 2 reveal, in all honesty. The payoff should be pretty good in the end

Maybe there’s not enough third party announcements to worth make up a Direct. If the Switch 2 is this year, there is a chance anything third party is aiming to release on the more powerful hardware instead.

Welp there it goes!
Nah this is all good of course, just means we have to wait a tad longer for the goods to come our way haha XD

No way do you third parties just abandon the Switch install base. I'm pretty confident there'll be plenty more third party releases for Switch. Though there could well be plenty of those waiting for the Switch 2 reveal because there'll be dual releasing on both.

@gcunit I'm personally banking on Ace Attorney 7 being one of the last major 3rd-Party releases for the Switch given how, according to reports/rumours, its been in the works at Capcom since around 2018/2019. And with the Apollo Justice Trilogy finally coming out at the end of last month, I could definitely see it happening now that every mainline entry is on modern platforms.

@gcunit Yeah that’s actually what I should have said to be fair. Makes sense but a lot of the big games may be a bit too much to easily downgrade to the Switch too.

@FishyS
Yea, it’s all just for fun and about a hobby at the end of the day, it’s just that I can’t help but sometimes extrapolate this kind of behavior and desperate rationalizing to other, more serious parts of life.

Anywho,

I’m picking up Mario vs. Donkey Kong tomorrow and hoping I can finish Prince of Persia tonight!

I think it'd be pretty reasonable for the next Direct to be the Pokemon presents, where they announce Nintendo merging into the Pokemon company, adding Pokemon Mini to NSO, and the announcement of their new console, the Pokemon Big. (The console's gimmick is you throw it against the wall to catch Pokemon and the impact force determines the catch rate)