Rumor has it that there is a new Nintendo Direct event set for later this month. These special online showcases have set the standard for recent video game news presentations, serving as the prototype to the many livestreams that have been held after this year’s Coronavirus pandemic forced more traditional outlets like E3 and Tokyo Game Show to be canceled.
Instead, companies have been taking their major developments to the internet, as was the case with June’s highly-viewed PlayStation 5 reveal event that finally showed off the new console alongside many exciting next-gen titles. Not to be outdone, Microsoft is holding a livestream showcase of its own featuring the Xbox Series X’s first-party titles as part of the ongoing Summer Games Fest on July 23. Now, it looks like Nintendo might be throwing its Mario-style hat into the ring as well with yet another of its patented Nintendo Direct presentations later this month.
Earlier today, Gossip site Nintendo Soup reported that Nintendo might be planning a new Nintendo Direct event for some time in July. This comes from Kelios, a webmaster for the fansite Pokekalos who correctly predicted the March 2020 Nintendo Direct event. He has also been noted to have legitimate information sources within Nintendo, adding weight to his claims. Kelios first mentioned this new Nintendo Direct event in a response on Twitter, which can be seen below:
Nintendo has had a bit of a rollercoaster year throughout 2020, with success stories like the high sales of Animal Crossing: New Horizons mixed with such scandals as the disastrous data breach that compromised of over 160,000 Nintendo Switch accounts back in April and continuing lawsuits over the infamous Joy-Con “drifting” defect that has plagued the Switch since its early days. Despite these setbacks, Nintendo has been assuring its fans that the aforementioned COVID-19 outbreak hasn't caused any game delays, even though it did lead to a shortage of Switch consoles.
With PlayStation and Xbox hard at work ramping up the hype for their new next-gen consoles and Nintendo reportedly sticking with the Switch until at least 2023, the long-running game company will likely keep its focus on new title announcements. These include upcoming titles like Paper Mario: The Origami King and the recently-announced Pokémon Snap sequel, both of which could likely appear at the upcoming July Nintendo Direct event. Between this and Xbox's own rumored event on July 23, it seems like this month could be an exciting time for fans hoping to get a first look at the future of gaming.
Source: Nintendo Soup, Kelios (via Twitter)