ARMS and Splatoon 2 will be featured during a Nintendo Direct stream on May 17 at 6 p.m. EDT that highlights both upcoming Switch games. ARMS will be the prominent feature, while Splatoon fans can look forward to a fresh trailer. Nintendo Of America revealed the details via Twitter Tuesday morning.
In typical Nintendo fashion, we don’t have many hints about what to expect. The tweet simply reveals the Direct dates and times and promises “a deep dive into the upcoming ARMS game for Nintendo Switch.” The trailer for Splatoon 2 is also teased with no further explanation of what it might contain.
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The timing of this Direct is curious for a number of reasons. For one, both ARMS and Splatoon 2 were prominently featured during a Direct just a few weeks ago. ARMS in particular was privy to a lengthy gameplay demo that debuted a new character and described some of the additional depth the upcoming game is set to contain. Splatoon 2 on the other hand, got a brand new PvE mode called Salmon Run. In that sense, even though ARMS is releasing June 16, it seems odd another Direct for both titles would arrive so soon.
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The reveal of this Direct might also deflate recent Pokémon Direct speculation that hit its peak last week. Series fanatics believed that tradition and recent changes to the Japanese Nintendo Direct website made an upcoming announcement seem certain, but now it would appear we have a definitive rationale for the aforementioned adjustments. The Direct page was likely shifted to make room for Wednesday’s ARMS stream.
With no real ARMS background to go by, it’s hard to predict exactly what fans might see during the stream. Given what little we know, new characters, arenas and gameplay mechanics seem like a sure bet. It’s also worth noting that ARMS tournaments will be held during E3 2017 as well. Maybe hopeful participants will get more details about those festivities. Whatever this presentation holds, the passionate Nintendo faithful still seem a bit unsure about ARMS’ chances as a new franchise. Its developer needs to show gamers why they should care about this spring Switch offering.
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As for Splatoon 2, it wouldn’t hurt to see another map and new weapon ahead of E3. Considering the “Squid Sister Stories” are still filling out the lore behind Callie and Marie, a glimpse at the game’s scripted story content seems equally appropriate to us.
To reiterate, the ARMS and Splatoon 2 Direct is set to take place May 17 at 6 p.m. EDT. Watch it in the embedded Twitch stream above. ARMS is set to release June 16, while Splatoon 2 makes its debut July 21. Both titles are exclusive to Nintendo Switch.
What do you hope to see from Wednesday’s Direct? Would a new trailer convince you to buy either of these Switch games? Tell us in the comments section!