Our predictions for February 2023 Nintendo Direct
What is it, you say? There will be another Nintendo Direct? Great Scott! It’s hard…
Yes, Nintendo is back with another demo dedicated to games coming out in the first half of 2023. Well, mostly… Hey Metroid Prime 4. Hey… Please show yourself. Please?
Live presentation will take place February 8, 2023 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET / 10:00 PM GMT / February 9, 2023 9:00 AM ET.
Of course, here at Nintendo Life, we all just love to make predictions, if only to build unrealistic expectations for ourselves and, in the end, wallow in despair … What? Doesn’t matter. Anyway, Alana, Jim, Gavin and Ollie have their own thoughts on what Nintendo might bring, so let’s get right down to business…
More specific details about Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Alana Haig (staff writer) – I’m pretty sure Tears of the Kingdom will be in Direct, but Nintendo will still keep everything under wraps. I think some new footage, maybe one or two new mechanics, and then a teaser for a focused Direct in April is a little treat from Nintendo to us for being so patient. Soon.
Jim Norman (staff writer) – Is a small indie game like Tears of the Kingdom coming to the big Nintendo Direct? Has the whole world turned upside down? There must be anything here, right? Small trailer, new mechanics explained, official artwork another than the one where Sky Link looks sullenly into the distance. Let it be a little, but something will be.
Ollie Reynolds (staff writer) – I think “Tears of the Kingdom” should be shown here, given that it starts in about three months? This is crazy… However, I don’t think it will be a huge flow of information; I believe we’ll get a pretty significant gameplay trailer, but Nintendo will likely want to delay the game and do a Direct reveal of the game a little closer to the May launch date.
Gavin Lane (editor) – *plays a short clip of TOTK* “Please look forward to learning more about the world of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in March through our special The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom livestream.
Correct opening and release window for Pikmin 4
Ollie – I certainly hope to see Pikmin 4, but at the same time I don’t think I’d be surprised if it doesn’t show up. At the most, I think we’ll probably get a small trailer with the Holiday 2023 release window attached to it.
Jim – I wouldn’t bet on a proper Pikmin 4 reveal – last time we just got a glimpse of a sleeping bulborb and everyone went crazy, so who says they have to do anything else?
Alana – I really think that we will take Pikmin 4. I don’t think it’s coming out in the first half of the year, but this Direct only “mostly focuses on #NintendoSwitch games launching in the first half of 2023.” So, you know, it’s not impossible. I feel lucky.
What’s next for the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC?
Jim – I see that The Pokémon Company avoids this. Pokemon Day is just around the corner and I’m sure everything will be revealed, why compete with all the other Direct news when you can say “We’re fixing our game!” headlines all for themselves?
Alana – Well, we are still waiting for a patch for the game. But I think Pokémon will just get a little teaser that says “Stay tuned until February 27th” or something. Scarlet and Violet were shown during last year’s Pokémon Day broadcast, so I think some DLC will be announced as well.
Ollie – Scarlet and Violet are sure to get some kind of DLC soon, no doubt, but whether it’s shown here is another story. It’s likely that the Pokémon Company will want to delay until Pokémon Day later this month for any major announcements. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the company’s DLC plans are pushed back a bit in favor of making the game more stable..? I know it sold in huge numbers, but I don’t think Nintendo is the kind of publisher that ignores such widespread negativity.
Gavin – Yes, it will get its own broadcast later this month.
Will we finally finally – See Metroid Prime 4?
Alana – I really don’t think so, and if we do, it will be another teaser and that’s it. Sorry everyone. But I’m always ready to be wrong.
Gavin – I’m going to say no, but isn’t the DLC for Metroid Dread too far-fetched?
Ollie – Oh man I Really hopefully we’ll see something from Metroid Prime 4 here… It’s time, you know? But then my hopes and dreams don’t necessarily line up with my actual predictions, and I’m afraid it’s unlikely we’ll see anything from Retro Studio’s latest efforts at this show. It breaks my heart when I say this, but here we go.
Jim – I’m predicting one of those very polite “sorry, but you’ll have to give us a little more time” statements that Nintendo is so good at. Maybe we’ll take a look at some artwork or a clip from the trailer to move forward, but I don’t see this Morph Ball rolling anytime soon.
Will a new 2D/3D Mario game be announced?
Alana – This is another case where I think, frankly, no. I think the Odyssey sequel is already out of co-op, so the next Mario game will be something new. I think we’re too close to a potential successor for the next Mario game to be a cross gen game to launch a new system.
