Is this exciting January 11 Nintendo Direct leak for real?

Nintendo's 2021 lineup is still a mystery even though the company has announced several games without release dates. As such, fans are hoping for some sort of January 2021 Nintendo Direct that will fill us in on their upcoming lineup of games.

While no such presentation has been confirmed by Nintendo, some intriguing rumors about upcoming releases and anniversaries have made fans consider the likelihood of a January 2021 Nintendo Direct.

Is a January 2021 Nintendo Direct confirmed?

No, it is not. The discourse around the January direct began when a list about a January 11 Direct emerged on Twitter January 5 in the form of what looks like a prinout of a Nintendo memo. It claims that the Nintendo Switch Pro will be released in April and games like Super Mario Odyssey 2 and major ports like Grand Theft Auto V and Final Fantasy VII Remake are also scheduled for release then.

While Nintendo hasn't commented on it, the list is very obviously fake. The page could've easily been made by a fan and it's also full of errors (First-party "softwar" and "Fallout 3: New Vegas" stand out in particular).

The date January 11 also seems unlikely, as Nintendo typically does not hold major Directs on Mondays. Also, the list of reveals sounds a bit too good to be true when compared to any previous Direct, especially what's normally a quieter January one.

Fake leaks like this for Nintendo Directs pop up during long stretches without an official Direct, and this one is pretty easily disproven. Still, it raises the question of if Nintendo will hold some sort of presentation in January 2021.

Has Nintendo hinted at a January 2021 Direct?

As of January 6, 2021, Nintendo has not confirmed any sort of Direct for the year. Typically, the company only reveals Nintendo Directs, Nintendo Direct Minis, and Partner Showcases a day or two ahead of time. Sometimes, they are a complete surprise. If there is a January Direct, it's quite possible that one game will be the focus: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury.

This remaster of one of the Wii U's best games is slated to release on February 12, but Nintendo has been very quiet about the game and its new additions thus far. A teaser website opened this month, suggesting that more info could come soon.

While Nintendo could end up only going over Super Mario 3D World + Bower's Fury is an overview trailer, a Direct focused on a single game isn't unheard of and could come in January or February. That's still speculation, as nothing has been confirmed by Nintendo as of yet.

This does seem like the most likely Direct though, as there are no other reliable leaks for a January presentation. With Pokemon's 25th anniversary and The Legend of Zelda's 35 anniversary coming up in February though, Nintendo might want to wait until then to go over their 2021 lineup. We don't know much about their 2021 lineup at all, so if rumors for games like Mario Kart 9 are true we'll have to hear about them soon.

Has Nintendo held a Direct in January before?

Luckily for fans, Nintendo does have a history of holding some sort of Direct in January. In 2018, a full Nintendo Direct mini was held and revealed games like The World Ends With You Final Remix and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive. Then, in January 2020, Nintendo held both a Pokemon focused Direct and a presentation to reveal Byleth for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly impacted their plans and could very well make 2021 an atypical year for Nintendo, so it's possible that this month goes by without any sort of Direct. But Nintendo's history of Directs gives us a glimmer of hope that it will happen.