Nintendo Direct: How to Watch and What to Expect

As was announced yesterday, Nintendo is set to hold its very first full-sized Nintendo Direct in over a year later today. During that time, Nintendo instead focused on smaller, more-specific videos and streams on subjects like indies, third-party releases, and more. Given the size of today’s Nintendo Direct, it is expected to include some significant reveals. While we certainly don’t know everything about the upcoming Nintendo Direct, we know enough about it to make some educated guesses as to what might be shown and announced.

How to Watch

First and foremost, today’s Nintendo Direct is set to take place at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT and will last for what Nintendo describes as “roughly 50 minutes.” We have included the embedded YouTube livestream above, which should make for an easy way to watch as it airs, but Nintendo will likely archive the stream after the fact and then upload it as its own video. There will also likely be breakout videos for individual titles and so on if history is any indicator.

What to Expect

Officially, Nintendo has explicitly stated that the new Nintendo Direct will include information on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in addition to Nintendo Switch titles releasing in the first half of 2021. That basically all but confirms we are going to see a new DLC fighter revealed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It also means that the Nintendo Direct will almost certainly include information about Bravely Default II and New Pokemon Snap, two upcoming Nintendo Switch titles set to release in the coming months.

Given the scope and length, however, there has been plenty of chatter online about the possible reveal of the oft-reported upgraded Nintendo Switch model in addition to more details about the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a new Mario Kart, and more. Realistically, we can expect to see more third-party titles jump to the Nintendo Switch from other platforms, but it’s hard to say what else might appear.

As noted above, the new Nintendo Direct is set to take place later today at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT. The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, the two official models of the console, are currently available wherever such things are sold, assuming you can find either of them in stock. Whether a new upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch releases this year remains to be seen, but it’s something that’s been constantly reported on. You can check out all of our previous coverage of Nintendo right here.

What do you hope to see in the new Nintendo Direct? Are you hoping that the long-rumored upgraded Nintendo Switch model gets officially announced? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to reach out and hit me up directly over on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk about all things gaming!