For as long as they’ve existed,Nintendohas always held a Direct (or a Direct Mini: Partner Showcase) during June or July. As we approach the end of July with no Direct confirmed, rumors are heating up. Aformer Nintendo marketing lead said a Direct makes sense this monthdue toMetroid Prime 4: Beyond, and various other leakers havehinted that one could be forthcoming.
Now, Nintendo has just added more fuel to the fire by confirming that theSwitch 2is set to undergo maintenance at the end of the month, a sign that a Direct may be imminent.
Upcoming Nintendo Maintenance May Be Proof That A Switch 2 Direct Is Inbound
Typically, Nintendo performs maintenance just before or during a Nintendo Direct. This allows the company to update the eShop with any games that might shadow drop and to add pre-order information for any game that it might announce. We now know when the next maintenance is scheduled for the Switch and Switch 2.
According toNintendo’s official website, the company is planning a maintenance window between Wednesday, July 30, at 11 pm PT (July 31, 2 am ET/7 am BST) and Thursday, July 31, at 12:30 am PT (3:30 am ET/8:30 am BST). Thiscouldbe an indication that a Direct is happening during this window.
Of course, hosting a Direct during these hours would be unusual for Nintendo, as it typically holds them a little later in the day, but it’s not impossible. 11 pm PT is 3 pm in Japan, where a sizable portion of Nintendo’s fan base and the company itself reside. There’s a real possibility that Nintendo could be giving its Japanese audience a better Direct time this time around, instead of making them watch it at around 10 pm as they usually have to.
The Switch 2’s slate between now and the end of the year is looking pretty barren, at least for games with confirmed release dates.Kirby and the Forgotten Land’sSwitch 2 version is set for release in August, andPokemon Legends: Z-Ais due out in October, but aside from that, there are no other first-party titles dated. Given that Nintendo has confirmed thatHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment,Kirby Air Riders, and, of course, Metroid Prime 4 are set for release later this year, or at worst, early next year, you have to imagine it will reveal the release dates soon, and a Direct is the perfect place to do that. That being said, Nintendo has been partial todropping major release dates via random social media posts recently.
Naturally, this needs to be taken with a rather large pinch of salt until Nintendo confirms it itself, but as they say, there is no smoke without fire, and it certainly feels like something could be happening soon.
