New rumors suggest July could be a busy month for news on upcomingNintendo Switch 2games. The latest hardware from Nintendo launched just over a month ago in early June, and has seen only one major exclusive,Mario Kart World. WhileDonkey Kong Bananzais set to change that later this week on July 17, the first of manySwitch 2 exclusivesconfirmed to be on the way, more news about upcoming releases could soon follow.
On an episode ofNate the Hate’s podcast, the YouTuber and leaker discussed the uncertainty around third-party games that have yet to be revealed for the system. Speculation turned towards publishers waiting for a new Nintendo Direct to showcase their games, but when the question about when that would happen arose, Nate said, “There is a Direct happening this month – the month of July.” He later clarified thatthe alleged July Nintendo Direct would not take place until afterDonkey Kong Bananzareleases, so the week starting July 21 is likely the earliest it could take place.
July Could Have 2 Major Switch 2 Events
Direct + Pokémon Presents
A Nintendo Direct potentially happening in July is already something to look forward to, butit would join an already-announced Pokémon Presents to make the month truly huge for the Switch 2.Pokémon Presents returns on July 22, and will presumably offer more footage ofPokémon Legends: Z-A, the anticipated, Lumiose City-set follow-up toPokémon Legends: Arceus.
Legends: Z-Aalready hasits release dateset, and plenty of trailers detailing its gameplay, so there’s a possibility that the Pokémon Presents will also unveil otherPokémongames coming to the Switch 2. Another Nintendo Direct could, as Nate the Hate believes, be used to unveil more third-party games for the Switch 2.Many publishers are sitting on unannounced projects, waiting for the right time, according to the leaker.
How Likely Is A Nintendo Direct This July?
It’s Certainly Possible
There’s unlikely to be concrete evidence of a Nintendo Direct until it’s officially announced, butNate the Hate’s information is usually decently reliable. Like many leakers or insiders, the podcast discusses a wide range of rumors and tidbits of information from actual industry contacts, with predictions like this simply based on said information. Considering the Pokémon Presents, though, there’s not a lot of room in July for thenext Nintendo Direct.
With Nintendo’s stake in The Pokémon Company, it seems unlikely that a Direct would come the same week, likely pushing any possible date to between July 29 and July 31, since they most often occur mid-week. There also is not a set pattern for Nintendo Directs, butthe last time one was in July was five years ago in 2020. It’s generally an odd month for a showcase, since June is when all the major gaming presentations typically happen, but it’s still possible, maybe making it a huge month for theNintendo Switch 2.
