Nintendo Pulled Big Third-Party Games from July Direct for the Next Showcase

In an unexpected turn of events behind the scenes of Nintendo's recent Partner Showcase, three big third-party games were reportedly pulled at the last minute. Each of these claims was backed up by reliable sources. There wasn't a standing ovation for what could have been a lineup that changed the game. Instead, there was quiet clapping. But this story is about more than just a few lost trailers.

Right before the Nintendo Direct presentation where new titles were about to be revealed, a "chunky" meme posted by someone on the internet went viral, and well the person who posted it apparently had insider news about the Nintendo Direct, so as usual fans who were looking forward to the Direct thought it was a teaser for a new game.

That's a surprise in and of itself, but it gets better. Some third-party creators didn't even know if their games would make it to the final cut, according to people with knowledge of the situation. That is, they sent clips and waited with the rest of us, not knowing when their work would actually come out.

The best part was that these weren't small names. The missed games were important enough to change how everyone saw the showcase.

Nintendo has changed its plans before, of course. The business has never been open about its plans. It's possible that these three games weren't really cut—they might just be being moved around to make the most of a future Nintendo Direct. A show focused on first-party would be a much louder megaphone that fits the goals of these unannounced third-party giants.

Even though Nintendo hasn't said for sure what will be added or changed, we do know one thing: progress is important. And games like Monster Hunter Stories 3, Persona 3 Reload, Octopath Traveler 0, and The Adventures of Elliot: Millennium Tales are already very exciting. Adding just one or two more big hits could have made the Partner Showcase the talk of the town.

It felt like it was missing something.

It's worth mentioning that The Adventures of Elliot could be Square Enix's best HD-2D game to date, thanks to its beautiful graphics and fun gameplay. RPG fans are excited about Octopath Traveler 0 and the return of Monster Hunter Stories, but it feels like there was meant to be more on the screen.

In a way, this whole thing shows how flexible Nintendo's internal processes can be. A game might be in today but not tomorrow. As it stands, not even some coders know about it. What will happen next?

We're waiting. Either Nintendo is waiting to release these games until a better time, or they are just tightening up their marketing. One thing is for sure: the real show may still be coming up. Also, don't be shocked if those three ghost games show up as a big deal when it does.