July's Nintendo Direct Won't End One Wait, But It Could Be…

Since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, many fans have impatiently waited for Nintendo to share some more news about the console's lineup of first-party titles for the remainder of the year. While its success is undeniable, the Switch 2 is currently kind of lacking when it comes to true exclusive games. Although a bunch of titles for the system are on the horizon, most of them are either ports of older multi-platform games or cross-gen titles that are available on both Switch and Switch 2. Some fans, as a result, have longed for a new Nintendo Direct to be aired soon.

After weeks of rampant speculation about when the next Nintendo Direct would be held, Nintendo finally broke its silence on the matter, but not in the way that some would have liked. The company announced earlier today that it will be hosting a Nintendo Direct on July 31, tomorrow, that will feature both Switch and Switch 2 games. This Direct, however, is going to be a Partner Showcase, so it will only feature games from third-party publishing partners. While it's not out of the realm of possibility that second-party games will appear at the event, it seems like fans will have to wait a bit longer to learn more about Nintendo's upcoming first-party catalog, which, at the moment, is shrouded in mystery.

Switch 2 Owners Have At Least 4 More Exclusives to Look Forward to This Summer

Early adopters of the Nintendo Switch 2 have at least four more exclusive releases to look forward to before summer 2025 comes to an end.

Posts

By Dalton Cooper

The Next Nintendo Direct Won't Feature Any First-Party Nintendo Games

Some of Nintendo's Upcoming 2025 Titles Still Don't Have Release Dates

During the last Nintendo Direct that was held in April, Nintendo showed off a bunch of new titles for the Switch 2 that are supposedly scheduled to come out this year. These include Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Kirby Air Riders, Drag X Drive, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Out of these four games, only Drag X Drive has a release date: August 14, 2025. Frankly, it's anyone's guess as to what day the other three games will come out.

Although they're meant to be released within the next six months, Nintendo has shared virtually no new information about Kirby Air Riders or Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment since their announcements. The former title, in fact, hasn't even received a proper gameplay reveal yet.

Some Major Nintendo Titles, Like the Next Animal Crossing Game, Have Yet to be Announced

Aside from officially announced titles, fans have been left in the dark about the next installments in some of Nintendo's biggest franchises, like Animal Crossing, as well. In the last couple of years, a handful of rumors have cropped up about the next mainline Animal Crossing game, but nothing concrete has come of them so far.

Based on the series' usual release history, a lot of fans are expecting Nintendo to release a Switch 2-exclusive successor to Animal Crossing: New Horizons sometime in 2026. However, if the game doesn't get revealed at a Nintendo Direct soon, then the chances of it coming out next year will look pretty slim.

A General Switch 2 Direct Could Be Announced at the Partner Showcase Tomorrow

Nintendo fans probably won't get many answers to their questions about Nintendo's upcoming slate of first-party games tomorrow, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they should lose all hope. Since there are so many unknowns about the remainder of Nintendo's 2025, it's possible that the company will announce another general Direct near the end of its Partner Showcase. If this happens, it wouldn't be the first time Nintendo has done something like this.

Back in April, the company revealed a Mario Kart World Direct right in the middle of its Nintendo Switch 2 presentation.

Due to Nintendo's tendency to air Directs in September, it seems logical that this upcoming Partner Showcase won't be the final presentation that Nintendo has in store for this year. Hopefully, if the company does host another general Direct in the near future, it will shed some light on the next Animal Crossing game and provide some release dates for Metroid Prime 4, Kirby Air Riders, and its other forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 titles.

Image