Nintendo could reveal some of its plans as early as this week, according to gaming industry insiders who claimed a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase could air as early as Thursday, February 5. The rumors come amid a busy start to 2026 for Nintendo, as the company turns its attention to expanding its repertoire of games coming to the Switch 2.
In the last week of January, Nintendo hosted two live broadcasts dedicated to specific projects, starting with a video on January 25 about The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The January 25th Direct gave Mario fans a first look at Yoshi's appearance in the upcoming film. A few days later, on January 29th, a 22-minute Nintendo Direct dealing with 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 don't have to wait much longer, as Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will be released on store shelves on Thursday, April 16.
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A Nintendo Direct game dealing with third-party games may be coming soon
While rumors about Nintendo's upcoming plans for the year should be taken with a grain of salt, several industry insiders state that the gaming giant may have some news to share this week. According to an X answer from gaming industry insider NateTheHate, a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase could happen on February 5th. Although a previous Nintendo Direct rumor claimed something could be broadcast on February 10th, the new date and format of the rumored Nintendo broadcast was confirmed by VGC and GameXplain. The last time 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 public 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 soon to be released 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 lightand FromSoftware's exclusive Switch 2 project Duskbloods. More news on the Switch 2 port at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is also a possibility, given that the Switch 2 launch of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade has been successful. However, information on what Nintendo and other third-party studios might showcase during a potential Partner Showcase remains elusive as of this writing, so fans will have to wait for more information.
Nintendo already has a busy February ahead of it
While a Partner Showcase would give Nintendo fans plenty to talk about, the company already has a loaded February of events for gamers to highlight. On February 27, the Pokémon franchise will celebrate its 30th anniversary during the annual Pokemon Day festivities. Traditionally, a Pokemon Presents broadcast has aired Pokémon Day. Although The Pokemon Company hasn't officially confirmed it, a Pokemon Presents airing on February 27th is almost certain. As for what could be shown on Pokemon Day, previous rumors claimed that a look at Pokémon10th main generation, dubbed Pokemon wind and waves of leakers, may be the main focus of the program.
Along with Pokemon Day, Nintendo fans who want to experience the company's worst-selling consoles will soon have the chance. The Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app launches on Tuesday, February 17 for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The app comes with seven games at launch, including 3D Tetris and Virtual Boy Wario Land. In addition, two unreleased Virtual Boy games, D-Jumpr and Zero Racerscoming to the app in later updates. However, the Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app also requires the purchase of a Virtual Boy accessory pack that connects to a Switch or Switch 2 console.
