It is officially summer gaming season. The dust from launch has settled, the Switch 2 is in millions of homes, and Nintendo has been suspiciously quiet.

After a Partner Showcase in February and a Star Fox shadow drop, fans have been starved for the next proper announcement event. But if the leaks are to be believed, that wait is just about over. Multiple credible insiders are pointing to a full Nintendo Direct by mid-June 2026. And if even half of what’s swirling in the leak space right now comes true, this could be one of the most stacked Directs in recent memory.

I’ve gone through the credible sources, the corroborated rumours, and the informed speculation to give you a complete breakdown of what to expect.

Let’s get into it.

When is the Direct?

Jeff Grubb of Giant Bomb — one of the more reliable voices in Nintendo-adjacent leaking — said on his show on May 19th that a Nintendo Direct is planned for mid-June.

Insider Nate the Hate, who has a strong track record on Nintendo predictions, has hinted at the same timing.

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa recently told a Q&A session that the company is “preparing new titles in addition to those already announced” and will share details “at the appropriate time.”

Mid-June sounds pretty appropriate.

The key question: Partner Showcase, or full General Direct? The February presentation was Partner-only—third-party-focused, and fans weren’t thrilled. Nintendo has enormous ground to cover heading into its first holiday season on Switch 2. We’re expecting a full General Direct, running 40 to 50 minutes, with first-party reveals front and centre.

There’s also a Switch 2 price increase coming in September, which adds urgency. Nintendo needs to sell consoles. That means big games. This is the moment.

The Legend of Zelda

Let’s talk Zelda. Because if there is one announcement that could define this entire Direct, it’s this one.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake. This has gone from rumour to near-certainty. According to reporting from both VGC and Gamespot, a full remake — not a remaster, a remake — of Ocarina of Time is in active development for Switch 2. Nate the Hate has stated it’s “approaching the holidays if not the holidays” as a release window, with a significant marketing push planned around it.

The timing makes perfect sense: 2026 is Zelda’s 40th anniversary. The original launched on Famicom in Japan on February 21st, 1986. Nintendo has planned Zelda announcements spread across 2026. An Ocarina remake is the centrepiece. There are also reports of a special edition Switch 2 console bundle tied to the game, mirroring exactly what Nintendo did with Ocarina of Time 3D for the series’ 25th anniversary on 3DS in 2011.

But the 40th anniversary is big enough to justify multiple Zelda reveals. Here’s what else could appear in the Zelda segment:

Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD have been trapped on Wii U for years. The 40th anniversary is the most compelling excuse Nintendo has ever had to rescue them. There’s also the possibility of a very early tease for the next mainline open-world Zelda — still years away, but a logo card or brief teaser would send fans wild.

Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave has received age ratings in Europe — one of the most reliable signals that a release is imminent. Nate the Hate and other sources have placed this in the summer 2026 window. If the June Direct is happening, a release date reveal here feels almost certain.

We know very little about the actual content — leaks on gameplay have been minimal — but the name Fortune’s Weave suggests a strategic narrative built around fate or probability-based decisions. Very on-brand for the series. After the runaway success of Three Houses, a new mainline Fire Emblem is a major event. This Direct is the right stage for it.

Mystery Online Game

This one is fascinating—and has been going on for nearly 2 years.

The Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program is Nintendo’s mysterious, invite-only, NDA-wrapped closed beta that has now run multiple times. It started on the original Switch in October 2024, extended to Switch 2 users in July 2025, and Nintendo has been quietly refining whatever this mystery software is with real player data ever since.

From leaks that have spilt despite strict NDAs, it appears to be some form of online multiplayer experience — likely a new IP or genre of service game Nintendo hasn’t tried before. The layers of secrecy suggest it isn’t a sequel to anything existing, because Nintendo would have no reason to be this cagey about a new Splatoon or Mario Kart. This feels like something genuinely new.

With a September price increase looming and Nintendo needing to justify its online ecosystem, pulling back the curtain — and announcing either a full release or wider public beta — would be a major moment in any Direct.

Nintendo DS Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online has been on a steady march through gaming history — NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and now GameCube. The next logical step? The Nintendo DS.

Back in February, a support page briefly appeared on Nintendo’s official website, referencing Switch 2’s compatibility with a Wii Remote. Nintendo quickly clarified it was a website error — but the damage was done. Leaker Shpeshal_Nick, who has a decent track record on Nintendo platform news, jumped in and claimed his sources corroborate that both the Nintendo DS and Wii are coming to Nintendo Switch Online, alongside SEGA CD. Most intriguingly, he stated the DS implementation would feature “an extra screen” — suggesting Nintendo is solving the dual-screen problem rather than ignoring it, whether through a split-screen layout or a potential accessory.

The Switch 2 is the first Nintendo hardware that could realistically handle DS emulation, and NSO’s GameCube library has shown Nintendo is serious about expanding the classics catalogue. DS had an extraordinary library — Nintendogs, Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Professor Layton, Castlevania, Elite Beat Agents — and bringing even a fraction of it to NSO would be a selling point for the Expansion Pack tier.

