The traditional "E3" season has seemingly ended, with major showcases such as Summer Game Fest and the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase taking place a number of weeks ago now and smaller shows also winding down in frequency as June comes to a close. Despite this, little has been heard from Nintendo outside of a Xenoblade Chronicles 3 focused Direct presentation. While rumors have indicated that a Nintendo Direct is coming on June 29th, a new comment has now implied that this showcase will not be focused on the stacked lineup of Switch first-party exclusives coming this year, but third-parties instead.
Nintendo has traditionally held a major Nintendo Direct presentation in conjunction with E3 for years, but in 2020 this tradition changed with the company's decision to host multiple Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase events throughout the second half of 2020 instead. While Nintendo returned with a big Direct in June 2021, the cancellation of E3 in 2022 has left Nintendo fans once again without a big June showcase.
It appears now that, while evidence is stacking up for a showcase set to air on or around June 29th from Nintendo, this may not be the show fans have been expecting. Speaking as part of a live stream, Spanish games magazine Manual editor Nacho Requena claimed that the next Nintendo Direct will air next Tuesday and will focus primarily on third-party titles. According to VGC, he also claimed that there will be a Persona game present at the show alongside a port of a four-year-old game to the Nintendo Switch. Reputable leaker Tom Henderson has also claimed that Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is likely to appear.
These comments seem to imply that the next Nintendo Direct could be a Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase presentation. Requena's comments don't entirely match Alanah Pearce claimed earlier this month, with Raquena claiming the show will arrive on Tuesday June 28th as opposed to Wednesday the 29th. Pearce's reporting was also corroborated by VGC. It is possible this is due to a difference in timezones though.
While a Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase would leave a lot to be desired considering the amount of first-party titles in development, just because the showcase will focus on third-party titles does not mean first-party games will be absent. The next wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC courses is set to be revealed and released soon, and not all Direct Mini presentations have been partner showcases. Bayonetta 3 could appear considering that exclusives from external studios have appeared at Direct Mini showcases in the past. Square Enix also teased information on Dragon Quest Treasures for this month which has not yet been revealed and could appear at this Direct.
Source: VGC