Keeping up with tradition, it was safe to expect Nintendo to announce a Direct for September to cover winter 2022 games like Pokemon Scarlet and VIolet. For many years, it has delivered full-featured Directs to guide gamers into Autumn and bring excitement for the Holiday season. In typical Nintendo fashion, concrete details are sparse at this time.
Nevertheless, there's been many rumors, from new information about the hotly anticipated Breath of the Wild 2 to some tantalizing third-party ports. With Nintendo claiming the Direct will have a "Winter" focus, this could mean anything from Q4 2022 to Q1 2023. Thankfully, fans be able to watch it for themselves with Nintendo doing a live stream of the Direct at 7:00 AM PT and 10:00 AM ET; the video will go live on Nintendo's UK channels at 4:00 PM for folks in the United Kingdom.
Rumors and Safe Bets
For years, rumors have been brewing that ports of Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD could finally be arriving on the Switch. Since Breath of the Wild 2 was delayed to 2023, this would be a safe bet for bolstering the Holiday release slate and a great opportunity for fans to scratch their Zelda itch. There's also been talk about the Metroid Prime trilogy coming to the Switch as well. Many rumors specifically point to either a remade or remastered version of the original Metroid Prime that debuted on the Gamecube in 2002. This 40-minute Direct would be the perfect opportunity to showcase both ports and give them a concrete release date. At the very least, there's a chance fans will finally get the release date for BOTW2. Details for Metroid Prime 4 remain unlikely at this time.
It's likely that more details about Bayonetta 3 and NieR Automata: The End of YoRHa Edition will be revealed, since both titles are releasing in October. There is also a high chance of seeing new footage for the forthcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, which have plenty left to reveal. Even potential announcements regarding fresh content for Splatoon 3 or DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is on the table. There's also the possibility for a new trailer for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. Footage for the upcoming Persona 5 Royal Switch port could appear, since it's releasing at the end of October. However, there are other tea leaves to be read. Switch ports of Skyrim: Anniversary Edition and It Takes Two have recently been rated by European and Taiwanese software boards. Earlier this year, there were also rumors of a potential Call of Duty: Modern Warfare port and a Batman: Arkham Collection release for the Switch.
Time and time again the Nintendo Switch has shown that it offers players the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of genres in any way they see fit. The already confirmed releases of Pokemon, Bayonetta 3, Persona 5, and NieR each occupy different genres and are appealing enough on their own. Each Switch game offers players the flexibility to play their faves at home or on the go and the potential Batman and CoD Switch ports would be great additions to the console's library. While only time will tell what goodies will be available this Holiday, it's likely that the Direct will cover a wide variety of genres and have a good ratio of first and third-party content.
Nintendo often adds surprises to Directs and has gotten good at keeping them a secret. The Switch may have aging hardware, but time and time again, developers have made seemingly impossible games like The Witcher 3 or Doom Eternal run just fine on the hybrid console. Conversely, the console can still offer smooth and steady performance with recent releases like NintendoSwitch Sports and Splatoon 3. In a world without a 2022 release date for BOTW2, Nintendo may have enough up its sleeve to keep the momentum going until its release in early 2023.