Top 5 Reasons Nintendo Directs Will Continue
The Nintendo Directs were the creation of former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, as a way to give new information about game *does hand motion* directly…to us. Yet with his passing, many wondered if they would continue. Then, the Nintendo Directs returned, and in a big way.
With the final Smash Bros arriving on Tuesday, a new year coming, and the next Nintendo console slowly coming our way as well, Nintendo needs these Directs more than ever. So allow me to state five reasons Nintendo will continue making Nintendo Directs.
5. To Honor Satoru Iwata
This one may be obvious, but the intent is still there. The Directs were the creation of Mr. Satoru Iwata, in fact, if you think about it, nothing like the Nintendo Directs had ever been done before. Or at least not by the Big 3. These short pods of information, usually between 30-50 minutes, let us know what was coming, and what to expect from Nintendo in the future.
Mr. Iwata was nothing if not adaptable, he proved that in his tenure, and with the Directs, he showed that he understood the power of social media and Youtube. He knew that gamers wanted information not just at big events like the Tokyo Game Show, or E3, but in random months when you wouldn’t expect like this to happen.
But more than that, you could tell that Mr. Iwata enjoyed ever Nintendo Direct he was in. He truly enjoyed bringing information to the gamers that helped Nintendo continue to exist. Though he is gone, that desire is still there, and no doubt the Nintendo Directs will continue to honor his commitment to both Nintendo, and the gamers.
4. Updates In Bulk Are Good
For many gamers, information is everything, especially when it’s about a title they can’t wait to get their hands on. What will it be like? Who will I be playing as? What features can I expect? When is it coming out? Etc.
Yet for many companies, the answers never come quick, or in rapid fire succession. With the Nintendo Directs, they kind of do. To be fair, not every Direct is filled with all the information we want, but more often than not, they do reveal what’s coming soon, along with what can be coming on the horizon. With the Directs, we don’t have to search multiple sites for information, we just sit back, and watch, and see what we find out.
Simplicity is often the best option in many cases, and the Directs are a simple, and yes, direct, way to give lots of information, without asking for a big commitment from those watching.
3. Perfect Place For Big Announcements
When you think of “bombshell” announcements in regards to gaming, you usually think about E3, or a big gaming conference, one where they dedicate the time to doing such announcements. Or, they’ll come randomly, and the internet will be set on fire because of it.
Both are valid, but with the Nintendo Directs, they’re more a mix of the two. Now to be fair, not every Direct has a “bombshell” that needs dropped, but it is more or less expected that some kind of big announcement will be made in them. From release dates, to new games being revealed, the Nintendo Directs offer a lot options.
Case and point, Fire Emblem Fates was announced at a Nintendo Direct, as was Majora’s Mask 3D. Then of course, there was the most recent bombshell that Cloud Strife was coming to Super Smash Bros, that happened in the Direct too. Now you may think that Nintendo has to do big announcements at every Direct, but that’s not true. What it allows though, is for them to decide when to announce certain things, and when to hold them back. For example, we know we won’t hear about the NX until E3 most likely, and that’s fine, the E3 Direct can focus on that! The other Directs? Well that’s open season.
2. Allows For Focus On Indie Or Lesser Known Titles
Nintendo does its best to adapt to the times, but there are cases when they struggle to keep up with new trend. Indie games were just such a situation. But now, Nintendo has given them not only their full attention, they dedicate large portions of the Nintendo Directs to them.
Why is this significant? Because it shows they care! They could’ve easily put them in articles, along with trailers and information, but instead, they’re showcasing them, and telling those who are watching why they should care about them. Nintendo honestly does care about the games under its banner. True, not all are winners, but they want them to be. With Indie Games, or games by lesser known developers that fall in between, getting publicity is key. And what’s better publicity than being shown off at a Nintendo Direct? There you go.
1. Nintendo Directs Can Be About One Game
This hasn’t happened in a while, but when it did, it was noticed.
Sometimes, a game that is coming out is so big, or so good, that it needs its own Direct to show off why it’s a big deal. Last year, when Nintendo had numerous AAA titles coming out, they released specialized Nintendo Directs to show off what those games had to offer in detail that they couldn’t allow for regular Directs.
Two that fit this mold were Bayonetta 2, and Super Smash Bros for Wii U. Each title was given a full Direct to flesh out what was coming in the game, along with dropping some very interesting tidbits of information. Such as, that Bayonetta 2 would ship with the original Bayonetta at no extra charge. Or that it would have online co-op modes.
For Smash Bros., they did a “50-Fact Extravaganza!” that showed off why the Wii U version would be much different from the 3DS version. This Nintendo Direct introduced 8-Player Smash, upgraded single-player mode, and the reveal that Mewtwo was returning. Now, we’re going to get the final one which will likely introduce the final characters that will be added.
Did they need to do that? No. But they wanted to give gamers the depth of detail and knowledge that they believed the games deserved. There are many games coming up that could easily get this treatment, like Star Fox Zero, or Legend of Zelda Wii U. We’ll have to wait and see if they return, but I certainly hope they do.
The Nintendo Directs may have started off as an odd idea, but now they’re a full-on part of Nintendo culture. When word hits that a Direct is coming, every Nintendo fanboy and fangirl instantly try and guess what’s coming. Then when it hits, they talk for hours on end about what was revealed. Yes, the architect of the Nintendo Directs is gone, but the message and purpose are still there, and it’s because of that, that I know they will continue…
“To bring information…Directly…to you.”