My predictions for the Nintendo Direct on Friday
So, Nintendo has announced a new Nintendo Direct, scheduled for Friday, September 12, at 6:00 AM PT / 9:00 AM ET, via the Nintendo Today app. The presentation will run for approximately 60 minutes and will include games for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
I have to be honest with you: I always keep my expectations low for a Nintendo Direct, just in case it turns out to be underwhelming. I'm doing the same for this one.
Still, since this is a blog about the Nintendo Switch 2, I think that it makes sense for me to share some predictions. I tend to always be wrong when I attempt to predict anything with regard to Nintendo, so you can rest assured that none of this is going to happen.
On Sunday, after all is said and done, I will sit down and give you my thoughts on the Direct.
So, without further ado, onto the predictions:
I think that we can certainly expect an indie/third-party showcase.
I also expect some big third-party title coming to the Switch 2 to be revealed. The console has been short on those, and it probably has something to do with the "whispers" that I have heard about how Nintendo is taking their dear time to deliver SDKs to developers, even major ones who have a long track record of developing for their platforms.
I wouldn't be surprised if they said something more about Kirby Air Riders.
They will almost certainly bore me with more information about Pokémon Legends A-Z. I'm sorry, but the game just looks atrocious to me, and I am actually offended by the concept of being imprisoned in a city with "wild areas". I have yet to play Legends Arceus, but I definitely will someday, and it will be a spectacular experience. Has the Pokémon Company learned nothing from that?
I expect some new classic games to be launched on NSO, perhaps even a Gamecube title, which I would love to be Animal Crossing, though that is definitely not going to happen, as sad as that makes me. A good second best for me would be Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (if they also announced Sonic Advance for GBA). I'm also not holding my breath for gen I and II of Pokémon. Nope. We'll have to continue to play Pokémon Stadium 1 and 2 without them for some odd reason.
Now, here comes the bit that I am most hopeful for: I would not be surprised, but still quite excited, if they announced the release date of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The game started development in 2017 under Bandai Namco Studios, but that didn't work out well, so they had to start it from scratch with Retro Studios (thank goodness) in 2019. Even so, it's been more than six years. Come on now, Nintendo! Please don't tell me that it took you this long because the game is going to be open world. Not everything needs to be open world! I would be more than happy to pay $80 for another solid Metroid Prime campaign. Just get it over with and give us the release date already!
Last but not least, they might do another "[popular Nintendo franchise] is in development" thing, where they show nothing except a black screen and that text. They must be aware that the lineup of their current flagship console is rather lackluster. It is backwards compatible and thank goodness for that, but people like me, who skipped the Switch and jumped back onto the Nintendo hype train with the Switch 2, are the minority. Most customers want new games, and Nintendo may feel forced to dangle some carrot in front of us... or not. I can't tell you what game that would be though. I would be very surprised if it was a new 3D Super Mario game. More likely would be a Zelda game, or even Splatoon 4, but I hope (against hope) that it is a new Animal Crossing game.