Did the Nintendo Direct during the summer disappoint?

Do you find yourself longing for more Zelda and less Xenoblade? That's exactly what some readers expressed in our Wednesday letters page. They were hoping for a glimpse of the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, but were disappointed with the amount of Xenoblade games featured in the Nintendo Direct.

For those who are unfamiliar, our Games Inbox is a place for our readers to share their thoughts, opinions, and comments. If you want to join in on the discussion, just send us an email at the address provided below. Now, let's talk about the recent Nintendo Direct.

It was certainly an interesting one, packed with a lot of content. However, it didn't quite have the same level of excitement or surprise as some might have hoped for. And it wasn't just because of the leaks that were circulating beforehand.

The only game that was leaked, the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, was only shown for a brief 30 seconds. Meanwhile, the Xenoblade Genesis game, which wasn't leaked, didn't seem to generate as much interest. It is a bit generic and doesn't quite have that Nintendo charm.

While the third-party support was encouraging, it was mainly Japanese games. In fact, there wasn't a single Western game featured in the 55-minute presentation, except for maybe some indie titles like Minecraft. Nintendo has already acknowledged that they have been focusing too much on their Japanese audience, and this Direct was a clear reflection of that.

Don't get me wrong, I personally prefer Japanese developers, but at the same time, games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Splatoon, and Fire Emblem are not at the top of my list when it comes to Nintendo games. It's been evident for a while now, but for some reason, Nintendo seems to be fixated on their B-list franchises. While I understand that some of their big titles may not have a sequel in the works, it's still surprising that after almost three years since the release of the Switch, we haven't even heard a hint about a new Mario, Smash Bros., or Animal Crossing.

Even the highly anticipated Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been out for over three years now, so it would be nice if Nintendo threw us a bone. Moving on to a more positive note, I have to say, the Nintendo-ish Direct was pretty good. It had some great third-party games and a few pleasant surprises.

However, I was a bit surprised by the lack of Nintendo content in the presentation. While I'm thrilled that the rumors of the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake were true, I was hoping for some gameplay footage. I'm sure it will eventually be revealed on Nintendo Today, but it would have been nice to see it during the Direct.

I also felt that they could have spent less time on certain things, like the thumb wars and Splatoon Raiders. After all, Splatoon already had its own Direct and was featured in the Treehouse segment, so it didn't need as much time in the main presentation. On the other hand, I did appreciate the decrease in focus on indie titles to fill out the lineup.

Instead, there were a lot of big third-party ports, which is a clear indication that the added power of the Switch is attracting more developers to the platform. The only thing that was missing, in my opinion, was some actual gameplay footage of Zelda and maybe a teaser for a new Mario or other big franchise. Other than that, I would give the Direct a solid 9/10.

Now, onto a more critical perspective. The first Nintendo Direct in nine months was not up to par. It's simply unacceptable, especially considering that this should have been the big one.

The Switch is only a year old, and yet we've gone almost that entire time without any new announcements for major first-party games. These are the very titles that people look forward to from Nintendo. And if you're not interested in the Japanese role-playing games or the remake they refuse to show, then there's not much for you to be excited about.

It's concerning how Nintendo expects to keep Western interest in the Switch when the majority of their biggest announcements seem to cater to the Japanese market. The Nintendo Direct felt like it was disregarding any other market. I remember speculating a few months ago, when I saw the performance divide of the Switch per region, that Nintendo might focus solely on the Japanese market.

Unfortunately, it seems like that's exactly what they're doing, and it's worrying for their direction. Maybe I'm being unfair, and the alternative is that this was a conscious crisis management decision. But regardless, it's not a good look.

This Direct should have been a way to appease existing Switch owners, but it feels like it would have been better if it didn't happen at all. Let's switch gears and talk about something else. I only skimmed through most of the Xbox showcase, but I have to say, it was pretty disappointing.

There were a lot of games that we already knew about, and they're not exactly system sellers. Plus, the fact that Gears of War is now exclusively for Xbox is a major letdown. I was looking forward to playing it on PlayStation, but now that's not an option.

However, on the bright side, I can at least enjoy one month of Game Pass on my Xbox Series X that's been gathering dust. It's a smart move on Microsoft's part to entice players with cheap gaming options. So, kudos to them for that strategy.

I also want to mention that Gears of War E-Day and Clockwork Revolution were probably the biggest first-party games at the showcase that weren't already announced for other consoles. It would have been a statement if they made Spyro an exclusive, but Microsoft seems to be treating the Activision games as they always have, as multi-platform titles. They are legally bound to keep Call of Duty multi-platform for 10 years as part of the Activision Blizzard sale.

Aside from the obligatory Call of Duty footage, the games that opened and closed the show were a clear message that console exclusives are back. There were two games at the showcase that I'm assuming are among the biggest titles that Microsoft has ready for release in the next year or so, and they haven't been announced for PlayStation or Switch yet. This was a way for them to make a statement with exclusivity.

