Nintendo Direct Switch
Image: Gemma Smith / Nintendo Life

Nintendo started its series of Nintendo Direct presentations back in 2011, delivering Nintendo hardware and software reveals, updates, and release dates direct *does the famous Iwata 'direct to you' gesture* to you in a video broadcast that has come in a variety of forms over the years.

In this Nintendo Direct guide, we cover all the different varieties of Nintendo Direct, when the last one was, and when the next Nintendo Direct might be. We also have a full list of Nintendo Directs since their inception, including the original Nintendo Direct broadcast day and date, a link to our archived coverage, and the duration of the broadcast.

Nintendo Direct Full List - Every Presentation Ever

Below is a full list of every Nintendo Direct presentation broadcast in the West since the beginning of the series in 2011. We will update this list as new Nintendo Directs are announced and broadcast.

Click on the title in the Type column to watch any of the presentations again, or see a round-up of the announcements. Click on the headers to sort by Type or Duration.

Note. We've excluded Pokémon Presents showcases from this list.

2024

The first Nintendo Direct of 2024 was broadcast on 21st February, followed by an Indie World Showcase on 17th April, a full Nintendo Direct on 18th June, a special Nintendo Museum Direct on 19th August, and a dual Indie World and Partner Showcase on 27th August.

We'll update this guide when further announcements are made.

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 21st Wednesday Partner Showcase 25 mins
April 17th Wednesday Indie World Showcase 20 mins
June 18th Tuesday Nintendo Direct 40 mins
August 19th Monday Nintendo Museum Direct 13 mins
August 27th Tuesday Indie World Showcase AND Partner Showcase 42 mins
TBA
TBA TBA TBA

2023

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 8th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 44 mins
March 9th Thursday Super Mario Bros. Movie 7 mins
April 19th Wednesday Indie World 21mins
June 21st Wednesday Nintendo Direct 43 mins
August 31st Thursday Super Mario Bros. Wonder 15 mins
September 14th Thursday Nintendo Direct 42 mins
November 14th Tuesday Indie World 22 mins


2022

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 9th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 41 mins
May 11th Wednesday Indie World 34 mins
June 22nd Wednesday Xenoblade Chronicles 3 22 mins
June 28th Tuesday Mini: Partner Showcase 26 mins
August 10th Wednesday Splatoon 3 32 mins
September 13th Tuesday Nintendo Direct 45 mins
October 6th Thursday Super Mario Bros. Movie 5 mins
November 9th Wednesday Indie World 26 mins
November 29th Tuesday Super Mario Bros. Movie 8 mins

2021

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 17th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 51 mins
March 4th Thursday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 37 mins
April 14th Wednesday Indie World

25 mins

June 15th Tuesday Nintendo Direct (E3 2021) 39 mins
June 28th Monday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 43 mins
August 11th Wednesday Indie World 22 mins
September 23rd Thursday Nintendo Direct 40 mins
October 5th Tuesday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 42 mins
October 15th Friday Animal Crossing 23 mins
December 15th Wednesday Indie World 24 mins

2020

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 16th Thursday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 39 mins
February 20th Thursday Animal Crossing 28 mins
March 17th Tuesday Indie World 19 mins
March 26th Thursday Mini 29 mins
June 22nd Monday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 35 mins
July 20th Monday Mini: Partner Showcase 8 mins
August 18th Tuesday Indie World 23 mins
August 26th Wednesday Mini: Partner Showcase 12 mins
September 3rd Thursday Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary 16 mins
September 17th Thursday Mini: Partner Showcase 15 mins
September 17th Thursday Monster Hunter 16 mins
October 3rd Saturday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 46 mins
October 28th Wednesday Mini 19 mins
December 15th Tuesday Indie World 17 mins
December 17th Thursday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 38 mins
December 18th Friday Super Nintendo World 15 mins

2019

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 23rd Wednesday Indie Highlights 16 mins
February 13th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 37 mins
March 20th Wednesday Nindies Showcase 25 mins
April 16th Tuesday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 15 mins
May 15th Wednesday Super Mario Maker 2 17 mins
June 11th Tuesday Nintendo Direct (E3 2019) 43 mins
July 30th Tuesday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 21 mins
August 19th Monday Indie World 24 mins
September 4th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 39 mins
September 4th Wednesday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 25 mins
November 6th Wednesday Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC 49 mins
December 10th Tuesday Indie World 20 mins

2018

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 11th Thursday Mini 14 mins
March 8th Thursday Nintendo Direct 34 mins
March 20th Tuesday Nindies Showcase 12 mins
June 12th Tuesday Nintendo Direct (E3 2018) 43 mins
August 8th Wednesday Smash Bros. Ultimate 27 mins
August 20th Monday Indie Highlights (EU) 23 mins
August 28th Tuesday Nindies Showcase 16 mins
August 29th Wednesday Dragalia Lost Mobile 13 mins
September 13th Thursday Nintendo Direct 38 mins
November 1st Thursday Smash Bros. Ultimate 41 mins

2017

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 18th Wednesday Fire Emblem 19 mins
February 28th Tuesday Nindies Showcase 18 mins
April 12th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 36 mins
May 17th Wednesday ARMS 23 mins
June 13th Tuesday E3 2017 Spotlight 25 mins
July 6th Thursday Splatoon 2 26 mins
August 30th Wednesday Nindies Showcase 22 mins
September 13th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 46 mins
October 24th Tuesday Animal Crossing Mobile 14 mins
November 7th Tuesday Xenoblade Chronicles 2 16 mins

2016

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
March 3rd Thursday Nintendo Direct 41 mins
September 1st Thursday 3DS 33 mins
October 20th Thursday Nintendo Switch reveal trailer 3 mins
November 2nd Wednesday Animal Crossing: New Leaf 16 mins

