June is a festive month for gamers as the entire industry springs to life with updates, sneak peeks, and events aimed to help quench the never-ending thirst of gaming enthusiasts worldwide. There's a reason why it's called "Gaming Christmas", after all. But, with the cancelation of E3 2023, the gaming industry's spotlight has fallen on Summer Game Fest, the "new" E3 and one that continues to grow its list of partners. However, while Microsoft and PlayStation will and have hosted events, one company that usually commands attention during this period is Nintendo. Unfortunately, the company has been notably absent in recent months.

Outside of launching The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and welcoming its critical success, the question on a lot of people's minds right now is: Will there be a July Nintendo Direct?

It's impossible to predict the plans of a company that prefers to follow its own path.

In previous years, when E3 was the gaming industry's go-to event, such a question would be moot. Yet, with Nintendo and its recent propensity for unpredictability, we can't assume anything.

Nintendo has chosen to follow its own path, often to the surprise, and sometimes consternation, of its legion of fans.

Insider speculation from Jeff Grubb, known for his industry sources, added fuel to this uncertainty, suggesting Nintendo has plans for a Direct event in July. However, he was unsure whether it would be a traditional Direct, a Partner Direct, a Third-party Showcase Direct, or a Direct Mini.

This potential event comes amid rumors and industry whispers that Nintendo might be planning to reveal the successor to the Switch console. However, it seems we might have to wait a little longer for that. In its Fiscal Year 2023 Earnings report, Nintendo stated that the Switch successor would not launch during the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2024.

Moreover, Nintendo recently celebrated a significant milestone, with Nintendo Switch lifetime unit sales reaching 125.62 million and software sales surpassing 1 billion.

In the wake of E3's absence, the question of Nintendo's next move has become one of the industry's biggest mysteries. As it is, Nintendo is content to march to the beat of its own drum, keeping its cards close to its chest. In this era of leaks and rumors, such unpredictability is a rarity. It is this unpredictability that keeps Nintendo fans, and indeed the entire gaming industry, on tenterhooks.

So, what's next for Nintendo? A traditional Direct? A Partner Direct? Or perhaps a Third-party Showcase Direct? As we wait with bated breath for Nintendo's next move, the gaming world is reminded of one simple truth: Nintendo remains a master at