Last week, the curtain was finally pulled back on Nintendo Switch 2, the next video game system from Nintendo. Nintendo’s announcement was pretty light on details, offering a short glimpse at the console itself, as well as the new Mario Kart game. More details are coming during a Nintendo Direct on April 2nd, but it seems fans can look forward to another Nintendo presentation ahead of that date. Rumors suggest that the company will also be holding a Nintendo Direct presentation in February, and it will focus on games for the current Switch hardware.
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A Nintendo Direct in the month of February wouldn’t be too surprising. It’s basically an annual event at this point, where Nintendo lays out plans for the first half of the year. Nintendo has yet to confirm its existence, so fans have been speculating if it’s still going to happen this year, and about games that might get featured. In a recent episode of his podcast, the leaker PH Brazil claimed that not only can we expect a Nintendo Direct next month, but it will also reveal the last major first-party game from Nintendo on the system. The game will apparently be a new entry in a beloved series, but also one that’s smaller compared to some of Nintendo’s other franchises. In a post on the Famiboards, PH Brazil clarified that this mystery game is “not a remaster.”
While the Switch era has been pretty good for most of Nintendo’s franchises, there are a lot that haven’t gotten a new entry in a while. PH Brazil’s comment has already led to speculation that we could see a new Golden Sun, Chibi-Robo, or Star Fox. F-Zero is another possibility, and would make sense following the release of F-Zero 99. While none of those franchises have the same draw as Mario, Zelda, Metroid, or Pokemon, all would generate a lot of excitement among Nintendo fans. Fans have spent years lamenting the fact that Team Star Fox hasn’t gotten a new game on Switch, outside of the characters appearing in games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Starlink: Battle for Atlas.
As with any rumor, readers are encouraged to take this with a grain of salt. While PH Brazil tends to be a pretty reliable source, there’s no way of knowing for sure what Nintendo is planning for the end of the Switch era. That said, there’s a lot we don’t know right now, and a Nintendo Direct next month would be a great way to enlighten fans about the future. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is supposed to be released on the current Switch hardware this year, but we don’t have a release date, and we haven’t seen the game since last summer. It’s possible the game could be getting a dual release on Switch 2, or that it could launch sometime before the new system.
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Presuming a Nintendo Direct is happening in February, it would likely take place in the first half of the month. A Pokemon Presents will happen on February 27th, which will likely put a big focus on Pokemon Legends: Z-A, another major Switch game set to be released in 2025. The two companies could better spread out their announcements that way, so we might have an announcement about the Direct at some point in the very near future.
Do you think we’ll get a Nintendo Direct next month? What Nintendo franchise are you still waiting to see on Switch? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: Reddit]
