Nintendo Announces Its First Proper Direct Showcase in Close to a Year

2020's been a huge year for Nintendo thanks to heightened demand for the Switch and the absolutely massive success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but it's also one that's seen the global pandemic hinder Nintendo's plans. The company skipped its usual E3-timed Direct presentation and has opted to announce some titles with simple trailer debuts, but now it's ready to hype folks up once again: a Nintendo Direct is coming soon.

Yes, the first fully fledged Direct since September 2019 is coming later this week on TKTKTK. Nintendo promises it will be TKTKTK

As for what we'll be seeing at the Direct, we can make some educated guesses. Numerous reports pointed to the existence of 3D Mario remasters for the Switch, and with the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. fast approaching, this could be a great time for Nintendo to bring out some beloved Mario classics ahead of the holidays.

It's also a safe bet that we'll see some news on updates for titles like Animal Crossing, Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Pokemon. A tease for a new Fighter Pass 2 character in Smash seems likely, and we're about due for some news on the upcoming Frozen Tundra DLC for Sword and Shield.

For those hoping for giant reveals, maybe now's not a great time to hold your breath for the likes of the Breath of the Wild sequel. Nintendo hasn't publicly said too much about how the pandemic has affected the development of its games, but if we assume that the next Zelda or, say, Metroid Prime 4 aren't slated for launch within the fiscal year, it may be a while yet before they're ready to be shown.

Additionally, recent reports indicate that Nintendo plans on releasing a new version of the Switch next year, with talks of Nintendo planning a range of new titles to accompany the launch. It's very possible that this Direct will focus on some Nintendo remasters, ports, and intriguing indies or third-party titles while leaving the heavy hitters for 2021.