Since the launch of theNintendo 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, theSwitch 2is 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 aNintendo 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.
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 includeMetroid Prime 4: Beyond,Kirby Air Riders,Drag X Drive, andHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Out of these four games, onlyDrag X Drivehas a release date: July 29, 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 aboutKirby Air RidersorHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentsince 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, likeAnimal Crossing, as well. In the last couple of years, a handful of rumors have cropped up aboutthe next mainlineAnimal Crossinggame, 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 toAnimal Crossing: New Horizonssometime 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 aMario Kart WorldDirectright 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 nextAnimal Crossinggame and provide somerelease dates forMetroid Prime 4,Kirby Air Riders, and its other forthcomingNintendo Switch 2titles.
