September Direct
Image: Nintendo Life

Nintendo's marketing for the Switch and Switch 2 is going absolutely nuts in 2025. We had a Partner Showcase in July, an Indie World and a Kirby blowout in August, and now we're getting a full-fat, juicy Direct in September. Crikey!

Naturally, questions linger regarding the likes of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, but the nature of this Direct means that we could be getting a whole bunch of new surprises for the remainder of 2025 and the start of 2026. At least we won't be seeing any Silksong, though, eh? Well, probably not.

Mario himself is also celebrating his 40th anniversary this week, with the original Super Mario Bros. having launched on 13th September 1985 in Japan. Surely Nintendo will want to acknowledge this in the Direct, but honestly, who knows?

We've got a lot to ponder here, so let's find out what Team NL is expecting in the upcoming showcase...

Brewing up a surprise? - Alana Hagues, deputy editor

Hades
Image: Supergiant Games

So, Witchbrook. I've asked for this a few times this year, and realistically, I think this is the place it will show up the most. It was in two earlier Directs, and with a Switch 2 Edition also coming, I think a big headliner showcase like this is the way forward.

Hades II's release date also seems like a good shout, but good lord, do not shadow drop, give us a little bit of a breather. I can't deal with two sequels to two of my favourite games back-to-back.

For Mario's anniversary... geez, it sure would be nice to get a special edition Switch 2 or something. But, realistically, Mario Sunshine on Switch Online and maybe an update to 3D All-Stars. You know, that excellent sequel that's missing from the package

And, one final Wild Card for you Jim: Blue Prince. Give it to us! Please.

I will leave the Big Beyond to our big ol' Samus fan below.

(Un)known (un)knowns - Gavin Lane, editor

Hotel Barcelona
Image: The Cult Games Limited

Dates for Elden Ring and Final Fantasy VII are fairly safe bets; there are various other stragglers with vague '2025' dates, too. There's still potential for more big news from Microsoft (Call of Duty is coming to Switch, remember?). And I'd love to see Hotel Barcelona announced for Switch 2.

What I'm hoping for is new info, though. Games and dates and details we didn't know about before. We've got "roughly 60 minutes" here, but every minute taken up with known knowns (hi, Pokémon) will be a hit on our collective Excit-o-meters. After July's underwhelming Partner Showcase, Nintendo needs to bring out the big guns.

The fact that we're not getting a Mario-specific Direct suggests that we're not going to see loads of Mario material. But, you can be sure there'll be a section devoted to the 40th anniversary, so I'll double down on my Mario Maker 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition prediction.

If they really want to make this Direct cook, however, Nintendo should finish with a tease for the next big Mario game. I'd argue they need that level of pep to supercharge things and signal their biggest games for 2026...but it's a coin toss. With Donkey Kong Bananza on the system, maybe they'd want to keep the platforming focus on that for the holidays? But I'd have said the same thing about Kirby Air Riders and Mario Kart. Hey, it's 60 minutes - plenty of time that needs filling with games old and new.

Though please, Mr. Sakurai, let's not fill it with a 25-minute deep-dive explaining the alpha effects behind Kirby's star trail, hmm?

When Evil lurks - Ollie Reynolds, staff writer

RE4
Image: Capcom

It's time to get some Resident Evil on the Switch 2, right? Rumours have circulated that not only is Capcom planning to launch Requiem on Nintendo's new console, but also the entire RE Engine catalogue. I'd love to see all of them, of course, but if I had to pick just one, then it would be Resident Evil 4. With the franchise's 30th anniversary on the horizon, I suspect Capcom will want to take advantage of the Switch 2's early momentum.

We're definitely due a launch date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and I'm still pretty convinced we'll see it at the start of December. I'm happy to be proven wrong, mind you! Otherwise, like Gavin, I'm very keen to see some brand-new games. Ports are great, but they'll only get you so far.

Is it too early for Pikmin 5? How about a new Animal Crossing? Lots of possibilities, and I'm honestly just excited to see what Nintendo has up its sleeve.

What are you hoping to see in this week's Nintendo Direct? Be sure to vote in the below poll and let us know with a comment.

Which games are you hoping to see in the September Nintendo Direct?

You may select up to 3 answers: