Nintendo announces a Pokemon Direct livestream ahead of its E3 2017 press conference. Fans have been sent into a tailspin, taking to social media to speculate on what this upcoming Pokemon announcement could be.

In a press release, Nintendo says that fans should tune into a "special" Pokemon Direct stream taking place tomorrow, June 6 at 7AM PT, 10AM ET, 3PM UK time. The stream is set to last eight minutes but the company promises that "exciting news" will be revealed during the presentation.

Nintendo's description of the stream doesn't include any information about what the stream might offer, other than using some hype-worthy adjectives. That hasn't stopped fans from speculating though, with the most likely announcement being an official confirmation of Pokemon Star for the Nintendo Switch. Said to be a Nintendo Switch version of (Nintendo 3DS games) Pokemon Sun and Moon, it has been rumored for months. Nintendo also recently removed several Pokemon Direct videos from its YouTube channels, further fueling speculation.

Moreover, it was recently uncovered that the Pokemon website has received a possible Pokemon Star-related update. It's not much, but it was more than enough for fans to hope that an announcement was imminent. As the leaks keep coming, it would make sense for Nintendo to just confirm the game now.

Some have also pointed out that Pokemon games are typically announced in their own events rather than alongside other game reveals. This would explain why the game may be announced during tomorrow's Pokemon Direct livestream as opposed to the Nintendo E3 2017 press conference that is set to take place next week.

Others, though, are hoping that Pokemon Star won't be the only game featured during the forthcoming stream, saying that eight minutes is just enough for two announcements. Pokemon GO developer Niantic is always working on new updates and features for the mobile game, so perhaps it could make an appearance too.

Given that the press release has come from The Pokemon Company's channels rather that Niantic's, as Niantic develops the game separately from The Pokemon Company, that seems very unlikely. But with a Pokemon GO legendary event also being promised for this summer, it's no wonder why players of the mobile game are so eager for more news. Regardless of what is announced, it's sure to please a fair amount of Pokemon fans.

The most recently released titles in the Pokemon franchise are Pokemon Sun and Moon, which are available for Nintendo 2DS and 3DS.

Source: Nintendo of America – Twitter