First Nintendo Direct of 2026 Confirmed (But It’s Not What You’d Expect)

With most of January relatively quiet, the gaming world is picking up steam. The first major publisher showcase of 2026, a January Xbox Developer Direct, showed off some promising new projects from Xbox partners. But for Nintendo fans, it’s all about the first big Nintendo Direct of the year, often held in February of a new year. Nintendo has confirmed it will be treating fans to a Direct Showcase a bit early this year, but it’s not the one most of us are hoping for.

In a recent post to social media, Nintendo of America confirmed we will see a Nintendo Direct on January 25th. However, if you’re hoping to see more about a lineup of new Switch 2 games, don’t get your hopes up too much. This first Nintendo Direct is earlier than usual for a reason. It will be focused on “an exclusive look at The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” If you’re a big Mario fan, it may still be worth tuning in for, but we’re still waiting for the Nintendo Direct announcement to start the year.

First Nintendo Direct of 2026 to Feature “No Game Information”

This upcoming Nintendo Direct showcase will be livestreamed on YouTube and via the Nintendo Today! app on January 25th at 9 AM ET. It will show off more of the upcoming Mario movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The latest Mario adaptation for the big screen is set to release on April 3rd, and if you’re hyped to see the world of Super Mario Galaxy come to life, this Direct will likely offer some exciting new tidbits.

However, if you’re waiting on intel about the 2026 lineup of new Nintendo games, that’s not happening on January 25th. The announcement explicitly states, “Please note that no game information will be included in this presentation.” So, even if it has the Nintendo Direct name, this livestream isn’t going to tell us anything about what to expect for the Switch 2 in 2026. This disclaimer is helpful to keep fans from getting our hopes up for something that isn’t happening, even if it is a bit disappointing to see.

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That said, the first game-centric Nintendo Direct of 2026 likely isn’t too far off. Though there is no set schedule for Nintendo Direct showcases, past patterns suggest we will likely get a more traditional stream sometime in February. It’s not a guarantee, but it does seem like a strong possibility since we still know relatively little about the first-party Nintendo lineup for 2026.

For now, Mario fans can look forward to more footage from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on January 25th. If we do get a February Nintendo Direct focused on gaming, it will likely be announced just a few days ahead. So, fingers crossed for an early February look at what Nintendo has cooking for the Switch 2 in 2026.

Will you be tuning in to see more about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, or are you waiting for a more game-focused Nintendo Direct? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!