So Much for That January 2019 Nintendo Direct

Nintendo didn’t have any upcoming software dated after New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey, two games releasing for Switch and 3DS, respectively, tomorrow. Knowing Nintendo, this had to mean one thing: A new Nintendo Direct was on the horizon. Rumors also pointed to this, with one specifically saying a presentation was due on January 10 — yes, today. It would be a good opportunity to provide new previews and dates for games previously only given vague release timeframes, and reveal new games coming to Switch (and 3DS, perhaps) later this year.

So, it’s a pity that a recent series of announcements killed the chance of a new Direct happening anytime within the next month or so, making the rumors above seem silly. And man are certain communities on the internet who were really looking forward to a new Direct taking this hard, after several of them misremembered the accuracy of the rumor regarding the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct in November from the same source. They claimed the Direct was coming on November 8, but it actually happened on November 1, and it would have been surprising if Nintendo didn’t have another Direct presentation before the game’s release.

Nintendo confirmed that Yoshi’s Crafted World will release for Switch on March 29. This game was originally announced at E3 2017 without a name, but mysteriously no-showed E3 2018, with Nintendo confirming the game was delayed until 2019. Humorously enough, it’s following the same pattern as predecessor Yoshi’s Woolly World on Wii U, which also took longer than expected to release. This has become a tradition among Yoshi games developed by Good-Feel.

Nintendo also confirmed that Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn will release for 3DS on March 8. This is an updated port of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, which released for Wii in fall 2010, that will include new abilities for Kirby, a new mode, and new minigames that will star Meta Knight and King DeDeDe. Notably, Nintendo doesn’t have any 3DS games announced after this one, so whether the commitment to support the 3DS into 2020 includes more software remains to be seen.

Blaster Master and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link will be added to the lineup of NES games for Nintendo Switch Online on January 16, next Wednesday, which could be fun to play again for those who enjoyed them. Japan will also receive Joy Mech Fight with their new game additions, but it’s a shame western territories aren’t receiving a different third game to keep the lineups even.

Some third-party announcements that would have been saved for a Direct were also simply announced by their publishers. Capcom confirmed that Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen will be ported to Switch in late April. Both OlliOlli games are also coming to the eShop in the OlliOlli: Switch Stance package on February 14. Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight also released on the eShop today, along with a plethora of other games. Lastly, Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster will release for Switch (and Xbox One) on April 16, while Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is coming on April 30. Why Square Enix is releasing those so closely to each other is another question.

Sure, there’s a possibility that they have so much to show that some news had to be announced outside the Direct, but that’s doubtful given how they could have easily blazed through release date announcements. Several others online who suggested this as a potential scenario were joking, by the way. This explanation is also being said by fans who are clinging to hope that this could actually be the case, despite the very, very low chance of this. Poor bastards.

Nintendo might have felt they simply didn’t have enough information and surprises for a Direct right now, even for the Direct Mini format. Several fans were hoping to see a clearer picture of what games are store for Switch in the first half of this year, including a new preview of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and perhaps first looks at Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 3 — though the chances of those last two being previewed at the moment are minimal.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses, previously announced for an unspecified 2018 release before being delayed until spring 2019 with its E3 2018 reveal, could still be featured in a Fire Emblem Direct; but don’t be surprised if they’re saving key info for the Fire Emblem Expo happening in Japan on May 4. Keep in mind that spring goes until late June, though another delay is also a possibility.

The announcements above mean we won’t be seeing a Nintendo Direct for at least a month, assuming they even want to use that format to elaborate on their releases for the second quarter of 2019. The wait will be agonizing for the most, let’s say, ardent fans of the company, but this is a good time to truly heed the lesson of taking rumors with a grain of salt.