How to watch the Nintendo Direct on February 17

Nintendo Direct February
Nintendo Direct February (Image credit: Nintendo)

It's been a while since the last truly major Nintendo Direct, which aired in September 2019. A combination of the ongoing global pandemic and different games being a ways off from release when initially announced means that while Nintendo has seen incredible game sales and strong financial numbers overall, there's been a lack of updates on the biggest games fans are excited for.

Now, there's finally a new Nintendo Direct on the way. While there's no doubt it won't have absolutely everything fans are looking forward to, it should provide some much-needed information on big titles coming to the Nintendo Switch.

How to watch the Nintendo Direct on February 17

The next Nintendo Switch airs on February 17 at 2:00 p.m PT / 5:00 p.m. ET. The showcase will run for about 50 minutes. You've got a couple of options for where to watch it:

  1. You can go to the official YouTube channel.
  2. Alternatively, you can watch the presentation on Twitch.

As for what we can expect to see, there's enough information to make some educated guesses. Nintendo says the presentation features information on currently available games such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, meaning we will likely see the next fighter who is helping to grow the roster of every character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The most recent addition was Sephiroth, revealed as a stunning surprise at the Game Awards 2020.

Outside of that, we'll likely see updates on games like Monster Hunter Rise. We could also see something to celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise. Nintendo says that part of the showcase is focused on games coming in the first half of 2021, so it seems unlikely to expect lots of far-off games such as Metroid Prime 4 or Bayonetta 3. With that said, it's possible there's a surprise or two to close things off, especially since it's been so long since the last full Nintendo Direct.

Samuel Tolbert
Contributor

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance gaming writer who started working for iMore and its sister sites Windows Central and Android Central in July 2019. He handles news, previews, reviews, and exclusive original reporting, and has also been featured on TechRadar. With a background studying engineering before he shifted his focus to gaming journalism, he's skilled at identifying technical advantages and disadvantages provided by different hardware. If he’s not writing something, he’s off playing video games, spending time with his pets, exercising, or reading. He's also fond of trying to draw things with his iPad.