Nintendo Direct September 2022 live report
Come watch the big show with us - live from 3pm BST.
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Happy Nintendo Direct day! And this promises to be a very happy one indeed, with 40 minutes of news and - fingers crossed - potential for a big update on Breath of the Wild's sequel. There's room for plenty more besides too, so join us from 3pm BST for all the fun! (And the inevitable disappointment when we don't get precisely what we want, of course. Traditions!)
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Well hello!
Hi!
Well hi!
Apologies for the repeated messages - we're having some technical issues which are making it all quite exciting here.
But it appears we are actually online!
2much says: 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 Fire Emblem 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯
Amidst all the hype about the reissues of Zelda and Metroid Prime, plus the hope of seeing more Breath of the Wild 2, I'd sort of forgotten we're also due a look at the new Fire Emblem.
This could be a very good Direct.
Nintendo UK is choosing not to livestream today's Direct given the recent death of the Queen, so we've embedded the Australian Direct here which will have PAL announcements.
I will also try to keep things respectful here for all.
I will likely struggle to be respectful if they really do show off Radiant Silvergun on Switch, mind. Apologies in advance.
Nintendo UK's decision was something of a surprise, but could probably be expected - their headquarters are in Windsor within sight of the palace. Apparently Iwata would love to go visit the grounds whenever he was over for business.
So, predictions! Well, you can read ours over here.
I almost can't quite believe we'll actually get more info on the Breath of the Wild sequel. I won't believe it until I see it.
Also likely on the slate: Bayonetta 3, as that's out sooooooon, plus perhaps a new release date for the previously postponed Advance Wars.
I'm doing my level best not to get too excited about what's to come but I can't help myself.
30 seconds people!
All these announcements are coinciding with Tokyo Game Show, so expect their to be a focus on Japanese releases.
Like Fire Emblem, for example.
Ask and ye shall receive, @2much.
It feels like a lifetime ago since Three Houses.
Fire Emblem Engage is the title - as previously rumoured, it features a familiar cast from the series' history, many of whom you might know from the infinite Smash Bros. cameos.
The battle scenes look like an impressive evolution of those seen in Three Houses with fancier animations. And we've a release date - 20th January 2023.
As also previously rumoured, the game's been finished for a while so that imminent release date isn't too much of a surprise.
How lovely that a new Fire Emblem is so close though!
It Takes Two is getting a Switch port - will be fascinating to see how it runs.
It does offer local wireless play via a Friends Pass which is kind of neat - it lends this version of It Takes Two its own edge. And that's out this November.
Frame Frame, Fatal Frame! (It can play hideous tricks on the brain).
Sorry, there's never a good time for Morrissey quotes, and now's defintely not a good time for them. Anyway, a new Project Zero!
Challenge Battles coming to Xenolade Chronicles 3, allowing you to access swimwear for your party.
...
I don't think I was prepared for news of a Spongebob game during today's Direct.
Nor a Fist of the North Star fitness game, which is just... Yes please?
There was an amazing Fist of the North Star arcade game with a punching bag - I can't remember what it was called, but I remember they had one on Brighton pier and I almost cracked my fist on it. Happy days.
That's out in March, and I can't wait.
Before then - and the first of our predictions to come true - is Tunic on Switch! It's out later this month.
And those Front Mission remakes are looking grand.
Fingers crossed for a mech revival of sorts, with the potential of a new Armored Core from FromSoft in the works too.
WaveMaster says: Oh oh. I still haven't finished Three Houses. Buh bye free timeMeh, it's only a mere 100 or so hours you'll need.
And the real reason we're here.
News of Splatoon 3's first post-launch Splatfest, with the three choices being 'what would you bring to a desert island - grub, gear or fun?'
Hmm, these three-way choices aren't quite as catchy as what we had before, are they?
It is time. For Square Enix.
To reveal Octopath Traveller 2!
I hope it's a bit less boring and annoying than the first game.
I also hope that doesn't come across as mean - the artstyle is exquisite, but the adventure lacked any real momentum.
That artstyle tho!
And that's out next February!
Cripes, the beginning of 2023 is looking busy already.
Another quickfire bust of news - Fae Farm from Phoenix Labs.
WaveMaster says: Faefarm reminds me of Fantasy Life a little bitFantasy Life was such a beautiful premise, though I'm ashamed to say I bounced off it after a dozen hours.
And Theatrhythm will be hitting the eShop later today.
good luck remembering how to spell it when searching for it there tho
I sometimes worry I drink too much, then I look at the name of a Square Enix game and realise at least I don't drink *that* much.
Mario Rabbids Galaxy gets a fresh outing after we saw it on Saturday night's Ubisoft Forward, and it continues to look amazing.
And news of Rune Factory 3 which is coming next year. And more Rune Factory games coming!
Oh.
My.
Days.
Yes GoldenEye is coming, but more importantly PILOTWINGS 64 is finally coming to Switch!
No concrete news on GoldenEye other than it will feature online.
