Multiple sources claim a Nintendo Direct has been delayed due to the Queen’s passing
It’s a sign of respect.
Tony Wilson 
Image via Nintendo
Nintendo Directs are a common thing these days: information right from the source about upcoming Switch games and other Nintendo products. Fans eagerly anticipating the next one might have to wait a little longer though.
An early-September Nintendo Direct has been rumored, but Nintendo never officially announced anything. Now the plot is thickening as the unannounced showcase is reportedly being delayed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. It might not mean as much to folks outside the UK, but Nintendo is apparently holding off on the delay out of respect.
Word of the delayed Direct broke simultaneously from at least two sources. Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb (who has a good track record of inside scoops like Star Wars Eclipse) tweeted the purported news during a livestream. He also points out in his thread that Nintendo never officially announced a Direct to begin with.
GamesBeat managing editor (and former coworker of Grubb’s) Mike Minotti reported the same thing. Minotti also couches his tweet by pointing out that the Direct only “might be delayed.” Should it happen, it wouldn’t be the first time such a thing occurred: Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp was indefinitely delayed in response to the war in Ukraine.
In any case, Nintendo fans are still waiting for the next Direct, and they’re hoping to see it soon. The most recent showcases focused on specific games, shining the spotlight on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in June and then on Splatoon 3 in August. As for what a new Nintendo Direct could focus on, upcoming Switch exclusives include Bayonetta 3 and Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, though the latter is more likely to be covered during Ubisoft Forward 2022. A Metroid Prime remaster has also been talked about for some time now, and it’s reportedly launching this holiday.
There are also plenty of third-party possibilities for a more general Nintendo Direct. Dragon Quest X, No Man’s Sky, Return to Monkey Island, and Shovel Knight Dig are all headed to the Switch over the next few months. Of those, Monkey Island is the closest to launching, with a release date of September 19.
About the author
