Predicting Nintendo's plans is a fool's errand, but come along with us as we paint our noses red and faces white, because that's exactly what we're going to do.
It is the month of September and usually That means a Direct is in the works. Sure, Nintendo has been known to mix things up when it comes to showcases (just look at last month's back-to-back Indie World and Partner Directs), but its appearance in September has been the safest bet throughout the Switch lifecycle. In fact, Nintendo has always had multiple options for events ever since the Switch has existed. Some? As you can see in our Nintendo Direct broadcast history guide, and as VGC's Andy Robinson pointed out on Twitter yesterday, the event will be shown in September.
Of course, this doesn’t mean a Direct is guaranteed for the coming days or weeks, but there’s no doubt that the Big N has a good track record.
Naturally, all eyes are on the 'Switch 2' and when in the “fiscal year” we'll hear about it. A few weeks ago “industry whispers” suggested that September could be the month the console would be unveiled, and since then the rumour mill has been working overtime, with speculation about backward compatibility once again coming to the forefront of discussions.
There's every chance that Nintendo can Look for the 'next big thing' reveal this month – it would certainly be a great step after Sony's $700 PS5 Pro announcement – but we're still not convinced. There's a holiday Switch sale expected next, including a new Mario Wonder OLED bundle And Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Switch Lite has yet to arrive. Would Nintendo really want to reveal its most talked-about news right now and inevitably cannibalize Switch sales in the process? Conventional wisdom would suggest not, but hey, we're talking about Nintendo here.
Either way, that doesn't rule out a standard, software-focused Direct, right? The final quarter of 2024 is looking pretty good for Nintendo, including a new Zelda, Mario Party Jamboree, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership before it reaches 2025. However, there's always room for more.
throw us away Metroid Prime 2 RemasteredThrow in a few spicy third-party titles and another 2025 release (Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are already sitting there, let's not forget) and you easily have enough to fill a 20-minute showcase full of holiday surprises. Perhaps the smaller selection, the smaller first-party cash could fuel some bigger third-party announcements. Let's face it, if – we even dare Thinking This – that Hollow Knight sequel was on the surface, that's your direct right there!
Plus, as @BoiseBoi2007 pointed out in response to Robinson's above tweet, we should be getting a new Kirby soon:
The one-two punch of Indie World and Partner Direct last month might indicate that the Big N's showcase schedule isn't as predictable this year. But facts don't lie, and as the Tokyo Games Show draws closer (it's starting to get even more so), 26 September this year), Nintendo has repeatedly Some? to show us in September.
But what do you think? Do you think we'll get a September Direct this year? What form do you think it will take? Share your answer in the following poll and then let us know in the comments what you'd like to see.