Insider: Nintendo Direct rumored for mid-June, possible Switch Sports follow-up

GoNintendo reported on May 22 that a Nintendo Direct is rumored for mid-June 2026, citing comments from Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb. The report did not include an official Nintendo announcement, and Grubb did not specify a date, runtime or slate. NotebookCheck separately said the same rumor has fueled talk of new first-party Switch 2 games and possible Zelda-related news. Nintendo’s own website, as of May 22, shows no June 2026 Direct announcement beyond previously posted presentations. ### Where did the mid-June date come from? Jeff Grubb was the named source behind the latest timing claim. GoNintendo said Grubb stated on the latest episode of the Giant Bombcast that Nintendo would hold a Direct by mid-June 2026, and added that he assumed it would be a traditional presentation rather than a partner-only showcase. GoNintendo described that as a rumor and said Grubb did not provide specifics on the format. (gonintendo.com) NotebookCheck published a separate report built around the same claim. That report said Grubb expected Nintendo to answer the broader June showcase season with its own livestream, placing the rumored event in the middle of the month rather than at the start of June. (gonintendo.com) ### Has Nintendo said anything officially? Nintendo’s official Direct archive lists several 2026 presentations already released, including a Partner Showcase on Feb. 5, a Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Direct on Jan. 29 and a Star Fox Direct posted in May. The archive did not list a June 2026 Nintendo Direct as of May 22. Nintendo’s official Direct pages show the company has continued to use both broad Nintendo Direct broadcasts and game-specific presentations. (notebookcheck.net) That matters because Grubb’s comment, as relayed by GoNintendo, referred to what he assumed would be a “traditional” Direct rather than one centered on a single game. (nintendo.com) ### Why are people linking this rumor to Switch Sports and Zelda? NotebookCheck said the rumor revived discussion of unannounced first-party Switch 2 projects, with fan speculation extending to a possible Switch Sports follow-up and Zelda programming tied to the franchise’s 40th anniversary. The report framed those items as rumor traffic, not confirmed software. (gonintendo.com) A separate NotebookCheck report from February said the Zelda 40th anniversary could pass without major news, while noting that former Nintendo marketers had said the company often aligns anniversary celebrations with new releases. That earlier report did not confirm any June event, but it helps explain why Zelda is part of the current rumor cycle. (notebookcheck.net) ### How does this fit into Nintendo’s recent schedule? GoNintendo had already reported last month on a separate rumor that the next traditional Nintendo Direct might not arrive until June 2026. That earlier item cited NateTheHate and said other formats, including game-specific streams or partner showcases, could still appear before a full Direct. (notebookcheck.net) Nintendo has used that mixed approach in 2026. The company’s archive shows a Partner Showcase in February and standalone game broadcasts for Tomodachi Life and Star Fox, rather than a steady cadence of full general Directs. ### What should readers treat as confirmed right now? May 22 is the key date for the current report, and the confirmed facts are narrow: GoNintendo and NotebookCheck both cited Jeff Grubb saying a Nintendo Direct is expected by mid-June 2026, while Nintendo had not posted an official June announcement on its Direct archive. (gonintendo.com) Everything beyond that — including a Switch Sports follow-up, Zelda anniversary plans or specific first-party reveals — remains unconfirmed rumor. (nintendo.com) Nintendo’s next formal confirmation, if it comes, would most likely appear on the company’s official Nintendo Direct pages. As of May 22, those pages still point readers to the Feb. 5 Partner Showcase and other already announced presentations rather than a new June event. (nintendo.com) (gonintendo.com)