Nintendo Direct June 2022: What to Expect After E3's Cancellation

Entry information

Published on: May 19, 2022

Description

Nintendo Direct June 2022: What to Expect After E3's Cancellation The gaming landscape experienced a significant shift in 2022 with the official cancellation of E3, the industry's longstanding annual expo.

Once recognized as the gathering point for top announcements from the biggest names in gaming—including Nintendo—E3 had been facing declining influence in recent years.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this decline, leading to this year's complete cancellation.

Filling the gap, Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest will now serve as the industry’s focal point, kicking off on June 9th, 2022, with promises of major reveals and global participation. For Nintendo Switch owners and the wider Nintendo community, attention is now focused on whether the company will maintain tradition by hosting a Nintendo Direct in June.

Historically, Nintendo has used its Nintendo Direct presentations to deliver high-impact news and trailers, coinciding with the summer showcase cycle and updates for core franchises via the Nintendo eShop. While E3 once provided a central stage for companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, and Square Enix, recent years have seen leading publishers pivot toward independent digital showcases.

Microsoft has already confirmed its own event for June 12th, 2022, suggesting a broader industry movement to maintain the mid-year announcement cycle despite E3's demise. In light of these shifts, a member of the Nintendo Life editorial team explained that Nintendo’s Direct presentations are technically separate from the E3 infrastructure and likely to continue regardless.

Essentially, the lack of an in-person E3 event does little to disrupt Nintendo’s established pattern of sharing news directly with fans and media through online broadcasts.

This approach has benefited Nintendo, allowing the company to reach its global audience quickly, update its robust catalog of Nintendo Switch content, and highlight new releases coming to the eShop. With Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest positioned as the main event this year, analysts and fans alike expect major players—including Nintendo—to maintain or even enhance digital presence during this time.

Nintendo's focus will likely remain on delivering updates for upcoming 2022 titles and sharing fresh details on anticipated Switch releases.

Given the history and continued popularity of the Nintendo Switch, industry watchers are confident the company will leverage a June Nintendo Direct as a means to connect with its considerable fan base. The cancellation of E3 may mark the end of an era, but for Nintendo Direct loyalists, June promises to deliver the announcements and reveals that keep the gaming community energized.

As the calendar advances toward the summer presentation window, Nintendo remains at the forefront of industry innovation in digital showcases, ensuring its news reaches millions of Switch players around the world.

Nintendo Nintendo Direct E3 Nintendo Switch Switch

Video: With E3 Dead, Will Nintendo Host A Direct In June?