Nintendo Direct September 2023 proves that Nintendo is desperate to clear stock quickly before next-gen Nintendo Switch

The latest Nintendo Switch-focused Direct for September 2023 was anticipated to be perhaps the biggest one of the year thus far. With plenty of exciting games in the pipeline, like Metroid Prime 4 and Batman Arkham Trilogy, surely they would make an appearance to hype fans further. Shockingly, that was not the case this time around.

The latest Direct was largely lackluster, with either older games or niche reveals. It does make fans wonder what Nintendo was thinking. With nothing new besides already known major releases set for Winter 2023, it seems like the Super Mario maker is adamant about clearing up the current-gen console stock before the next-gen successor arrives.

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The Nintendo Switch life cycle is slowly but surely coming to an end

So, what were the highlights of the September 2023 Direct showcase? Why, but a whole bunch of Super Mario titles. From brand new entries in the Mario vs. DK and WarioWare series to already-announced ones such as Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Princess Peach Showtime!, Mario fans are in for a treat.

There is also a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door in the works. Besides that, however, much of the Direct was centered around fairly niche titles. This includes a brand new Spy x Family action-adventure title and a bizarre trombone-centric indie rhythm game. While they certainly help spruce up the Nintendo Switch library, these games are not really console sellers.

Perhaps unexpectedly, certain franchises have taken a disappointing turn. The beloved F-Zero, for example, has been revived in the form of "F-Zero 99," a battle-royale rendition of the original SNES formula of the cult-classic sci-fi racer series from Nintendo. It is a very small project and is solely available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

Yes, it is likely fans of the franchise are happy to just be assured that the publisher has not forgotten the series. But after a nearly two-decade hiatus, one would expect something more substantial, like a remake if not a new entry outright. If anything, all of this means that Nintendo is looking to close the curtains on this show.

With hardware sales nearing 130 million units, the console has clearly run its course, so the publisher is looking to wring out as much as they can before moving on to next-gen. Heavy hitters that fans are eagerly looking forward to are nowhere to be seen. These include the likes of the allegedly super-ambitious Metroid Prime 4 and unknown titles under development at first-party studios like Retro Studios or Monolith Soft.

Looking at how Winter 2023 has little to offer to those besides Mario fans, it is safe to assume these other titles will rear their heads in 2024 - which is also suggested to hail the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2. So it would not be unreasonable to see them arrive as cross-generational games, if not be outright exclusive to the upcoming beefier hardware.

This would not be surprising since the hybrid console launched in 2017. In order to keep up with increasing fan and developer demands, Nintendo will need to step up their tech game.

It will be interesting to see what games are swan-song releases for the current Nintendo Switch, but if the rumors are true, then next-gen will be interesting to look forward to.