Nintendo could reveal some of its plans as early as this week, according to gaming industry insiders who claimed that a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase could air as early as Thursday, February 5. The rumors came amid a busy start to 2026 for Nintendo, as the company turned its attention to building out its repertoire of games coming to the Switch 2.
During the last week of January, Nintendo hosted two Direct broadcasts dedicated to specific projects, starting with a January 25 video about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The January 25 Direct gave Mario fans the first look at Yoshi’s appearance in the upcoming film. A few days later, on Janaury 29, a 22-minute Nintendo Direct all about the upcoming Switch title Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream went live. Fans looking to let their Mii avatars take the spotlight in this quirky social simulator won’t have to wait much longer, as Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will hit store shelves on Thursday, April 16.
LEGO Could Be Releasing a Set From Another Iconic Anime, According to Leak
After decades of avoiding anime, LEGO is reportedly planning to launch its third high-profile anime collaboration in a just 7 months.
A Nintendo Direct All About Third-Party Games Could Arrive Soon
While rumors about Nintendo’s upcoming plans for the year should be taken with a fine grain of salt, multiple industry insiders state that the gaming giant could have some news to share this week. According to a X response from gaming industry insider NateTheHate, a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase may happen on February 5. Although a past Nintendo Direct rumor claimed that something could air on February 10, the new date and format of the rumored Nintendo broadcast were corroborated by VGC and GameXplain. The last time that a Partner Showcase happened was on July 31, 2025, when fans saw some trailers for Switch 2 such as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Octopath Traveler 0 throughout the 27-minute broadcast. This was followed by an hour-long, general Nintendo Direct on September 12, 2025.
Compared to a generalized Nintendo Direct, a Partner Showcase focuses exclusively on third-party titles that are in development or releasing soon on the Switch and Switch 2 consoles. Some of the known third-party titles that could appear during a potential Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase include Resident Evil Requiem, 007 First Light, and FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive project The Duskbloods. Additional news about the Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is also a possibility, given that the Switch 2 launch of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade has been a successful one. However, information about what Nintendo and other third-party studios could show off during a potential Partner Showcase remains elusive as of this writing, so fans must wait for more information.
Nintendo Already Has a Busy February Ahead
Although a Partner Showcase would give Nintendo fans plenty to discuss, the company already has a loaded February of events for gamers to mark down. On February 27, the Pokemon franchise will celebrate its 30th anniversary during the annual Pokemon Day festivities. Traditionally, a Pokemon Presents broadcast has aired on Pokemon Day. Although The Pokemon Company has not officially confirmed it, a Pokemon Presents airing on February 27 is all but certain. As for what could be shown on Pokemon Day, previous rumors claimed that a look at Pokemon‘s 10th mainline generation, dubbed Pokemon Wind and Waves by leakers, could be the show’s main focus.
Along with Pokemon Day, Nintendo fans looking to experience the company’s worst-selling consoles will soon have the chance. The Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app will launch on Tuesday, February 17, for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers to enjoy. The app comes with seven games at launch, including 3-D Tetris and Virtual Boy Wario Land. Additionally, two unreleased Virtual Boy games, D-Hopper and Zero Racers, will come to the app in later updates. However, the Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app also requires the purchase of a Virtual Boy accessory kit that hooks up to a Switch or Switch 2 console.
