Nintendo has cemented itself as one of, if not the most, well-known game developers and publishers in the world. It’s no surprise that, at any point in time, there are thousands of people eager for their next release, whether that’s something fresh from their Italian plumber, space-faring bounty hunter, or hungry pink ball. If not a proper announcement, then at least the rumours surrounding them. To keep fans in the loop, Nintendo started making Nintendo Directs to update fans on their next projects and what to expect from them and set a template for the rest of the industry to follow.
Can’t wait for the next one? Read on to see when the next Nintendo Direct is, including where you can watch it and what it will be about. Need to know more? We have some interesting details and records about Nintendo’s most memorable Directs below, too.
Next Nintendo Direct Day And Time
The next Nintendo Direct currently has an unknown air date, though Nintendo may squeeze one more in before the end of the year. Expect to hear about it a day or so before it’s officially released.
The latest Nintendo Direct took place on September 14th, 2023, and focused on a bunch of new games coming to Switch, including a Thousand Year Door remaster, the return of F-Zero, and also a bunch of updates on previously announced games.
Where To Watch Nintendo Directs
You can watch Nintendo Directs on the official Nintendo of America YouTube channel, or whatever the equivalent official Nintendo channel for you is in your region.
If the Nintendo Direct is a livestream, they are usually posted a day or two in advance on the channel. You can check its time, length, and expected announcements in the description of that stream once it’s available.
Nintendo Direct Types
Not all Nintendo Directs are the same. Not just in the sense that their topics are different, but Nintendo Directs have specific types that have different lengths and purposes. Here are all the current types.
- Nintendo Direct (25–50 minutes): The primary Nintendo Direct type. These cover general news about Nintendo games and consoles.
- Nintendo Direct Mini (5–30 minutes): These Directs are shorter and cover lesser-known games and news.
- Nintendo Direct Special (5–50 minutes): These are Directs that focus on one specific special game. The producer or director of the game usually hosts these Directs.
- Pokémon Direct/Pokemon Presents (10–27 minutes): As the name implies, these Directs cover news on the Pokémon franchise.
- Indie World (17–28 minutes): Not all the games you play on Nintendo consoles are made by Nintendo specifically. This type of Direct focuses on games from indie developers coming to a Nintendo console.
- Nintendo E3 Presentations/Directs (20–45 minutes): These are the presentations Nintendo shows during E3.
You should also note that Nintendo Direct types actually come and go. Previous types, such as the Nintendo Direct Micro and Wii U Direct, have been discontinued for various reasons. And the way things are going now, the Nintendo E3 Directs might be on their way out.
New types may come when a major development occurs within Nintendo, such as a new console release.
What Was The First Nintendo Direct?
The first Nintendo Direct debuted on October 21, 2011. It featured Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president of Nintendo America.
Watching it will give you a huge blast from the past. Nintendo’s latest handheld console was still the Nintendo 3DS, which was what the Direct was marketing. They advertised 3DS games, streaming platforms, and video recording and animation apps.
Since then, the Nintendo Directs just kept coming and now, there are 188 of them, including the latest Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct.
What’s The Most Popular Nintendo Direct?
The best Nintendo Direct would be hard to pin down. It’s highly subjective and would depend on who you ask. But popularity-wise, based purely on numbers, there is a definite winner.
As of the writing of this article, the most popular Nintendo Direct is the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct on September 3, 2020. Mario has always been Nintendo’s main star, and his 35th anniversary has gathered a whopping 11 million views.
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