And - excuse the plug - you can hear more from some of the original GoldenEye dev team at EGX next weekend.
Maybe they'll know more about it? You'd like to think so, wouldn't you?
In my excitement for Pilotwings 64, I forgot to mention that Pokemon Stadium, 1080 Snowboarding and Excitebike 64 are all also coming to Switch.
And here's news of the next wave of Mario Kart 8 DLC - there's Merry Mountain from mobile game Tour, Peach Gardens from Mario Kart DS (an underrated gem in the series IMO!)
They'll be coming as part of the third wave which is coming later this winter.
And now news of the golf expansion for the brilliant Nintendo Switch Sports.
21 courses coming from the Wii original, plus SURVIVAL GOLF.
Oh, and also it's been delayed to this winter.
And here's Miyamoto, who's about to cancel the Mario movie.
What a shame.
Well, there it is - a new Pikmin. For mobile.
A Niantic joint, of course, and the theme fits their style perfectly.
But also come on.
I was in the room when Miyamoto told Tom about Pikmin 4. It was utterly surreal.
Even weirder that we've not heard anything about it since beyond the confirmation Nintendo was strong-armed into after he told us about it!
I didn't think we'd quite be waiting this long to hear more about it.
But there we have it - Pikmin 4 confirmed for 2023. All of a sudden the world seems like a happier place.
Kami says: How long has it been since we heard anything about Pikmin 4?Five years. Not like we've been counting or anything.
WaveMaster says: Meanwhile...Metroid Prime 4 is MIA....STILL. A new Fire Emblem, Pikmin 4 and Theatrhythm is ok, I GUESSThat could be all we get today, and I'd be fine with that?
Eight minutes to go and it seems like it'd be a squeeze to get too much Zelda or Metroid in that time.
So let's just enjoy a new look at one of the games I'm looking forward to most in what's left of 2022 - Harvestella. And there's a demo hitting the eShop later today, which will keep me busy tonight while waiting for the PlayStation Direct.
(I was secretly hoping I might be playing Metroid Prime on my Switch tho).
Bayonetta 3 will likely be getting its own Direct nearer to release.
Or maybe not, as I'd forgotten it's only just over a month away. Instead we'll get a big new action trailer for Bayonetta 3 revealing all the details straight after this Direct. That'll do.
I misspoke when I said it'd been five years since Miyamoto told us about Pikmin 4. It's been seven...
*crumbles into a fine dust*
*a small mob of Pikmin then come and pick up that dust and ferry it away*
Resident Evil Village is coming to Switch (via the Cloud, so keep your expectations in check)>
And there's the megatonne! Radiant Silvergun is hitting Switch later today.
Well, I'm excited.
We've now got A WHOLE THREE predictions right.
Who needs Jeff Grubb when you've got us just wishing things into existence.
The wonderful Tales of Symphonia is also Switch-bound.
Who needs new games when you've got an endless amount of old ones (and two dozen farming RPGs too).
We've just tipped over the 40 minute mark, so I imagine there's only room for one last announcement after this sizzle reel.
And it's KIRBY!
Well, once again I couldn't be happier. Stop gnawing away at your Zelda amiibo in the back, though.
This was a fine Kirby game, though I feel no inclination to go back to it.
There'll be a remake of Kirby's Adventure too - and that is that.
Ah, no! One more trailer.
And it is Zelda.
VektreX says: title and date nintendo plsThat's all I want - I don't think I want to see too much beyond that, even.
Just let me know what it's called and when I can play it.
It really looks like Skyward Sword mashed with Breath of the Wild.
And it is called Tears of the Kingdom - coming next May.
A very slim look at what's a more abstract Zelda - but we have a name and a release date at last!
It looks... odd.
Which I'm more than up for - odd Nintendo is best Nintendo.
I wonder if it will have the capacity to capture the wider imagination as Breath of the Wild did, though.
Some speculation here that the name of the new Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom - is why Nintendo UK decided not to livestream this, whihc would make some sense.
Kami says: Imo, I think they can just announce the remake release dates. This isn't exactly the first reissue of those games, not exactly primo Direct materialYeah, that's an email rather than a Direct!
I'd really love to know what's going on with that Metroid Prime remaster though.
All told, that was a banger - we did indeed see more of the new Zelda, and got a release date and title.
SBandy says: Well that Direct was just loaded full of Zelda stuff as Grubb predicted......... Regardless that was a fantastic Direct. A tonne of games on the way. Switch still going strong.We got three of our guesses in there! Go us!
I would never actually dare dream they'd show off Pikmin 4, so that's a lovely surprise.
Nintendo has previous for shelving games that are as good as done - I've heard there's a WaveRace or two knocking around their archives - and I feared Pikmin 4 had suffered that fate.
And who knows when that'll be - maybe we'll hear more in another seven years time.
Kami says: I don't want to hurt Martin but the last time we just saw a logo with the number 4... weeeeelll...Indeed...
And with that I'm logging off, until tonight's State of Play that is. Perhaps see some of you there at 11pm tonight! I'll bring drinks and snacks.