It seems like most fans would agree that the Switch is one of Nintendo’s best consoles, something that has caused the excitement for each announcedNintendo Directto go through the roof. Each time one is announced, the internet is full of predictions, wishlists, and rumors regardingwhat may be at the upcoming Nintendo showcase, and tomorrow’s Direct is no exception.
Despite Nintendo clearly saying that the Direct will focus mainly on games that are releasing later this year, fans are hoping for some major announcements. Because Nintendo said that the presentation is “mainly” focused on 2021 releases means that there might be an announcement or two for 2022, but it seems like the list for what won’t likely be featured in the40-minute Nintendo Direct presentationis pretty lengthy.
Untitled Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel
If something that isn’t coming in late 2021 is going to show up during the direct, it seems like it would be the currently untitledLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildsequel. Excitement for the game has reached something of a boiling point following the second trailer that Nintendo showed off during their E3 2021 showcase, so it seems like it would be a good fit for any presentation that the company has planned until its release.
That said,E3 was only a few months ago, and it doesn’t seem like it would benefit Nintendo to show another look at the game so quickly following the second trailer reveal. What’s more, the game is so high-profile that it’s likely to dominate the conversation surrounding any event that it’s featured in, and if Nintendo wants to highlight the rest of its 2021 releases, then it makes sense to hold off on showing it until a later date.
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Bayonetta 3
As much as this might be a tough pill to swallow forBayonettafans, it seems like there won’t be any news about the game during tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct. Development onBayonetta 3has been mostly radio silent, and the only recent update was the disappointing hint thatBayonetta’s voice actress Hellena Taylor has been recast. This isn’t to say that the game has been canceled, as news of that would likely be well known at this point, but it does suggest that the game isn’t ready for release anytime soon. Because of Nintendo’s insistence that tomorrow’s Direct will focus mainly on 2021 releases, it just doesn’t seem likely thatBayonetta 3will be making an appearance, as it certainly doesn’t seem like it’s ready for a surprise Fall 2021 release.
Splatoon 3
Ever since its announcement during February’s Nintendo Direct, the companyhasn’t had much to say aboutSplatoon 3. The announcement trailer for it didn’t give a lot of information regarding its gameplay, but did give a release window of 2022. As the year grows closer, it seems more and more likely that Nintendo will say something about it soon, though tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct doesn’t seem like the time. If the company is going to talk about something outside of the 2021 release window, it would need to be for something pretty big and, while theSplatoonseries is certainly popular, it doesn’t seem like it’s important enough to be getting an update when the rest of the show is focused on the rest of 2021.
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Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4has had a rocky development cycleto say the very least. Fans were beginning to lose all hope that it will ever come out because, before E3 2021, Nintendo hadn’t said anything publically about the game since it announced that its development was going to be rebooted in late 2019. Luckily, Nintendo mentionedPrime 4and that its development is going well right before it revealedMetroid Dread. It’s because ofMetroid Dread, however, that it seems likeMetroid Prime 4won’t make an appearance during tomorrow’s Direct. The company likely wants to focus itsMetroidcontent onDreadand its release before shifting gears into theMetroid Prime 4marketing cycle. What’s more, based on the game’s radio silence, there isn’t much to suggest that it would be ready for a 2021 release.
Metroid Prime Trilogy Switch Port
UnlikeMetroid Prime 4, theMetroid Prime TrilogySwitch port isn’t an officially announced game by Nintendo. There have been plenty of reports and rumors from industry insiders saying that an announcement is inevitable, but there have also been reports from developers who worked on the original games and the Wii port for the trilogy that have said thata Switch port forMetroid Prime Trilogyseems unlikely. Whether it’s real or not, it doesn’t seem like Nintendo would want to announce it during tomorrow’s Direct for the same reason that the company will likely steer clear ofMetroid Prime 4: the last few months areMetroid Dread’s time to shine, and it shouldn’t be eclipsed by otherMetroidannouncements.
Pokemon: Legends Arceus
WhilePokemongames often fall under the Nintendo Direct umbrella, recently they’ve been skipping Nintendo Directs in favor of being included in separate Pokemon Directs put together by the Pokemon Company. It seems like it could be a safe bet to assume thatthe upcomingPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlcould be featured tomorrow, but it seems likePokemon: Legends Arceuswon’t be.
The game has gotten plenty of press in past announcements, plus it’s scheduled for January 2022, so it’s just barely out of the 2021 window that Nintendo is showcasing. What’s more, it seems likethe Sinnoh remakeswould get higher priority, as they’re closer to coming out thanPokemon: Legends Arceusis. Based on how close the game’s release is to 2021, however, it wouldn’t be entirely out of the question to see the title during theNintendo Direct, so fans can hold on to some hope that it will appear.
