Nintendo Direct live build-up: no Switch 2, but these are our predictions for what we could see

Have your own thoughts on the Direct?

Do you have any predictions as to what is going to be shown? Or maybe a burning desire for a certain game to appear?

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Will there be any hardware revealed?

As this is likely to be the last Nintendo Direct before the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, there’s a slim chance that Nintendo will slip in some last-minute hardware reveals for that older machine.

Nintendo released a Joy-Con charging stand last October, presumably so that players can keep their Joy-Con full of juice once they upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 (which features a new attachment mechanism for its controllers).

The only thing I (Rob) can potentially think of Nintendo doing is perhaps one (or more) last special edition of the Switch OLED console. The player and user base is massive and committed and if there is a bit of a wait until the Switch 2 actually launches then one final special edition could be the perfect hardware gap-plugger.

Maybe we’ll see some other accessories today that are intended to help ease that transition…

Hello there! This is Rob, Managing Editor of TechRadar Gaming taking over from Dash while he escapes for some food before the big event kicks off in…. only an hour and 15 minutes!

Potential for more details about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might be a prominent part of today’s Nintendo Direct.

First announced at E3 back in 2017, a proper look at this long-awaited instalment in the Metroid Prime series seems long overdue.

The last trailer for the game came dropped in June 2024, confirming its full title and showing off some brief cinematic clips – but we haven’t heard a peep about it since.

Nintendo has confirmed that it will be released some time in 2025, so surely more information is going to come out in the next few weeks and months.

The big question is whether the game will be a part of this Direct, or the full Nintendo Switch 2 Direct next month. On one hand, there’s a chance that this will be a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title (with cross-gen Nintendo Switch support too), which means that it would make more sense there.

On the other, Nintendo might want to focus more heavily on larger franchises like Mario Kart with more general appeal.

We’ll just have to wait and see…

The last Switch direct?

It seems almost certain that this will be the last Nintendo Direct devoted entirely to Nintendo Switch software considering the fact that there is more information on the Nintendo Switch 2 just around the corner.

Still, I don’t think that this will be the end of Nintendo Switch game releases or even the system’s presence in Nintendo Direct presentations. Nintendo has a good track record when it comes to supporting their older products even when a successor has been released.

We kept hearing about new Nintendo 3DS games well into the start of the Nintendo Switch’s life and there’s no reason to think this won’t be the case here.

There’s also the possibility of future cross-generation releases, with some games coming to both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 going forward.

…and plenty of memes

Of course, many gamers are also taking a more humorous approach to their posts. Here are some of the more amusing ones that I’ve spotted so far.

Hopefully there will be at least a crumb of Zelda news today…

Having two Nintendo Direct presentations in such quick succession is definitely a strange choice.

When I first heard rumblings of a Nintendo Direct happening earlier this week, I was very sceptical given just how soon after that Nintendo Switch 2 Direct would fall.

I don’t know about you, but the news that Haliey Welch is coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a guest character would really be the push I need to really get into fighting games.

I hate to say it, but that second image will probably be seeing a lot of use today…

Fans share hopes ahead of the Nintendo Direct…

As you would expect, Nintendo fans have been flocking to social media to share their hopes ahead of the Nintendo Direct. I’ve been keeping up with the latest posts on X / Twitter to see what everyone’s been talking about.

I’m noticing lots of The Legend of Zelda fans holding out for remasters. Many have been calling for Nintendo Direct re-releases of Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker for years now and this Nintendo Direct could be the last hope of them being announced before the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Others are talking about the potential Kirby: Planet Robobot remaster which, as I’ve already discussed, is definitely plausible and on my personal bingo card too.

I’ve even spotted one fan desperate for a Tomodachi Life 2 reveal. While I would personally love to see a successor to Nintendo’s life simulator, it doesn’t seem too likely. I also think that if one is indeed in the works, it’s more likely to be a Nintendo Switch 2 game – potentially tying into the upcoming console’s rumored new social features.

Will any of these sought-after games be featured later? We’ll just have to wait and see.

The Nintendo Music app has grown

In some surprising news shortly before the announcement of the Nintendo Direct, the company revealed changes to its Nintendo Music app.

The app, which lets you listen to select video game soundtracks on your mobile phone, now features some new music from classics like Tetris, Dr. Mario, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Could this hint at some of the things we might see at the Nintendo Direct? It’s not likely, but it’s still interesting nonetheless.

Reminder: no Nintendo Switch 2 news

Here’s an important reminder if you haven’t already got the memo: there will be no news about the Nintendo Switch 2 in this presentation.

This was confirmed by Nintendo in the original announcement post, which stated “there will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during this presentation.”

If it’s just Nintendo Switch 2 news that you’re after, you’re best off skipping this Direct in favor of the previously confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 direct on April 2, which takes place at 6AM PT.

A Kirby remaster?

Wondering what might be in store? The latest rumors suggest that we a remaster of Kirby: Planet Robobot could be announced.

Of course, this is pure speculation at this time but it would make a lot of sense. With the Nintendo Switch on the way out, I would expect this Direct to be dominated by remasters or ports of older games.

This is because they’re relatively straightforward to develop and can be outsourced to other studios, allowing Nintendo’s biggest teams to focus on the Nintendo Switch 2.

We saw lots of remasters towards the end of the Nintendo 3DS’s and Wii U’s life, so the company also has form here,

How to prepare

We’re just over three hours until the Nintendo Direct begins, but I’ve got some recommendations for how to prepare.

First, I’d recommend just making a mental note of that start time. If you need a refresher, it’s 7am PT / 10am ET / 2pm GMT, so make sure that you’re free to watch. We also know that the direct will last for roughly 30 minutes, so have that time free.

If you’re not able to follow along to the video live, don’t worry, as I’ll be posting the announcements as they happen in text form. I’ll also be recapping everything after the fact.

Also consider bookmarking the live stream on YouTube. This will make it easy to boot up once that time arrives, ensuring that you won’t miss any of the action.

Good morning gamers! Hello and welcome to my live Nintendo Direct coverage. The hype is definitely building and we’re here to guide you through the day.

I’ll be keeping track of all the latest news, rumors, and even making some predictions as we hurtle towards the show.