Before I end this, I want to quickly address some concerns about Nintendo. It's not that they're doing poorly with the Switch. In fact, they're doing quite well.

However, as a Nintendo fan, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed with their recent choices. I was really looking forward to the Direct, but it left me feeling let down. Maybe I'll reconsider getting a Switch towards the end of next year when more games are released.

Are you feeling like there's too much focus on Xenoblade and not enough on Zelda lately? Well, it seems like you're not alone. In a recent letters page, a reader expressed disappointment with the lack of coverage on the highly anticipated Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, while also questioning the popularity of the Xenoblade franchise.

The Wednesday letters page, titled Games Inbox, is where our readers can share their thoughts, opinions, and comments on all things gaming. To join in on the discussions, simply send us an email at the address provided. Now, let's talk about that Nintendo Direct that recently aired.

It was definitely an interesting one, with plenty of announcements, but also a noticeable lack of new and exciting content. And it wasn't just because of the leaks, which only revealed the Ocarina Of Time remake for a brief 30 seconds. Surprisingly, the highly anticipated Xenoblade Genesis didn't get leaked at all.

But is that franchise really as popular as Nintendo seems to think? Some readers have expressed that it feels generic and not quite the usual Nintendo style. One positive aspect of the Direct was the encouraging amount of third party support.

However, it was mostly focused on Japanese titles, with not a single Western game being featured in the 55 minutes presentation. There were some indie games and Minecraft, but that was about it. It's no secret that Nintendo has been catering to their Japanese audience a lot lately, and it was especially apparent in this Direct.

While Japanese developers are often preferred by many fans, it's still a bit disappointing for those who were hoping for more news on titles like Mario, Smash Bros., or Animal Crossing. And let's not forget that even Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is now over three years old, leaving many fans wondering when we'll get some new and exciting updates from Nintendo. It has been evident for some time now that Nintendo seems to be focusing more on their B-list franchises, while leaving some of their biggest titles on the back burner.

While this may be understandable in some cases, it's still frustrating for fans who have been eagerly waiting for new installments in these beloved series. As we enter the third year of the Switch, it's a bit concerning that we still haven't even received a hint of a new Mario, Smash Bros., or Animal Crossing game. And even Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, which was released over three years ago, hasn't received any updates or news.

It would be nice to see Nintendo throw us a bone and give us some updates on these highly anticipated titles. Moving on to a different topic, let's talk about the Nintendo-ish Direct. Overall, it was a decent presentation with some surprising announcements and a strong showing from third party developers.

However, it was a bit surprising to see that there wasn't much focus on Nintendo's own content. While the rumors of a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake were indeed true, it would have been nice to see some gameplay footage. Perhaps we'll see it on Nintendo Today in the near future.

There were also some segments in the Direct that felt a bit unnecessary, like the lengthy thumb wars and the prolonged focus on Splatoon Raiders. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that there will be a separate Direct focused solely on Splatoon, so it may have been better to save some of that content for that event. On a more positive note, it was great to see the Switch's extra power being put to good use with the many third party ports and collaborations.

It seems like Nintendo is finally starting to attract more third party developers, which is a great sign for the future of the console. However, one thing that was notably missing from the Direct was any teaser or mention of a new Mario game. It's hard to say what Nintendo has in store for us, but it would have been great to see some updates on these beloved franchises.

Overall, the Direct was a solid 9/10, with the only real disappointment being the lack of Zelda gameplay. Moving on to a more critical perspective, some readers expressed their disappointment with the lack of new and exciting content in the Direct. Some even went as far as to say that it was a major letdown, especially considering that it was the first Direct in nine months.

With the Switch being only a year old, fans were hoping for some big announcements, but instead, they were met with mostly Japanese titles and ports of old games. The only major news was the confirmation of the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, which was met with some frustration as it was only shown for a minute. It's hard to understand how Nintendo expects to keep Western audiences interested in the Switch when the majority of their focus seems to be on the Japanese market.

With a lack of new first party titles and mostly lower effort entries in existing franchises, it's hard to see how this will attract new players or keep current fans engaged. Some readers even expressed their concern that this could be a sign of Nintendo doubling down on catering to the Japanese market, which is a worrying thought for the future of the console. Of course, it's possible that there is more to come from Nintendo in the future, and they may be saving some big announcements for later on.

However, it's hard not to feel disappointed with the lack of updates and new content for the Switch. With fans eagerly awaiting news on titles like Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and DuskBloods, it's a bit disheartening to see Nintendo focus on older games and sequels rather than bringing something new to the table. In conclusion, it's clear that the recent Nintendo Direct had its ups and downs.

While there were some exciting announcements and surprises, there were also some disappointments and concerns raised by fans. It will be interesting to see how Nintendo addresses these issues in the future and what they have in store for the Switch. For now, we'll just have to wait and see.