Leaker NateTheHate recently claimed that Nintendo would be hosting a Switch 2 Direct later this month, revealing what it has in store for after the release ofDonkey Kong Bananza. But, as it turns out, YouTuber and Twitch streamer Wood “BeatEmUps” Hawker made the same claim three weeks ago, and even went into detail on what might appear at the showcase.
As reported by9to5Toys, speaking on theNontendo Podcast, BeatEmUps claimed that the following would be revealed:
As far as I’m aware, the ‘one more thing’ is supposed to be just a teaser card—I heard Isabelle’s gonna show up and a teaser card ‘Animal Crossing coming out 2026’.
BeatEmUps stressed that he doesn’t “know how much of that is true”, making it explicitly clear that heisn’tan insider and “never get[s] information”. But with a reputable insider like NateTheHate backing up claims of a Direct taking place later this month after the launch of Donkey Kong Bananza, it’s worth revisiting these claims—after all, everyone is wondering whereAnimal Crossingis, especially since the last game launched five years ago. If BeatEmUps is right,we’ll be playing a new one soon enough.
Expect A Lot Of Third-Party Announcements
There are a lot of lingering questions, like where the next 3D Mario game is (though it’s worth considering thatBananza is developed by the Odyssey team). But even with huge reveals like Animal Crossing 2026 purportedly on the way, BeatEmUp claims that a big part of the Direct will be to “talk more about third-party stuff”.
Much like the original Switch, a great way for Nintendo to show off the power of its successor is in porting incredibly demanding games to handheld, much as it already has withCyberpunk 2077.
We still haveElden Ringto come, along with007 First Light,Borderlands 4,The Duskbloods, andStar Wars Outlaws, so maybe we’ll see more from that impressive line-up, with a few surprises sprinkled in (likeThe Witcher 3andDeath Stranding). For now, though, Bananza is finally in hand, so the spotlight is placed firmly on Donkey Kong and his all-new destructive 3D platformer.
