After taking a year off due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Electronic Software Association (ESA) has announced that E3 will return this June as a digital event. The announcement coincides with a small group of confirmed video game publishers that will be participating in the event this summer, which notably includesNintendo. WhileNintendofans have struggled to predict the company’s moves over the past year, a new report from VentureBeat indicates that Nintendo is planning a big Nintendo Direct for this June.
Nintendo fans have expressed frustration with the company’s news output over the past year. Nintendo did not release a single standard Nintendo Direct in 2020, instead opting to release smaller Nintendo Direct Mini and Partner Showcase events, while oddly reserving some of its own first-party announcements for Twitter, as it did withPaper Mario: The Origami KingandPikmin 3 Deluxe. The company returnedin February 2021with the first standard Nintendo Direct in over a year, which gave fans hope that Nintendo Directs are back and here to stay.
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Good news seems to be on the way for Nintendo fans as notable video game reporter, VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb, has claimed that Nintendo is planning a “full-scale general Direct showcase” for this June to coincide with its presence at E3 2021. Fans have already speculated that this will be the case given the company’s history with the event. Historically, Nintendo hasheld major Nintendo Directsjust before E3 as well as its Treehouse Live events during the show itself. It seems like these are slated to make a return this year.
As for what Nintendo could include in its E3 Nintendo Direct, the company has a lot of previously announced titles that are due for updates. These includeBayonetta 3,Shin Megami Tensei 5, andThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. This also extends to the company’s rumored plans forThe Legend of Zelda’s 35th anniversary, which could see the announcements ofThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HDandTwilight Princess HDports for Nintendo Switch. There are also rumors that internal Nintendo studio Monolith Soft isdeveloping a newXenoblade Chroniclesgame, which could see an announcement alongside a Switch port ofXenoblade Chronicles X.
E3 2021 is slated to take place between June 12th to June 15th 2021, so fans won’t have to wait long before Nintendo returns to make some major announcements. Grubb’s report also reveals that Microsoft and Bethesda will attend to present upcoming titles,including a possible newForzatitle. What comes of this remains to be seen, until then, it’s only two months until the event returns.
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