Alongside finally revealing the Switch 2, Nintendo has given a date for a new Nintendo Direct, due on April 2 this year, which will presumably provide a far more detailed breakdown of the new console, and perhaps reveal a bunch of release titles that’ll accompany the machine.
Obviously all is wild speculation at this point, given just how unpredictable Nintendo is proving to be regarding their new console. After a waterfall of leaks, it was expected that the Japanese company would make an announcement for the official reveal this week, and then went and threw everyone by just surprise-announcing it at 8 a.m. ET without warning. Within that announcement was a screen showing a date for a new Nintendo Direct.
The official time for the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct is 9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT. That puts it surprisingly early in the morning for the company’s usual big gaming showcases, which tend to occur later in the day. It wouldn’t be shocking if pre-orders for the Switch 2 go live right after the event.
This will be the first Nintendo Direct since July 2024, the Mario makers having entirely skipped their usual September edition, which only fueled confusion over what was happening with the Switch 2. It’s described as being for the “Nintendo Switch 2,” but doesn’t make clear if this will be purely detailing the console itself (which many had hoped would already be available by April), or games that will be available for it too.
Mario Kart 9, already widely expected to be a release title (given it’s been an extraordinary 11 years since 8 first came out), is pretty certain to be among them, but fans are obviously hoping to see a new tentpole Super Mario title, given it’s been well over seven years since Odyssey shifted the original Switch.
We know that Switch 1 (as we’ll have to get used to calling it now) games will mostly work on the new system, both physical and digital editions, but obviously there’s going to be great clamor for brand new titles that’ll take advantage of the new system specs which will also hopefully be fully revealed before or during the Direct.
Best guess: the Direct will be pre-empted with a lot of leaks from stores about dummy boxes and stock expectations for the Switch 2 itself, with a release date revealed in the Direct broadcast. Maybe early May? Please don’t be later than that, Nintendo.
Until then, more speculating, rumor-pondering and thumb-twiddling.
Update 2/5/25 9:11 a.m. ET: Added new time for the showcase provided by Nintendo.
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