Rumors Are Swirling of a Big Nintendo Direct in February

A sizable Nintendo Direct is expected adjacent period — and perchance arsenic soon arsenic adjacent week, according to 1 report.

Word of a large announcement showcase comes blistery connected the heels of 2 other, smaller Nintendo Direct broadcasts dedicated to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (held past weekend) and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (due tomorrow, January 29).

Aside from those, Nintendo is inactive to laic retired the bulk of its 2026 Switch 2 merchandise slate — thing fans present expect to find retired sooner alternatively than later. Indeed, noted Nintendo leaker NatetheHate, who correctly reported the Switch 2's large uncover day past year, has leant his value down the Direct landing adjacent week, apt connected Thursday, February 5.

Speak this week via his podcast, the leaker said helium expected this twelvemonth to diagnostic a swathe of smaller Nintendo IPs, earlier the long-awaited adjacent 3D Mario platformer yet crushed pounds onto Switch 2 successful clip for the holidays.

This is thing that is besides wide expected by fans, not slightest due to the fact that it has been astir 9 years since Switch blockbuster Super Mario Odyssey, but besides due to the fact that Nintendo's 3D Mario squad has been conspicuously quiescent ever since. While immoderate veterans did assistance with Donkey Kong Bananza, galore did not — including the company's accustomed Mario shaper Yoshiaki Koizumi.

Will we spot a archetypal glimpse of Nintendo's large Mario crippled adjacent month? So far, nary leaker has made that claim. Still, there's a feeling among fans that 2026 volition beryllium erstwhile it yet debuts, to springiness the Switch 2 a boost arsenic it enters its sophomore year.

Another large boost expected this vacation volition beryllium the widely-anticipated next-generation of Pokémon games, details of which were spilled online past twelvemonth via hacked accusation taken from the servers of developer Game Freak. Like Mario, fans expect these to besides get aboriginal successful 2026 — which is the 30th day of the Pokémon franchise.

One last anticipation among fans touched connected by NatetheHate is for Nintendo to sermon much of its plans for Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 motorboat rubric it charged $80 for which landed to coagulated if not spectacular reviews. Many fans person criticized the game's bare unfastened world, and Nintendo has precocious begun tweaking parts of it, but determination is besides an presumption that Nintendo volition adhd large caller contented to the rubric implicit time.

Will this get successful the signifier of paid DLC, arsenic with Mario Kart 8? It's possible. But NatetheHate makes the constituent that pushing the game's full buy-in person to $100 whitethorn yet beryllium unpalatable to Nintendo fans, peculiarly aft galore consciousness the basal crippled is inactive yet to warrant its $80 asking price.

Here's hoping we don't person excessively overmuch longer to hold until Nintendo does nail down its adjacent large Direct date. Pokémon's large announcement show, meanwhile, is present an yearly lawsuit taking spot connected the franchise's day — February 27.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social