Nintendo Could Be Making Its Biggest Reveals Since The Switch 2’s Launch This Week

The biggest Nintendo Direct since the launch of the Switch 2 is almost here. After showcases focused on third-party developers and indie games, and one dedicated entirely to Kirby Air Riders, the next Nintendo Direct should finally reveal more about the new console’s upcoming first-party slate. While Nintendo hasn’t announced everything what it will be showing off during the presentation, rumors and the show’s timing do point to some interesting possibilities.

The next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for September 12 at 9 a.m. Eastern. The show will be around an hour long and feature games for both the Switch 2 and the original Switch. Otherwise, Nintendo hasn’t given any hints as to what will be shown off.

However, there are a few announcements that seem likely. The 40th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. series is September 13, one day after the announced showcase. Nintendo didn’t mention that connection when it announced the Direct, but that timing would make it the perfect opportunity to announce a new Super Mario game, since there hasn’t even been mention of one for the new console yet.

On the series’ 35th anniversary, Nintendo also held a showcase, announcing Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. However, that showcase was specifically announced as part of the series’ anniversary celebration, so it’s likely the next Direct won’t be entirely themed around Mario. If it follows a similar pattern, though, we could be in for a new Mario title soon and possibly a remaster or bundle of older titles.

Other possibilities come from rumors. Before the show was even announced, leaker SwitchForce claimed that multiple games with seven in the title would appear at the Direct, but that Ace Attorney 7 wouldn’t be one of them. Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth seem like likely contenders if the leak is true, as well as Resident Evil 7. That also lines up with a rumor from leaker Dusk Golem, who alleges that all of the series’ games on Capcom’s RE Engine are coming to Switch 2. That group includes the remakes of Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4, as well as Resident Evil Village.

Aside from those rumors, all we have to guide expectations for the showcase is what’s still missing from the Switch 2. Nintendo finally showed off Metroid Prime 4: Beyond after years of waiting, with new gameplay in another Direct earlier in 2025. As of now, the game is still scheduled for an undefined 2025 release date. Unless that’s changed since, a holiday release in the last two months of the year would make a lot of sense for what’s one of Nintendo’s most important launch window titles.

Nintendo also announced Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment recently, a sequel to the musou spin-off of The Legend of Zelda series. While that game is still without a release date, it is expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026, so this showcase would also be a sensible place for another look at it. And while there’s been no official word about other games in the series, it’s all but guaranteed that Nintendo will want to get another Legend of Zelda game out before long, though there are no signs of that happening here.

As for third-party games, Hades 2 is still expected to release this year, and it’s already been confirmed as a Switch 2 console exclusive at launch. The upcoming Nintendo Direct would be a perfect place to announce its release date, or even a time for the game to finally launch out of early access.

Whatever happens, the wait is almost over for what’s set to be the biggest Nintendo Direct of the year. The Switch 2’s launch has been marked by concerns about cost and a relative lack of first-party games, and this could be the best chance for Nintendo to show whether there really is a good reason for players to make the leap to the new console.