2015

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 14th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 47 mins
April 1st Wednesday Nintendo Direct 48 mins
April 24th Friday Xenoblade Chronicles X 8 mins
May 7th Thursday Splatoon 33 mins
May 31st Sunday Nintendo Direct (JP) 30 mins
June 1st Monday Micro (NA) 17 mins
June 14th Sunday Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS 18 mins
June 16th Tuesday E3 2015 Digital Event 48 mins
November 12th Thursday Nintendo Direct 45 mins
December 15th Tuesday Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS 33 mins

2014

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 13th Thursday Nintendo Direct 41 mins
April 8th Tuesday Smash Bros. for Wii U / 3DS 39 mins
April 10th Thursday Tomodachi Life 11 mins
April 30th Wednesday Mario Kart 8 36 mins
June 10th Tuesday E3 2014 Digital Event 47 mins
August 4th Monday Hyrule Warriors 26 mins
September 4th Thursday Bayonetta 2 31 mins
October 23rd Thursday Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS 35 mins
November 5th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 33 mins

2013

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
January 25th Friday Wii U 35 mins
February 14th Thursday Nintendo Direct

37 mins

March 13th Wednesday Flipnote Studio 3D Mini 7 mins
April 17th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 37 mins
May 17th Friday Nintendo Direct 29 mins
June 11th Tuesday Nintendo Direct @E3 2013 41 mins
July 18th Thursday Mini 22 mins
August 7th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 27 mins
August 9th Friday The Wonderful 101 20 mins
September 18th Wednesday Wii Fit U 20 mins
October 1st Tuesday Nintendo Direct 29 mins
November 13th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 33 mins
November 27th Wednesday 3DS Guide: Louvre App 12 mins
December 18th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 33 mins

2012

Date Day Type Approximate Duration
February 22nd Wednesday Nintendo Direct 12 mins
April 21st Saturday Nintendo Direct 33 mins
June 4th Monday Nintendo Direct (Pre-E3) 30 mins
June 22nd Friday Nintendo Direct 20 mins
September 13th Thursday Wii U Preview 57 mins
October 2nd Tuesday New Super Mario Bros. 2 Mini 5 mins
October 4th Thursday Nintendo Direct (EU) 29 mins
October 25th Thursday Nintendo Direct (NA) 30 mins
November 7th Wednesday Wii U 6 mins
November 14th Wednesday Wii U 14 mins
November 27th Tuesday New Super Mario Bros. 2 Mini 6 mins
December 5th Wednesday Nintendo Direct 30 mins

2011

Date Day Type
Approximate Duration
October 21st Friday Nintendo Direct 7 mins

Frequently Asked Questions

Nintendo Switch OLED
Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life

When is the next Nintendo Direct?

Update: The next Nintendo Direct is coming on 18th June 2024:


Ha, good one.

Oh, you really want to know? Well, analysis of the date-based data above suggests that Nintendo will likely stick to a similar cadence from past years when it comes to 'full-fat' Nintendo Direct presentations.

Over the past few years, the schedule has one early in the year (around February), one in June (typically to coincide with the now-defunct E3), and another in September in the run-up to the lucrative holiday season.

There's no reason to think Nintendo won't stick to a similar timetable with future Directs. It's an established formula that works with/around scheduling for other major events in the gaming and business calendars. While the company enjoys playing with and subverting people's expectations, there's no reason to give up on a marketing strategy and timetable that, historically, has been a winner.

And this year, in a break from the norm, in an attempt to quash 'Switch 2' rumours, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa gave us all a heads-up by announcing that a planned June Nintendo Direct wouldn't feature new hardware announcements.

And remember, while the real blow-outs tend to some two or three times a year, a smaller broadcast could be announced at pretty much any time.

When was the last Nintendo Direct?

At the time of writing, the last Nintendo Direct was the Partner Showcase February 2024, broadcast on 21st February.

What is Nintendo Direct?

Nintendo Directs are videos created by Nintendo to announce and showcase upcoming video games and hardware, directly to fans via broadcasts presented by Nintendo employees.

Starting in October 2011, Nintendo has put out regular Direct presentations of different types — some focusing on a specific game or system, with others featuring third-party publishers or indie games. Other Direct showcases cover non-gaming, Nintendo-related products, such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Nintendo Direct Types

Nintendo Direct

The flagship 'full-fat' format, typically showcasing a mix of first- and third-party titles and hardware or peripherals. Before 2017, these could include system-specific Nintendo Directs for the 3DS or Wii U, until the company converged its handheld and home console hardware into a single system, the Switch.

Nintendo E3 Direct presentations took place for several years before halting in 2020 when E3 was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Nintendo Direct Mini / Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase

As per the name, a shorter version of the Direct format. Narrators introduce and discuss the game in segments, with headline-style inserts before gameplay is shown. Partner Showcases feature no first-party Nintendo software, highlighting third-party games only.

Indie World

A format that highlights games from smaller developers and publishers. Preceded by Nindies Showcases and Indie Highlights presentation.

One-Off Nintendo Direct Specials

On occasion, Nintendo will produce a game or series-specific Direct to showcase a single game. Examples of this include the 'Mr Sakurai Presents' Super Smash Bros. Direct DLC presentations, the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Nintendo Direct, and the Super Nintendo World Direct.

Pokémon Direct / Pokémon Presents

A broadcast devoted to, as the name suggests, all things Pokémon. These are presented by employees of The Pokémon Company rather than Nintendo staff and often cover non-gaming Pokémon events and products, in addition to software news.

As a recurrent, series-specific presentation, we haven't included Pokémon Presents in the lists above.


Hopefully this Nintendo Direct guide has been useful. We'll be updating it with new information, direct to you, as and when it drops — this will remain the place for all your past Nintendo Direct needs.