Nintendo aired two of its “Direct” presentations this week to give fans a peek into the next few months for its Nintendo Switch 2 console. There were two presentations, one focused on the 40th anniversary of “The Legend of Zelda” franchise and the other generally looking at games coming this winter.
Fans and pundits alike predicted a smorgasbord of announcements, but what Nintendo ultimately showed was a bit smaller in scope.
A one-note “Ocarina” presentation
The first Direct presentation on Tuesday was titled “The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct,” but that title promised more variety than what was shown.
The vast majority of the Zelda presentation focused on the remake of the classic N64 game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” which now has a confirmed release date: Nov.5. This date was not exactly a surprise. Major Nintendo games were already confirmed for September (“Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave”) and October (“Nintendo Switch Sports Resort”), but this holiday-friendly release slot was obvious and wide-open.
“Ocarina of Time” is now scheduled two weeks before “Grand Theft Auto VI,” which is not planned to be released on Nintendo Switch 2. The early November date gives Nintendo’s holiday showcase some breathing room before the massively anticipated “Grand Theft Auto” sequel ever dominates the news cycle.
The gameplay footage of“Ocarina of Time” shown during the presentation looked very faithful to the original. Series producer Eiji Aonuma devoted time to unspectacular additions like a jump button and a free-moving camera, indicating this game won’t be adding too much onto its classic foundation.
The remake also introduced a quirky new way to play its titular ocarina thanks to the Switch 2’s microphone. Players can activate the ocarina by playing a real-life instrument or even humming into the controller.
The rest of the Zelda direct was pure filler. Any fans hoping for a trailer for the live-action “Zelda” movie releasing in April instead learned that the movie would be called “The Legend of Zelda.” Nintendo rounded out the presentation with announcements of physical merchandise, tie-ins with the Nintendo Museum in Japan and a new series of live Zelda concerts scheduled for 2027.
Third parties carry the day at main Nintendo Direct
Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct was positioned as the true main event. Before the last few minutes of the presentation, it functioned more like Nintendo’s “Partner Showcase” presentations due to its focus on third-party publishers over its own in-house games.
Major third-party publishers dominated the presentation, especially Capcom, who have been all over game presentations this summer. The Direct opened with the announcement of a Switch 2 release of Capcom’s recent “Monster Hunter Wilds.” Later, Capcom unveiled releases for its three “Resident Evil” remake games (2, 3 and 4) and a new trailer for the upcoming “Mega Man Dual Override.”
Other third-party publishers also picked up the slack. SEGA ATLUS unveiled multiple entries in its “Persona” franchise coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Mid-major publisher Level-5 confirmed a December release for “Professor Layton and the New World of Steam” and announced a new “Yo-Kai Watch” game.
There were a couple big first-party announcements to help fill out Nintendo’s bare 2027 slate. The big one was the previously leaked “Metroid Ravenous,” the sequel to acclaimed 2021 entry “Metroid Dread.”
Just like “Dread” before it, “Ravenous” appears to be leaning into the action aspects of the franchise to craft a frenetic, intense experience for players. The game looks dynamic and exciting, a worthy follow-up to one of the best action games on the original Nintendo Switch.
Closing the presentation was “Kirby and the World Beyond,” the second 3D entry in the long-running pink platformer franchise. While it’s also a sequel to “Kirby and the Forgotten Land,” the game’s format seems to be taking a hard turn into open-ended gameplay after the linear stages featured in “Forgotten Land.” It’s a calculated risk in an era where Nintendo franchises like “Zelda” and even “Donkey Kong” are leaning harder into freeform level design.
The other Nintendo first-party announcements were underwhelming. New versions of niche Switch games like “Pikmin 4” and “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity” aren’t moving the needle for prospective Switch 2 customers.
The result of all this is a 2027 Nintendo slate that still has plenty of holes. “Metroid Ravenous” and the “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity — Definitive Edition” are slated for January and February, respectively. The new “Kirby” is set for spring, and we already knew that new “Xenoblade” and “Pokémon” games are coming sometime in 2027.
That’s just five games with only one true system-seller in “Pokémon.” While “Metroid,” “Xenoblade” and “Hyrule Warriors” have their fans, those are smaller franchises without a track record of giant sales — even “Kirby” isn’t a true A-lister in terms of sales. One of those games could break out, but a lot is still riding on Nintendo’s next Direct to deliver the flood of exclusive games that Nintendo relies on to sell consoles.
Edited by Justin Ha