The rampant speculation is already well underway.
Whether due to the pandemic or other unseen factors, Nintendo’s been a bit cagey with their information for the past year. While there has been a spattering of small-scale presentations like Indie World and Smash Ultimate news, it has been, according to some eagle-eyed Twitter users, exactly 530 days since the last full-on Nintendo Direct presentation. Switch owners have been getting antsy, wondering what the next big games will be for the console and, more importantly, when we’re getting them. Bad news is we don’t know yet. Good news? We’ll know very soon.
Nintendo announced on their Twitter today that for the first time in well over a year, they’re holding a proper Nintendo Direct presentation, livestreamed as always on their official YouTube channel. Details about the presentation are understandably scarce at the moment; all we know is that it will be about 50 minutes long, and will cover a variety of upcoming 2021 Switch games, with some extra emphasis on Smash Ultimate news, presumably the next DLC character.
Tune in 2/17 at 2 p.m. PT for a #NintendoDirect livestream featuring roughly 50 minutes of information focused on available games like Super #SmashBrosUltimate and games coming to #NintendoSwitch in the first half of 2021.https://t.co/fbG3hEtD0Q pic.twitter.com/w8J6lbdIkQ
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 16, 2021
Of course, a lack of concrete details could never stop the usual deluge of speculation, and considering there’s been such a long wait, there are no shortage of things to speculate on. Since being announced a few years ago, Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3, and the currently unnamed sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have gone without any additional information, though in Bayonetta 3‘s case, Platinum head Hideki Kamiya recently said not to expect anything any time soon. Aside from those, fans on Twitter have been getting their hopes up for a new Mario Kart game, and rumors are still circulating about a potential upgrade or sequel to the Switch hardware, though Nintendo staff have repeatedly dismissed these rumors.
Whatever we end up getting, it’s sure to be worth catching, so tune in to the new Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, February 17 at 2 PM Central time, 5 PM Eastern.