Common Knowledge: Nintendo stopped going to the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2013, once they started doing Nintendo Directs in place of their live press conferences. Except no, Nintendo continued to have a presence on the show floor. In fact, their presence increased with the advent of the Nintendo Direct, with them beginning to do multi-day livestreams (Nintendo Treehouse Live) during the event itself. They would even air their June 2021 Direct as a part of that year's digital-only expo. That said, they backed out of E3 2023, which ultimately ended up getting canceled.
Hilarious in Hindsight: In a November 2012 Direct, Reggie and Iwata had a video chat on Wii U where Reggie attempted to speak a couple sentences in Japanese for the Japanese audience, very much stumbling over the words. Afterwards, Bill Trinen quipped "we can all feel better about my job security after hearing Reggie's Japanese". Fast-forward to the announcement of the Nintendo World Championships in 2015, in which Reggie hires a kid who is fluent in Japanese and immediately fires Bill.
Due to the hype buildup that surrounds these presentations, some people like to excitedly post a Twitter link... for a Direct from several years ago which just happens to be a close date if you ignore the year.
Nintendo Direct bingo cards Explanation When a Direct is announced, it's a common game for people to make bingo cards based on what they think will happen or be announced in the presentation, watch the video and mark spots on their cards if they correctly predicted something, and then compare their cards with other peoples' after the Direct ends to see if anyone got a bingo.
"nintendo direct when" / "Give us Nintendo Direct" Explanation People sometimes demand a Nintendo Direct when there isn't one, tweeting or posting comments on non-Nintendo Direct videos if they feel its been too long since the last one. The most notable instances of this were the frenzy that preceded the January 2018 Direct Mini that Nintendo themselves mocked, and the 17-month long gap between General Directs that happened in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
"Reset the clock!"Explanation A common refrain most commonly used on gaming forums such as ResetERA and Famiboards whenever predictions about when the next Direct will be announced don't come into fruition, usually accompanied by a GIF of Idris Elba's character from Pacific Rim speaking this line.
Directly to you.Explanation The catchphrase that Satoru Iwata would use when introducing each Direct, accompanied by a gesture where he raises both arms to his temples and stretches them out to the viewer. The distinctive nature of the phrase and gesture made it a popular subject for fanart, especially as a way of paying tribute to Iwata following his death in 2015.
Iwata vs. ReggieExplanation The E3 2014 Nintendo Direct features a skit where Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Amie spar with each other as martial artists. The scene was widely compared to something out of a fighting anime thanks to its elaborate choreography and editing, resulting in it becoming a popular subject for fan edits.
Fine, I'll do it myself.Explanation Between September 2019 and February 2021, Nintendo had very sparse information for new games, in large part due to the COVID-19 Pandemic pushing development back on many of their larger first-party titles. While Ninty's only presentations during this period being a Nintendo Direct Mini in March of 2020 (which insiders believed would be a full-length presentation) and a scattering of Indie Worlds and miniature Partner Showcases focusing on third-party developers (the first of which was speculated by many to be a general Direct), several other companies began doing their own online presentations, with some even borrowing the "Direct" moniker and adding their own company name to it.
He's so cool!Explanation The translator of Miyamoto comments this on Chris Pratt.
Anya the savior!Explanation The only casting that was generally praised was Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. Cue many people expressing relief that at least one of the cast members wasn't a questionable (or downright terrible) choice.
Farm Direct.Explanation Following the September 13, 2022 Nintendo Direct, many have noted the huge amount of farming sims present in the video, quickly leading to numerous jokes and memes about the Direct being themed to farming. Additionally, future Directs were met with people making bets on how many announcements would be about farming games, even when the Direct is specified in advance to have no possible relation to them.
The skit where Satoru Iwata stares at a handful of bananas for several seconds before turning to the viewer, never breaking his stoic silence, became one of the most well known moments from the very first Nintendo Direct thanks to it embodying both his public image as a Bunny-Ears Lawyer and Nintendo's knack for offbeat humor.
The Reggie vs. Iwata fight became the best known part of the E3 2014 Direct, as well as one of the most popular moments from any Nintendo Direct, thanks to its high-octane delivery and its surprisingly high quality choreography, with many people comparing it to a live-action anime fight scene.
Any of the "but before we go" announcements qualify, as Nintendo generally tends to save their internet-breaking juggernaut announcements for the very end of their Directs. Special mention goes to the very first teaser for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the double reveal of Isabelle in Smash and an Animal Crossing game on the Switch, the reveal of a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the reveal of Splatoon 3, the first trailer for Bayonetta 3, and the long-awaited remaster for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
, which ultimately ended up getting canceled.
