NintendObs Thinks: My expectations for Nintendo Direct E3 2021.
How I think this E3's Nintendo Direct is going to go down, within the limits of what we already know.
E3 has officially begun, and as we wait for Nintendo’s announcements, the time it has come for me to put to paper my anticipations for the big event. First needs to be established the usual structure of a full Nintendo Direct, consisting of: a big intro reveal, the first batch of headlines, one or two featured announcements in the middle, the second batch of headlines, and finally the outro reveal, which may also be followed by an encore reveal, as was the case in the Nintendo Direct for E3 2019 with Banjo-Kazooie for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the announcement of the sequel to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild.
For starters, I’ll reiterate this rumor of mine, supported by my exclusive interview with David Whitaker, who worked on Xenoblade Chronicles X: I believe a Xenoblade Chronicles X 2 will be announced at Nintendo Direct E3 2021. It could actually be a really great opener for the show because, everybody is expecting Breath of the Wild 2 to show up, everybody wants BotW2 to show up, so introducing this open-world experience first in its stead would capitalize on this Zelda expectation for something Breath of the Wild players could relate to in terms of scope. (Not to mention that Monolith Soft worked on The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild with Nintendo EPD and is doing work on its anticipated sequel as well.) Also, Pyra/Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 were the last released and revealed DLC Fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, so that too can be taken advantage of before the next DLC Fighter for Smash gets revealed later at the end of the show.
Speaking of the end of the show, assuming a Xenoblade Chronicles X 2 scheduled for this holiday season 2021, I’m curious to know what high brand recognition Nintendo franchise would be positioned for that end of the year as well. And now that Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope has been revealed by Ubisoft, starring Rabbid Rosalina and Rabbid Lumas (known as Sparks), I’m putting my money on a Super Mario Galaxy 3. Contrary to Internet opinion, Mario is not dead, despite the end of the Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary campaign, as exemplified by Mario Golf Super Rush launching this very month of June, so a brand-new 3D Mario game could fairly well make an appearance, which would make it the first such Mario game since Super Mario Odyssey arrived four years ago in 2017. If so, I’m just here praying that it would take cues on Bowser’s Fury from Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury for a full open-world Mario experience.