Nintendo Reportedly Delays Annual E3 Direct

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Nintendo is no longer planning to hold a Nintendo Direct during June to replace its E3 presentation it holds every year, according to new reports on the matter. The gaming company previously had plans to hold an event in June like it does every year when it showcases a Nintendo Direct amid the on-site E3 events, but those familiar with the matter have said the broadcast has now been pushed back to a later date. Problems caused by Nintendo employees having to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic have been cited as the main issue for the Direct’s delay.

VentureBeat first reported on the news of the Nintendo Direct delay with that news soon corroborated by Eurogamer who said they’d heard similar information about Nintendo’s plans for the summer. Nintendo has apparently been telling its partners that there are no plans to hold a Direct in June. That event would’ve presumably showcased titles from third-party developers as well as Nintendo’s first-party teams, but it appears we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see what’s planned.

As for when the Direct’s replacement will actually take place, the thinking right now based on the information in the reports is that the Direct set to replace the one in June may not come until towards the end of summer. Eurogamer said third-party publishers have been told not to wait up for Nintendo if they want to start revealing their games on their own terms.

The news of the delay will come as a blow to those who were looking forward to Nintendo’s next Direct since the events are such unique experiences for Nintendo’s fans. Nintendo’s been one of the pioneers in the direct-to-consumer video showcases with other companies following behind as indicated by PlayStation’s State of Play streams, and the company’s presentations bring about a ton of new announcements. Some of them are more focused on specific games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate while the E3 presentations have historically been more rapid-fire events with news on a bunch of games.

Speaking of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, this delay could have an impact on news about that game as well. The next DLC character in the game is from ARMS and is set to be announced and released in June and was likely planned for this Direct that’s now been delayed.

While Nintendo’s next big showcase might be some time away, we can at least look forward to a different company’s event that’s taking place much sooner. Microsoft announced this week its plans to hold an Xbox Series X gameplay event, so plan on tuning in for that next week.