A closer look at expectations, third-party games, and Switch 2 performance
It’s been over 24 hours since the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, and a lot of people aren’t thrilled. The direct could have done more, and the loudest voices online seem disappointed with what was shown. That raises the big question: was the Partner Showcase really that bad?
While it’s fair to say the presentation could have offered more, it’s important to frame it correctly—this was a partner showcase. Many of the loudest complaints centered on the absence of major first-party announcements or the feeling that the games shown simply weren’t “for them.” But let’s keep things in perspective. For a partner showcase, we were never going to see major first-party news from Nintendo. At their best, these presentations exist to show what Nintendo hardware is capable of in the hands of third-party developers—and in that respect, this direct succeeded.
We saw games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered highlighted for the Nintendo Switch 2. These aren’t small indie ports—they’re demanding, modern games that appear to be running smoothly, some even appearing to target a steady 60 frames per second. For a handheld-hybrid system, that’s genuinely impressive, and it’s the kind of progress that’s easy to overlook when expectations are set elsewhere. Of course, how these games perform when they’re in players’ hands will be the true test.
Maybe the games announced weren’t exactly what you were hoping for, or maybe you’ve already played some of them on other platforms—but there’s still something undeniably cool about seeing experiences like these running on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. While not much of this direct was entirely new, it offered a clearer picture of what the Switch 2 can do, and that’s something many people seem to be taking for granted.
And if the direct still wasn’t what you were hoping for, that’s fine. I’m not here to change your mind—it definitely could have been better. I mean, no news about Planet Zoo? Come on. Still, at the end of the day, there’s a lot here to look forward to, and even if the games themselves don’t appeal to you, it’s hard not to be impressed by what’s becoming possible on a Nintendo system.
Did the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase offer any games you’re actually looking forward to playing? Let us know in the comments, or tag us on social media.
About the Author
Scott (Scotty) Greenhalgh is the founder and owner of Input Lag, an independent Nintendo-focused publication. Scotty brings a player-first perspective informed by years of hands-on experience with Nintendo games to his reviews, rankings, and editorial coverage. His writing focuses on how games feel to play, their long-term value, and the impact Nintendo’s creative and business decisions have on players.
Outside of Input Lag, he also creates Pokémon-focused content online under the name Gr3atScotty.
It’s why I don’t expect many things from Nintendo Directs anymore. If I hope for things and I see they weren’t mentioned I would get disappointed. It is really cool to see Bomberman Collections as it was one of my favourite party games in the early 1990s!