In January 2026, Nintendo quietly added the full soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass to the Nintendo Music app — a service exclusively for NSO subscribers. That’s a very deliberate breadcrumb. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks — the two DS Zelda games, both direct sequels to Wind Waker — have never been re-released on any platform. They are completely stranded on original DS hardware. Announcing DS on NSO at a Direct celebrating Zelda’s 40th, and immediately dropping Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks as launch titles for the service, would be one of the most elegant anniversary moves Nintendo could make.

Both games are uniquely tied to the Wind Waker art style and continuity — and with Wind Waker already on the GameCube NSO library, making all three games accessible on the same platform in the same year would be a genuine statement. If DS launches on NSO, those two Zelda titles are the obvious banner games to lead with.

More Gamecube Classics

The GameCube library on NSO has been growing steadily — but slowly. As of now, there are nine titles available, including Wind Waker, Luigi’s Mansion, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and SoulCalibur II. Fans have been patient, but patience has a limit. This Direct feels like the moment Nintendo throws open the floodgates.

The saga of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Pikmin 2 is worth telling properly. In January, a Walmart promotional image — the kind Nintendo provides to retailers — appeared showing both games listed among the GameCube NSO library. It was quickly spotted, went viral, and just as quickly, Nintendo issued a statement saying the games were included “incorrectly” and are “not planned for release at this time.” Note the phrasing: at this time.

Beyond those two, here’s what the GameCube library is desperately missing and could realistically see announced at this Direct:

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is arguably the most glaring omission. It’s never had a proper modern re-release — the Wii U HD version has been inaccessible for years, and the 40th anniversary provides the perfect window to finally bring it home. A June Direct celebrating Zelda’s 40th without Twilight Princess would feel like a genuine missed opportunity.

Pokémon Colosseum has also been rumoured alongside Metroid Prime 2 as an upcoming NSO addition — an especially appealing prospect given the complete absence of mainline Pokémon games in the classic library. Super Smash Bros. Melee remains the fan-favourite dream addition, though licensing complexity around its large roster makes it perpetually uncertain. Mario Kart: Double Dash — somehow still absent — is another that many fans find inexcusable. And the original Animal Crossing, released on GameCube in the West, would be a delightful addition in the same Direct where a new Animal Crossing might be teased.

Nintendo has been drip-feeding GameCube titles rather than releasing them in bulk — probably to keep subscribers engaged month to month. But a Direct is the right occasion to announce a wave of upcoming additions. Expect at least three or four GameCube announcements here, with Twilight Princess and the Zelda anniversary angle making it the emotional centrepiece of the NSO segment.

Rapid Fire Predictions

Let’s run through everything else that could realistically appear in this Direct.

Rhythm Heaven Groove — Already confirmed for a July 2nd release. Will almost certainly get a proper showcase segment with gameplay details and song reveals.

Nintendo Switch Sports 2 — Leaked as part of the summer pipeline. The original was a massive seller. An upgrade with GameChat support and new sports makes total sense.

Pikmin 4: Switch 2 Edition — In the leak pipeline alongside Fire Emblem. Enhanced visuals and performance on Switch 2 hardware — a straightforward but welcome addition.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Switch 2 Edition — Also leaked. Fans who missed it on the original Switch would have reason to jump in. A rumoured vocal cast update makes it more compelling.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — Reportedly confirmed for Switch 2 in 2026 per Nate the Hate. A possible third-party highlight with strong critical buzz. This one could show up at Summar Games Fest on Friday with Geoff’s showcase.

Metaphor ReFantazio — Also rumoured for Switch 2 via Nate the Hate. Atlus and Nintendo have had a strong recent relationship. Fits the JRPG-heavy summer pipeline.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition — Spotted in rating leaks. If Switch 2 can handle it well — and performance previews suggest it can — this is a massive get for the platform.

Why this Direct Matters

The Switch 2 is approaching its first birthday. It’s sold nearly 20 million units. It has a strong launch library — but the big, system-defining holiday game hasn’t been announced yet. A price increase is coming in September. And 2026 is stacked with franchise anniversaries that Nintendo would be leaving serious money on the table to ignore.

Former Nintendo of America PR manager Kit Ellis described Nintendo as “absolutely furious” about the scale of this year’s leaks, which allegedly exposed “almost the entire future product line.” Make of that what you will. But if Nintendo is angry, it’s because there’s a lot of exciting stuff that was never supposed to be known yet.

If even half of what we’ve covered today turns out to be real — Ocarina of Time Remake, Zelda 40th anniversary surprises, Fire Emblem, the mystery Online Playtest reveal, DS games finally coming to Switch Online, and a wave of long-overdue GameCube additions — we’re looking at one of the best Directs in years. Ocarina of Time alone would be a headline-defining moment. The 40th anniversary gives Nintendo a genuine cultural hook to build an entire event around.