In a shareholder meeting, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the company was still dedicated to theNintendo Directformat for delivering game announcements, even though June’s Direct event has been delayed, and no new Directs are currently scheduled. Furukawa went on to say that Nintendo would consider new formats for communication if they present themselves in the future.
If recent trends are any indication,Nintendohas traded its multi-title, semi-annual video announcements in favor of shorter updates dedicated to single, high-profile titles. Most recently, Nintendo released a video forAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' Free Summer Update Wave 1. Earlier, Nintendo released a much longer video update dedicated toSuper Smash Bros. UltimateannouncingARMSfighter Min-Min would be joiningSmash Bros.' roster, new Mii Fighter costumes, and more. Even the announcement ofPaper Mario: The Origami King, a reveal that would likely stand out in a full Direct, was relegated to a two-minute announcement video, with follow-up videos exploring the game in more detail.
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These single title announcements and update videos do have their advantages. While the individual announcements in a company-wide Direct can compete with each other, updates focused on a single title stand on their own. It is also common for fans to complain after a Direct airs without any mention of a favorite franchise, whereas these shorter announcementsstill provide opportunities for one Nintendo property to nod at another. The videos also tend to be shorter, and easier to digest, however, it is worth noting theSuper Smash Bros.UltimateMin-Min announcementvideo runs nearly as long as last September’s full-sized Nintendo Direct—the last to be released.
A large Nintendo Direct was scheduled for June, but due to various conditions caused by COVID-19,that announcement has been delayed, seemingly indefinitely. To that point, it is possible that Nintendo is holding off on Directs due to delays in their production pipeline caused by coronavirus. Popular titles' development have undoubtedly been pushed back by the pandemic, and Nintendo may be holding off until the extent of that impact is clearer.
It is worth noting the Nintendo Direct format was partially crafted to serve as a substitute for Nintendo’s lack of presence at large gaming trade shows like E3, which themselves may be a thing of the past.Despite the ESA’s best efforts, E3 2020 was canceledwithout so much as a digital presentation to make up for the loss of the live event.
If Nintendo abandons its Direct format, smaller budget titles are the most likely to suffer. Just as large trade shows likeE3 allowed indie gems to stand out among a crowd of games with more clout, a smaller title could get a shot in the arm by being listed alongside Link, Mario, and Samus’s latest adventures. For example, while Nintendo’sNinjalaannouncement video pulled in just over half a million viewers, Nintendo’s last Mini Direct scored 4.6 million views.
The date of the nextNintendo Directhas yet to be revealed, and there is no official word on approaching announcements with a new format.
