The next Nintendo Direct could be one of the most important ever
And it should be very, very soon.
There has been no shortage of Nintendo game drops in the new year. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate just received a new fighter and two Pokémon Sword and Shield expansions were announced, but the gaming giant’s biggest announcement in recent memory might be right around the corner. Here's why.
While it might not seem like it, it has now been six months since Nintendo hosted a Direct that’s not pegged to a specific game. The last one took place on September 4 and included 29 individual announcements including a Nintendo Switch port of Overwatch and a remastered version of Xenoblade Chronicles. This is the longest Nintendo has ever gone without hosting a Direct of this scale. The next one is due to happen very soon and will probably include some kind of update on at least one of the most anticipated Switch games. One major candidate is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.
Since 2018, Nintendo has hosted a generalized Direct roughly every three months with various other focused Directs sprinkled in between. One is long overdue to lay out a roadmap for the roster of titles Nintendo has scheduled for 2020, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons. A new trailer for BotW 2 or some kind of an announcement regarding its development or release also feels likely.
A list of other announcements Nintendo has hosted since its September 2019 Direct.
When could the next Nintendo Direct happen?
The next installment of Animal Crossing is most likely Nintendo's top priority at the moment. The island-themed life simulator was originally slated to be released in 2019, but it was delayed to March 20. That suggests that the company could host an announcement on March 20 or a few days beforehand to drive up hype for the game, but don’t expect a disclaimer from Nintendo that far in advance.
The company traditionally reveals that it will be hosting a live stream event days before it takes place. There’s no reason to suggest this time will be any different. Particularly because we know very little about Nintendo's major releases in 2020, this next major Nintendo Director could be the most monumental presentation to date. Doesn't the sequel to one of Nintendo's biggest games ever feel like the perfect candidate?
What have we heard about BotW 2 so far?
A Direct featuring New Horizon gameplay and a release date window for BotW 2 would basically break the internet, especially since Nintendo has been dead-silent about anything Zelda since its E3 2019 reveal trailer.
The only hints gamers have received about BotW 2 have come in the way of Nintendo job listings posted by the game’s development team. The openings have suggested that the title would have many more dungeons than the original to make it more like Twilight Princess, which featured nine expansive dungeons and two mini-dungeons.
There was also flurry of sketchy rumors suggesting that Zelda could be a playable character. Many of these predictions will likely remain unconfirmed until Nintendo updates gamers on the status of BotW 2. All signs do indicate that the company is razor-focused on its long-awaited Zelda sequel. At some point very soon, we should receive some kind of update.
