Image: Nintendo LifeIn case you hadn’t noticed by now, the Nintendo Today! mobile app has become the go-to place for The Big N to make its first-party announcements.
Granted, it’s been a key marketing tool ever since its launch back in March 2025, but there’s a keen sense that Nintendo is leaning more and more on the Today app for, well, all of its announcements and reveals.
Take the overview trailers for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, Mario Wonder – Switch 2 Edition, and the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, for instance: all of these appeared on Nintendo Today before anywhere else. Going one step further, Splatoon Raiders was revealed for the first time on the app – no fanfare, no Direct showcase, just a simple trailer that popped up out of nowhere before eventually making its way to YouTube.
Speaking of Directs, many folks are understandably curious (and probably a little bit anxious) about when the next big first-party showcase will take place. Given the flurry of Nintendo Today announcements recently, however, some have started to question whether Nintendo might be looking to retire the Direct format entirely. Do we still need huge Nintendo Directs with multiple major announcements in the space of an hour? Or is it possible that a steady cadence of reveals via the app could actually become the preferred method of engagement for platform holder and player alike?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this. First, let’s see what Team NL thinks…
Ollie Reynolds – Reviews Editor
Image: Nintendo
If I put my professional hat on, I do believe there’s value in having smaller, more frequent announcements from Nintendo via its Today app. Relying almost solely on Direct presentations means you have these loooong gaps of time when nothing happens, and it’s those stretches of time that can feel excruciating for fans.
Announcements from Nintendo Today might not feel quite as exciting or eventful, but it lets the company stay in the conversation in ways that weren’t really possible before. A balance of the two (plus Partner Directs and Indie Worlds, of course) is probably the best way forward: give us one or two big Directs every year in which major games are announced, then keep the smaller reveals and updates to the Today app.
Gavin Lane – Editor
Image: Nintendo
As a fan, nothing beats the excitement of a ‘big’ Direct, so while it’s cool that Nintendo could just drop a new Star Fox or Splatoon release date on any old Tuesday, I love the ceremony and anticipation that comes with a full 40-minute blowout.
That said, I don’t remember the last time I watched a Direct and properly enjoyed it as a fan rather than a work event across multiple monitors, with Slack and a dozen tabs open, hurriedly writing stories and adding game pages and downloading from press sites as it goes. From a work perspective, little and often is more manageable, but that’s probably not relevant to you, is it? (Yes, you. I see you there, Slouchy McGee!…)
From Nintendo’s point of view, the drip-feed approach gives every little announcement its own space, with tidbits that the Direct flood might have drowned getting a day all to themselves. It’s not as exciting, but Ninty’s marketing team are probably happier.
So for me personally, I’ve come around to the little-and-often approach, despite my E3 lizard-brain desire for big presentations. It would be nice if Nintendo Today notifications actually worked on my phone, mind.
Alana Hagues – Deputy Editor
Image: Nintendo
Look, I love a big Direct. I like basking in everyone’s excitement, the flow of trailers, and just how snappy they run by. I still think Nintendo is the best at these kinds of presentations. But before I had a job in the video game world, I almost always missed these presentations because of work or commitments. I’d join a watch party with friends if I was around, but more often than not I was typing at a desk or working.
Watching a Direct after it’s happened isn’t the same. And with every big company relying on these digital presentations (many of which are underwhelming in my eyes), they’re starting to feel a bit… samey?
So, over the past year, I’ve really come around on the ‘random’ Nintendo Today drops. It’s like a nice little surprise — well, if your app actually works. You might get a notification at 1:45pm UK time and get a little spring in your step; 15 minutes later, social media shares the news, and then everyone is talking about it. It’s fun, and it means fewer news droughts.
I am tired of is hearing with every Nintendo Today announcement that Nintendo “scrapped” a Direct. No, it didn’t. This is 2026 and this is how it’s doing things now. Other developers just drop their news, so why is it weird when Nintendo does it? This is the norm now. I’ll still be seated front row for every Direct, Indie World, and Partner Showcase, but Nintendo Today (and social media) makes things a little easier to digest and sometimes even more surprising than a drop in a Direct.
Jim Norman – Features Editor

I will give it to Nintendo Today, it makes me perk up and pay attention to announcements that never would have kept me entertained in a 40-minute showcase. If a Direct consisted of release dates for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Rhythm Heaven Groove, and a Splatoon Raiders gameplay trailer, the internet would be flooded with “mid” comments. Instead, we’re getting little bite-sized chunks and we’re enjoying it!
I don’t remember the last time that a Direct held me for the majority of its runtime — it might have been February 2023, now that I think about it — but gosh, I do love the excitement around it all.
So yes, keep up with the app announcements, Nintendo, I’m enjoying them! But would I turn my nose up at a full-fat Direct soon? Heck no!

How would you like to see Nintendo make its big announcements going forward? (342 votes)
Don’t fix what ain’t broke – keep the Directs56%I kinda prefer the more frequent Nintendo Today drops, y’know?5%A healthy balance is the right way forward29%Bring back E3!6%What’s a Nintendo Today?4%

So what do you think, dear reader? Could you imagine a world in which Nintendo ditches the big Directs in favour of its Today announcements? Cast your vote in the poll above and leave a comment down below.

Nintendo Life’s resident horror fanatic, when he’s not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry.