2019 is shaping up to be a busy year for Nintendo, with a slew of big releases planned as well as a rumored Switch redesign. To keep eager fans abreast of current and forthcoming happenings, Nintendo is sure to return this year with a series of Nintendo Directs, and in fact a recent report suggests the first one could happen as early as next week.

Speaking anonymously to Gaming Intel, a supposedly reliable source says the next Nintendo Direct is planned for Thursday, January 10. Although the exact date has yet to be cross-checked with other sources, the network of sources is reporting with confidence that the event will take place at some point in January. For reference, last year Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct Mini on January 11.

"I was told January 10th from one source. This hasn't been cross-checked between sources. Most of my other sources are still undecided on an exact date, but certain of a Nintendo January Direct."

No details regarding the length or content of the Nintendo Direct have been provided, however information on the new Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and/or Luigi's Mansion games are good guesses as to what to expect, although that's merely speculation. It also wouldn't be without precedent for Nintendo to drop some major news about a new game, or potentially a new console, during the presentation.

Smash Bros. Ultimate roster

The Switch has been an undeniable success, at least in terms of sales, for Nintendo since its release in March of 2017. However, now that the hybrid console is entering its third year on the market, it's possible that Nintendo is looking at updates to the design with the intention of maintaining strong public perception, sales, and third party support. In fact, recent rumors suggest that a revised Nintendo Switch could be arriving this year with increased storage space.

For the moment, Nintendo appears committed to supporting its latest exclusive release, Smash Bros. Ultimate. On top of additional characters for the roster and DLC packs, Nintendo announced that Smash Bros. will be getting its next Spirit Board event, which will feature retro-inspired appearances from the NES and Famicom Disk System, between January 4 and 7.

Source: Gaming Intel