Nintendo Direct facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nintendo Direct
Main logo since 2017
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Genre	Presentation
Created by	Satoru Iwata
Developed by	Nintendo
Presented by	WW Shinya Takahashi Previous presenters [[WW|Satoru Iwata]] NA
Country of origin	Japan North America Europe Australia
Original language(s)	Japanese English
Production
Executive producer(s)	Satoru Iwata (2011–2015) Tatsumi Kimishima (2015–2018) Shuntaro Furukawa (2018–present)
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	5–60 minutes
Production company(s)	Nintendo
Release
Original network	YouTube Niconico Twitch Ustream (discontinued)
Original release	October 21, 2011 (2011-10-21) – present
Chronology
Related shows	Nintendo Power Nintendo Space World Nintendo Week

Nintendo Direct is a series of online videos from Nintendo. They show off new games and consoles. These videos are like special announcements. They started in Japan and North America on October 21, 2011. Later, they became popular in Europe, Australia, and South Korea too.

How Nintendo Directs Work

Nintendo Direct videos are shown in different ways. They can be for everyone around the world or just for certain regions.

Worldwide and Local Shows

Nintendo Directs come in two main types. Some are for a global audience. Others are made for specific countries or regions.

Global Nintendo Directs

When Nintendo wants to share news with everyone, they make one Nintendo Direct. This video is then translated for different countries. It is usually recorded in Japanese. A Japanese presenter hosts it.

Before Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's president, passed away, he hosted these videos in both English and Japanese. Other languages had subtitles. After his passing, Yoshiaki Koizumi became the worldwide host in 2017. From 2018 to mid-2023, he shared this job with Shinya Takahashi. Since late 2023, Takahashi has been the main host.

For international videos, the Japanese presenter's voice is often dubbed into English. Sometimes, subtitles are used instead.

Japan's Nintendo Directs

In Japan, Nintendo Directs were often hosted by Satoru Iwata. After 2015, Yoshiaki Koizumi and Shinya Takahashi took over. They sometimes shared hosting duties.

Japan also has "Indie World" shows. These videos focus on cool indie games for the Nintendo Switch. Shows about Super Smash Bros. are usually hosted by its creator, Masahiro Sakurai.

North America's Nintendo Directs

In North America, Reggie Fils-Aimé, who was the president of Nintendo of America, often hosted these videos. Bill Trinen also helped host.

Since 2017, North American Directs often use the original Japanese audio. An English narrator speaks over it. However, some Mr. Sakurai Presents videos for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate used subtitles instead. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

North America also has "Indie World" shows for indie games on Nintendo Switch. These were once called "Nindies Showcase."

Europe and Australia's Nintendo Directs

In Europe, Satoru Shibata, the former president of Nintendo of Europe, hosted the Directs. These videos were also shown in Australia. Australia had one special Direct just for its region in 2014, hosted by Tom Enoki.

For international Directs, Europe and Australia usually hear the original Japanese voices. But the narrated parts are dubbed into English. These videos are then subtitled for other languages. Pokémon Directs are usually fully dubbed into English for these regions.

Europe also broadcasts "Indie World" shows for indie games. They used to show the American "Nindies Showcase" and then their own "Indie Highlights."

Other Regions' Nintendo Directs

South Korea has its own Nintendo Directs. These are hosted by Hiroyuki Fukuda, the president of Nintendo of Korea. Hong Kong and Taiwan have also had a few special Nintendo Directs.

Different Kinds of Nintendo Directs

Besides the main Nintendo Directs, there are also special shows about specific games or series. These are often hosted by the game's creator or director.

List of Nintendo Direct presentation types

Type	Logo	Duration	What's Covered
Nintendo Direct		25–60 minutes	The main show. It shares news about games and consoles for all Nintendo systems.
Nintendo Direct Mini		5–30 minutes	A shorter version of the main show. It covers games and hardware, sometimes focusing on smaller releases. These often appear without much warning. There's also a "Partner Showcase" version for games from other companies.
Nintendo Direct special		5–50 minutes	A show about one specific game or series. It can be from Nintendo or other game makers. The game's producer or director usually hosts it.
Pokémon Direct/Pokemon Presents		10–27 minutes	A show focused on the Pokémon series. This includes games for Nintendo Switch and mobile phones. The Pokémon Company makes these shows.
Indie World		15–28 minutes	A show about games made by independent developers for Nintendo Switch. This type of show started in Japan and then came to North America and Europe.
Past Nintendo Direct Types
Nintendo Direct Micro		17 minutes	A one-time show in 2015 for North America. It covered games and hardware for all Nintendo systems.
Nintendo 3DS Direct		30–50 minutes	A show just for games and hardware related to the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. It ran from 2013 to 2016.
Wii U Direct		30–50 minutes	A show just for games and hardware related to the Wii U console. It ran in 2012 and 2013.
Nindies Showcase		10–30 minutes	A show about independent games for Nintendo Switch. It was shown in North America and Europe from 2017 to 2019. It was later replaced by "Indie World."
Indie Highlights		17–23 minutes	A show about independent games for Nintendo Switch. This was only shown in Europe from 2018 to 2019. It was also replaced by "Indie World."
Nintendo E3 Presentations/Directs		20–45 minutes	A show about upcoming games that aired during E3. This type of Direct was stopped in December 2023 when E3 ended.

Nintendo Directs at E3

From 2013 to 2021, Nintendo used Nintendo Directs instead of big press conferences at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Nintendo's CEO, Satoru Iwata, said this was because different people want different kinds of information. Nintendo Directs helped them share news better.

In 2014, Nintendo added "Nintendo Treehouse: Live @ E3" streams. These were daily shows from the E3 floor. Nintendo staff and game creators showed off games announced in the Direct. Nintendo also started hosting game tournaments during E3 week. Players competed in games that were not yet released.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected E3 events. E3 2020 and E3 2022 were canceled. E3 2021 was held online. Nintendo also decided not to attend E3 2023. E3 was permanently stopped in December 2023. Now, game companies often have their own online shows. Nintendo still has a Direct around June, but it's not part of Summer Game Fest.

List of Nintendo Directs

Here is a list of Nintendo Direct presentations. Other Nintendo online shows without "Direct" in their name are also included.

Key

     Nintendo Direct      Nintendo Direct held at E3      Nintendo Direct Mini      Nintendo Direct for a single game or game series      Wii U Direct      Pokémon Direct (formerly)/Pokémon Presents      Nintendo 3DS Direct      Year of Luigi      Super Smash Bros. Direct      Nintendo Direct Micro      Nindies Showcase/Indie Highlights/Indie World      Super Nintendo World Direct      The Super Mario Bros. Movie Direct      Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase      Nintendo Museum Direct

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More to Explore

• List of Iwata Asks interviews
• State of Play (video program)
• Xbox Developer Direct

See also

In Spanish: Nintendo Direct para niños