After several earlier leaks and rumors, Nintendo finally came out to announce the expected. The upcoming 40-minute live stream will kick off at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET and shine the spotlight on all the Nintendo Switch games set to hit the market in the early stages of 2022. This will mark Nintendo’s first Nintendo Direct showcase since September and signals a potential return for Nintendo’s usual events schedule after making adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Nintendo did not reveal what exactly fans should expect from the company’s first showcase this year. But, if it’s any consolation, we do have a good idea of what games will be included in the lineup. Of course, Kirby and the Forgotten Land should be one of the highlights. Kirby’s first 3D outing is one of the biggest Switch-exclusive games that’s going to be launched during the first half of this year. Specifically, the 17th mainline Kirby game will be out by March 25, as confirmed by an earlier trailer. In addition, we should see more gameplay footage of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Triangle Strategy, among others. Beyond these three is anyone’s guess, but we’re certainly hoping that we’ll get to see Bayonetta 3 and Dying Light 2 if only so that we’ll know that these games will be arriving within the next four months or so. Speaking of potential announcements at the February 2022 Nintendo Direct, rumor has it that Mario Kart 9 will be making an appearance. If this is true, it would certainly be one hell of a way to kick off 2022, although we don’t think that Nintendo would announce such a big exclusive just a few months ahead of its release date. In other Nintendo news, we found out before last year ended that there might be a shortage of Nintendo Switch consoles this year. Also, a French retailer just leaked that Batman Arkham Collection could come out for the Switch by August.