Jim – Oh, what would I give for that! Six months ago, I would have said that this is happening without a doubt, but now… Mario is the new console launcher, if you ask me (hint hint, nintendo). I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some remastering or reboot work at this point (I’ll go crazy if the Galaxy 2 goes to Switch), but the time for an original title is still ahead.
Gavin – I’m predicting Mario’s content (I know, stop the press), but I’d be surprised it’s a new platformer at this point in the Switch’s life. Maybe a port, although what is left? Super Mario 3D Land Deluxe?.. Wait, that’s an incredible idea. Felix wants Party Mario DLC boards, everyone wants more Mario Strikers things. I don’t see the new main Mario anymore.
Ollie – I would like a new Mario game to be announced, it has blossomed age since we had the original name! There are still people who believe that the game will appear in time for the upcoming movie, but … no, I don’t buy it, at least when the movie itself is only two months away. This does not mean that the new game will not be announced, but I think it will most likely be released by the end of the year.
What ports, if any, will appear?
Gavin – If we go back to Wii Kirby games, I’ll take the Extra Epic Yarn Deluxe. And if we go back to the Wii U, I would take Yoshi’s Woolly World Deluxe too. All my other port hopes are small indies. i would still love superluminal come to Switch, however unlikely.
Alana – If this is, as reported, a “quiet year” for Nintendo, then I see the second half of the year getting a few ports. No strictly port, but those Baten Kaitos remake rumors would fit here, right? I’m not sure I could drown a year with more Zelda ports. Hey, maybe Vampire Survivors will take the leap – it’s definitely big enough indie game to make a splash in the main Direct.
Jim – I sincerely think it will be a Nintendo festival from start to finish, showing us all that there are more things planned for the year than TOTK. On the other hand, this is Metroid Prime Remaster, in which definitely been on the shelf for years, right??
Ollie – Twilight Princess HD and The Wind Waker HD. Boom, let’s go. Oh, and the first Metroid Prime. And SSX Tricky.
What third party games will be featured? Will we get a demo?
Alana – Considering Asano’s team has been consistent, I expect the Octopath Traveler II demo to be released tomorrow. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe may also get a small demo before release! And oh my god, I’ll say it and fall on the nail again – Silksong. Trailer. Window. Anything.
Jim – I would really, really like to see Sea Of Stars on this issue (maybe even with a release date). The hype around this game is real, so it would make sense to present it on the big stage. Maybe also a few Vikings on trampolines. I’m obsessed with Owlboy again at the moment and I need to see more from the D-Pad Studio team…
Gavin – Alana said Silk Song. We have an alarm for that.
Ollie – I think Octopath Traveler II is pretty much the right fit for this demo, and yes, it’s likely we’ll get some kind of demo before launch. Other than that, it would be nice to get some more resident Evil love from Capcom! However, no more cloud gaming, give us the original PS1 trilogy or something; that would be nice.
Wildcard / One more thing…
Ollie – Nintendo’s big “one more thing” announcement for this demo, unless it’s Metroid Prime 4 or the new Mario, it’s probably going to be something silly like… I don’t know, Nintendo Switch Music or something. Of course, it would be nice to get more support for Nintendo Switch Online… Game Boy or Game Boy Advance maybe?
Jim – “One more thing,” announces the voice-over as the screen fades to black. We see the NSO user logo in the upper left corner of the image and hear the infamous brrrrrl b-ding GBA launch. The crowd goes crazy and I cry.
Gavin – At the end of this month, the 30th anniversary of Star Fox will take place. There might be something in it.
Alana – Okay, this isn’t so much an “One more thing” announcement as “Well, this doesn’t fit anywhere else and I can feel it in my bones” – I think we’ll see Wave 3 of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 DLC. Wave 2 was launched in October , and we saw that she received a date in September 2022. Wave 3 is due out before the end of April and we know next to nothing. I Also I think we will see the promised story DLC and perhaps set a release date. I think the show will close on TOTC to be honest. Unless there’s a big surprise…
Will Nintendo dare to announce a Switch successor?
Alana – Nope. Never. Not here.
Ollie – No, there won’t be any mention of a Switch successor here, let’s not even think about it!
Jim – Nintendo? Go from switch? You’re pulling my leg!
Gavin – Switch to Lite OLED as much as possible.
So you have it! Do you think we missed something? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
