Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

@Bolt_Strike For all we know, Splatoon Raiders could be effectively a "Splatoon 3 DLC 3" that's standalone because Splatoon 3 getting a Switch 2 Edition would cause issues for the PvP side of things as a result of Switch 2 players having access to higher framerates and mouse controls. But whether it's a standalone DLC or a full price game, I think the fact that Splatoon 3 is still getting Splatfests and Big Runs is the biggest reason why Splatoon Raiders would be less likely to have a long gap between reveal and release.

On second thought, this idea solves the Smash dilemma. Have Smash Ultimate be the multiplayer Smash game for Switch 2 but not in the form of a Switch 2 Edition, instead a free update comparable to Splatoon 3 meanwhile the new Smash is a standalone Subspace Emissary style spinoff.

Fire Emblem is gonna be the big late Spring/early Summer game, for sure. The franchise has grown, but it's not big enough to be the Fall game yet. Splatoon Raiders is gonna come out earlier than that. It's gonna be right on the cusp between Q1/Q2, is my guess. And I agree with @Grumblevolcano - something about Raiders just strikes me as... not a super-huge game. I don't know. I LOVE Splatoon, but it does feel like a big DLC or maybe a smaller base single-player thing that they will continue to expand over time.

January - Animal Crossing S2, some big 3rd-party stuff like FF
February - Mario Tennis and other huge 3rd-party stuff like Resident Evil, DQ, etc.
March - Pokopia and MAYBE Splatoon Raiders

@UpsideDownRowlet
Mario Wonder S2 is technically listed as Q2 (according to Nintendolife), so you'd be looking at the April-June window. I do agree that it feels like it can come out sooner, though.

I think overall their bet is that Animal Crossing S2 is gonna sell insanely well (which it probably will) to keep people sated for the January/February slog.

Another thing to keep in mind for the timing of the Direct: My thought is they want to get it out there before the Winter Olympics start or at the least VERY early during the Olympics, especially if they have any Olympics game announcements. The opening ceremony is on February 6th, so I think we're gonna be getting a pretty early Direct - maybe even late January, a couple weeks after Animal Crossing is out.

@FishyS no doubt. I’m sure it’ll be something, but definitely not a big blowout.

@Grumblevolcano I've been of the opinion that S3's "Expansion Pass" was going to be much larger, but due to delays it was scaled down to just the new hubs and Side Order (which itself is much smaller than many expected). That would mean Raiders was likely going to be "Wave 3" before it got pushed off into being its own thing for Switch 2.