Nintendo’s First Direct of 2026 Is Taking Shape

Nintendo has officially confirmed that the first Nintendo Direct of 2026 will be a Partner Showcase, and honestly, that alone already tells us a lot. Partner Showcases usually exist to clear the runway—letting third-party announcements breathe before Nintendo drops the real bomb: a full, general Nintendo Direct.

On top of that, we already know another big presentation is locked in. Pokémon Presents is happening on February 27th, Pokémon Day, and yes—this date was datamined ahead of time. So now the real question isn’t if Nintendo has more planned, but how they’re spacing everything out.

And according to ongoing rumors, there may be three major presentations in play:

• A Partner Showcase (confirmed)
• Pokémon Presents (February 27)
• A full General Nintendo Direct (timing still up in the air)

Let’s break it all down.

What to Expect From the 2026 Nintendo Partner Showcase

Partner Showcases are always weirdly exciting and impossible to predict at the same time. They’re not about Nintendo’s biggest first-party reveals—that stuff is usually saved—but rather third-party titles we already know exist, ports, updates, and long-awaited confirmations.

That said, there’s still plenty of room for surprises.

Likely Third-Party Highlights

A few names feel almost inevitable:

• Indiana Jones
• LEGO Batman
• Fallout 4
• Possibly even Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which would be wild this early

This is the kind of Direct where Nintendo can toss a bunch of third-party darts at the board and see what sticks.

Hyrule Warriors DLC and the “Safe Bets”

One standout possibility is paid DLC for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.

Historically, every Hyrule Warriors game has received DLC:

• The original Hyrule Warriors
• Age of Calamity

So announcing additional content here would make perfect sense—especially since Age of Imprisonment already appeared in a Partner Showcase during the Switch 2 generation.

What won’t show up here?

• Halo
• Forza
• Major first-party reveals

Those are almost certainly being saved for a general Nintendo Direct.

The Duskbloods, Elden Ring, and Other Heavy Hitters

If the Partner Showcase needs a big “wow” moment, The Duskbloods could be it. We haven’t seen this game since the April Switch 2 Direct last year, which makes this the perfect opportunity to reintroduce it properly.

And yes…

Elden Ring on Switch 2 still hasn’t shown up.

At this point, it feels less like speculation and more like inevitability. A Partner Showcase with a new Elden Ring release date would instantly elevate the presentation.

Other major third-party possibilities include:

• Resident Evil Requiem and Capcom’s collection
• 007: First Light
• Rumored Red Dead Redemption 2 for Switch 2

Considering Red Dead Redemption 1 already received a free Switch 2 update, it’s not hard to imagine Rockstar having something bigger planned.

Will There Be a General Nintendo Direct Before Pokémon Day?

This is where things get interesting—and messy.

Sources are split.

Some suggest a General Nintendo Direct in the third week of February, around February 17th or 18th, which would place it just days before:

• Pokémon Day
• The 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda

Others claim Nintendo may wait until March, continuing a strange new pattern we saw last year.

Nintendo’s Shifting Direct Schedule

In 2025, Nintendo did something unusual:

• A Switch 1 General Direct
• Followed just one week later by the big Switch 2 Direct

That February Direct included games like:

• Metroid Prime 4
• Tomodachi Life
• Rhythm Heaven Groove

It left a lot of people wondering:

Is March now Nintendo’s new “default” Direct month?

Historically, February was almost guaranteed. Now? Not so much.

Why Timing Matters So Much in 2026

One thing feels clear: Nintendo wants a General Direct before the new fiscal year begins.

A mid-February Direct would line up perfectly with:

• Zelda’s 40th anniversary
• Past Direct timing (like 2021)
• Building momentum before Pokémon Day

The only concern is whether it’s too close to the reveal of Pokémon Gen 10. Nintendo may want each announcement to have its own moment.

But if Nintendo’s goal is to send a message—“2026 is our year”—then stacking announcements might be exactly the point.

The 3D Mario Rumor That Could Define 2026

One of the biggest rumors floating around is the reveal of a brand-new 3D Mario game in the first General Direct of the year.

And honestly? The timing makes sense.

• Switch 2 will be over a year old by June 5
• Mario Galaxy released one year after the Wii
• Super Mario 3D World launched one year after the Wii U
• Super Mario Odyssey dropped in October 2017

There’s a pattern here.

A new 3D Mario in 2026 could also align with the 30th anniversary of Super Mario 64, which would be the cherry on top.

If Nintendo pulls off:

• A new 3D Mario
• Pokémon Gen 10

…in the same year, they’ve basically already won 2026.

Why Fans Are Desperate for 3D Mario Right Now

Let’s be real:

A lot of players feel the Switch 2’s first year has been… underwhelming.

Yes, there have been highlights:

• Donkey Kong Bonanza
• Metroid Prime 4 (a personal game-of-the-year contender for many)

But for a lot of fans, 3D Mario is the missing piece. It’s the system seller people are begging for, and Nintendo knows it.

Monolith Soft, Xenoblade, and the Power of Switch 2

Another strong rumor points to Monolith Soft.

Historically, Xenoblade games have had short reveal-to-release cycles:

• Xenoblade Chronicles 2
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3

So a new Monolith Soft game—possibly a new Xenoblade Chronicles—being revealed and released in 2026 is completely believable.

These games may not chase photorealism, but their scale has always pushed Nintendo hardware to its limits. A Switch 2-native Xenoblade would be a perfect showcase of what the console can really do.

Nintendo Switch 2 Is Becoming the “Complete” Console

At this point, Switch 2 is shaping up to be something special:

• Backward compatibility
• Strong launch lineup
• Third-party games finally running smoothly
• More simultaneous releases with other platforms

Add in true Switch 2 exclusives that are actual bestsellers, and Nintendo starts looking unstoppable.

A new Mario.

A new Pokémon generation.

Strong third-party support.

That’s a brutal one-two-three punch.

Zelda’s 40th Anniversary: Remake, Remaster, or Surprise?

Finally, there’s The Legend of Zelda.

A brand-new game seems unlikely unless Grezzo has been quietly cooking since Echoes of Wisdom. But for a 40th anniversary, Nintendo has options:

• Oracle remakes
• Ocarina of Time rumors
• Another top-down Zelda project

Zelda is always the wild card. There are simply too many possibilities to rule anything out.

Final Thoughts

Between the Partner Showcase, Pokémon Presents, and a potential General Nintendo Direct, early 2026 is stacked. Nintendo isn’t just filling gaps—they’re positioning themselves to dominate the year.

Whether it’s Mario, Pokémon, Zelda, or Xenoblade, one thing is clear:

Nintendo isn’t playing defense in 2026.

They’re loading up the heavy hitters.

And if even half of these rumors pan out?

Yeah… it’s going to be a very good year.