For the first time since September 2016 Nintendo did not host a Direct for the month of September. There was a Nintendo Partner Showcase and an Indie World in August, but neither show was about Nintendo's upcoming lineup of games. Why there wasn't one remains unclear – but it may be that the company has nothing to show, or that the company is too busy behind the scenes with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, which is scheduled to take place before March 31, 2025.
That doesn't mean there won't be a Nintendo Direct before the end of the year, but for some reason Nintendo couldn't hold one in the month that the company has regularly put on a major show for the past eight years. The last Nintendo Direct in September was 2023, where Nintendo presented games like the expected remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year GatePrincess Peach Showtimeand the second wave of Splatoon 3 DLC, among many, many others.
In theory, Nintendo could release a Nintendo Direct on September 30th. This story will be updated in this case; However, at this point it feels incredibly unlikely. If Nintendo did this, it would be the last September Direct that has taken place so far, as the vast majority of them have taken place around the middle of the month.
Traditionally, these Nintendo Directs are the last big showing of the year for the Big N. There have been cases where there was an Indie World, Mobile Direct, or a Super Nintendo World Direct yesterday, but no first-party main show. Perhaps August's Indie World should make room for a larger Nintendo Direct later this year, but that's pure speculation. Fans can now just wait for Nintendo to come forward and announce an event, if of course there is one this year. It seems unlikely that there won't be a major first-party Nintendo Direct this year, but this is officially new territory.
List of Nintendo Directs in September
- September 14, 2023 – Focused on the 2023 Winter Games
- September 13, 2022
- September 23, 2021
- September 3rd and 17th, 2020 – Super Mario 35th Anniversary, Monster Hunter and Partner Showcase
- September 4, 2019 – Focus on Pokemon Sword and Shield & Luigi's Mansion 3. There was also a Mr. Sakurai Presents for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- September 13, 2018 – Nintendo Switch and 3DS games
- September 13, 2017 – The focus is on Super Mario Odyssey and Xenoblade Chronicles 2
- September 1, 2016
The last September without a Nintendo Direct was in 2015, meaning this year's absence breaks an eight-year streak of events. Of course, if Nintendo wasn't prepared for this, it wouldn't make sense for the company to force you to just check off September like a box. Nintendo could even return to normality next year with a Direct in September 2025, but it will be more questionable than it has been in the last eight years.
Of all the possible explanations, the one that makes the most sense is that Nintendo is moving ahead at full speed with the preparation of the Nintendo Switch 2. Fans may be forgiving in this case, as many of the Switch 2 leaks sound incredibly promising. Time will tell, but at least this time in Nintendo's history is over.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid portable and home console that aims to be the only gaming system everyone needs. The hybrid controller is an undisputed success as it offers a high level of portable visual quality and can be easily converted into a home console.
- brand
- Nintendo
- battery
- 1 lithium polymer batteries required
- Dimensions
- 13.7 x 7.8 x 3.66 inches
- Weight
- 2.65 pounds
