Next 3D Mario Game Could Lead Nintendo's September Direct

Nintendo may be preparing one of its biggest stretches of announcements yet for the Nintendo Switch 2, with a possible new 3D Mario game now looking like one of the strongest possibilities for the upcoming presentations. The timing is particularly interesting because Nintendo is reportedly keeping its Legend of Zelda anniversary presentation separate from its regular Nintendo Direct.

That separation could be more important than it first appears. Rather than placing everything into one large showcase, Nintendo is giving Zelda its own dedicated spotlight before following it with another presentation focused on the wider future of the Nintendo Switch 2.

If the second event includes a major Mario reveal, you could be looking at a back-to-back combination that immediately gets people talking.

A new 3D Mario game would make sense as a major announcement because Nintendo has not yet released its next big original Mario adventure for the Nintendo Switch 2. There has been growing discussion around the possibility of the next major 3D Mario arriving in 2027, and that would give Nintendo plenty of reason to start building anticipation well ahead of its release.

The bigger picture makes the possibility even more interesting. If a major new Mario game is indeed planned for 2027, Nintendo has an opportunity to use the upcoming Nintendo Direct to show players what the future of the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to look like.

With a dedicated Zelda presentation potentially arriving separately, the company could effectively put two of its most recognizable franchises at the center of attention within a very short period. For Nintendo, that is a familiar formula. Mario and Zelda have long been two of the company's biggest names, and putting them together in consecutive presentations would immediately give the Nintendo Switch 2 another major boost in attention.

You would have Zelda celebrating its milestone while Mario potentially introduces the next major first-party game on the platform. What makes this even more surprising is how well the Nintendo Switch 2 has performed without either of those next-generation releases already available.

The system has reportedly moved more than 24 million units at this stage, despite not yet having a brand-new major Mario or Zelda game driving those numbers.

That is a remarkable position for Nintendo to be in. Historically, its strongest-selling hardware has often been supported by major entries in those franchises. Looking at systems such as the Wii and DS, Nintendo had recognizable first-party software helping define those platforms.

The DS had a version of Super Mario 64 early in its life, for example, while the Wii had major Nintendo releases that became closely associated with the hardware. The Nintendo Switch 2, however, has managed to put up huge numbers before receiving that next major Mario or Zelda release.

That makes the eventual arrival of either franchise potentially even more significant. If Nintendo can already sell systems at this level, adding a 3D Mario game could give the platform another major push. The other major piece of the upcoming Nintendo Direct could be third-party software.

Nintendo has already shown that it can surprise players with technically demanding games arriving on the Nintendo Switch 2, and the expectation is that another major announcement could be waiting. One example is Resident Evil Requiem, which was revealed as a day-and-date release for the Nintendo Switch 2.

The announcement was significant because the game had already been scheduled for release, but its appearance on Nintendo's hardware had not been expected.

Suddenly, players were shown that the new system could receive a major third-party release alongside other platforms. Kingdom Hearts 4 delivered another major surprise. Before its announcement for the Nintendo Switch 2, there had been very little information about how the game would arrive on the platform.

Then the presentation showed new gameplay footage after a long period without a substantial look at the game, while also confirming that it would launch natively on Nintendo's hardware at the same time as other versions. Nintendo also revealed that other Kingdom Hearts titles would be available, making the announcement feel much bigger than a simple platform confirmation.

That kind of reveal has become something fans now expect from major Nintendo presentations, particularly when the company is trying to demonstrate what its newer hardware can handle. The question surrounding the next Nintendo Direct is therefore what could become the next major third-party surprise.

There is room for another previously unannounced AAA game to appear as a day-and-date release, and that could potentially become one of the most talked-about announcements of the entire presentation. Grand Theft Auto 6 would obviously represent the biggest possible version of that scenario.

Putting GTA 6 alongside new Mario and Zelda announcements would create an enormous amount of attention around the Nintendo Switch 2.

However, there is no confirmation that GTA 6 is coming to the platform, and it would be unwise to treat that possibility as anything more than speculation. Another possibility is Exodus, a science-fiction role-playing game that has attracted attention because of its connection to developers who previously worked on major space-focused RPGs.

The game is planned for a future release, making it the kind of project Nintendo could potentially use to demonstrate the Nintendo Switch 2's ability to handle a large third-party production. Exodus also stands out because there is currently a gap for players looking for a major new space RPG experience.

With the next Mass Effect still not serving as an immediate replacement for that kind of game, Exodus could appeal to players looking for something in that general space. If Nintendo managed to bring it to the Nintendo Switch 2 as a day-and-date release, it could become another strong example of the system attracting demanding third-party projects.

There is also the possibility of Black Myth: Wukong arriving on the Nintendo Switch 2. The action RPG has previously been discussed as a major title coming to the system, and it could represent the sort of technically ambitious game that demonstrates what the hardware is capable of.

Still, it does not necessarily carry the same surprise factor as an entirely unexpected day-and-date announcement. 

Nintendo has already delivered ports and previously announced games, but the biggest reactions tend to come when a game appears without much warning and is confirmed for the system immediately. Resident Evil Requiem and Kingdom Hearts 4 showed how effective that strategy can be.

The upcoming Nintendo Direct could therefore have several different layers. A 3D Mario game would give Nintendo a major first-party announcement, while the separate Zelda presentation could give that franchise the dedicated attention its anniversary deserves.

Then, a previously unknown third-party AAA game could provide the surprise factor.  For the Nintendo Switch 2, that combination would be particularly useful. The hardware has already established itself commercially, but Nintendo still has major franchises and announcements that can extend its momentum.

A new Mario game, another Zelda-focused event, and a significant third-party reveal would show that the company has much more planned for the platform. After a quieter period of announcements, Nintendo could be preparing to make a much stronger statement about what comes next.

The separation of the Zelda presentation from the regular Nintendo Direct may ultimately prove meaningful.

This is especially if it allows Nintendo to give each major announcement enough room to stand on its own. A 3D Mario game remains unconfirmed, and there is no guarantee that a massive third-party title will appear either. Still, the structure of these upcoming presentations creates plenty of room for Nintendo to surprise players.

If Mario really is being positioned as one of the next major Nintendo Switch 2 releases, an early reveal could be exactly what the company needs to keep attention firmly on the platform through 2027. And with Zelda potentially taking the spotlight first, Nintendo may have found a simple way to turn two separate presentations into one much bigger moment for the Nintendo Switch 2.