Metroid Ravenous and Persona 6 help Nintendo Direct reach 3.7M Peak Viewers

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On September 9, Nintendo held another Nintendo Direct presentation, showcasing its upcoming games. The company surprised viewers with the unexpected announcement of Metroid Ravenous, a new title titled Kirby and the World Beyond, and a teaser for Persona 6. The event’s livestream reached more than 3.7 million Peak Viewers, making it the fourth-most-watched Nintendo Direct ever. 

Nintendo Direct September 2026 viewership statistics

The Nintendo Direct September 2026 presentation was broadcast across Nintendo’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. The event also attracted significant interest from community casters, with more than 2,200 unique channels covering the Direct.

As with The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, the most popular community caster was American creator Miles “Maximilian Dood” Christiansen, whose two channels reached a combined peak of more than 46,000 viewers. However, this figure was still far behind the viewership recorded by Nintendo’s official channels.

Nintendo Direct September 2026 ranked among the four most-popular Nintendo presentations of all time. It also became one of the three most popular gaming showcases of 2026, falling just short of Summer Game Fest 2026 and Nintendo Direct June 2026. 

Most popular games showcases of 2026 by Peak Viewers

Nintendo Direct remains one of the most popular gaming showcases among fans worldwide. The all-time viewership record belongs to Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 Showcase 02.04.2025, which reached 6.3 million Peak Viewers during the unveiling of the company’s new hybrid console. 

Biggest announcements from Nintendo Direct September 2026

Metroid Ravenous

One of the presentation’s biggest surprises was Metroid Ravenous, a new 2D entry in the long-running series and a direct sequel to Metroid Dread. The story finds Samus Aran injured and trapped on a hostile moon after being attacked by a mysterious group of enemies.

The game will further explore Samus’ connection to the Metroids, allowing her to absorb energy directly from opponents and use new abilities. Metroid Ravenous will be released exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on January 28, 2027.

Kirby and the World Beyond

Nintendo closed the showcase with Kirby and the World Beyond, a new 3D adventure scheduled for spring 2027. The project is positioned as one of the major releases celebrating the Kirby franchise’s 35th anniversary.

The reveal trailer showed Kirby freely exploring large three-dimensional environments, collecting items, discovering secrets, and using his familiar Copy Abilities. It also teased a mysterious world hidden beyond a massive rift, suggesting that the new installment will offer a broader sense of exploration than previous Kirby games.

Persona 6 and Persona 4 Revival

Atlus made one of the presentation’s shortest but most notable announcements by showing the official Persona 6 logo and confirming that the game will be released for Nintendo Switch 2. No gameplay, release window, or story details were revealed.

The publisher also shared an extended trailer for Persona 4 Revival, offering a closer look at the remake’s updated environments, characters, and gameplay. Together, the two announcements significantly expanded Atlus’ future lineup for Nintendo’s latest console.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Square Enix presented a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Revelation, which will be released for Nintendo Switch 2 on April 8, 2027. Pre-orders opened shortly after the presentation.

Nintendo Switch 2 owners will not have to wait as long for another game from the series: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion was released for the console immediately after the showcase.

Major updates for Mario Kart World and Pikmin 4

Mario Kart World received a major free update on the day of the presentation. It introduced ten additional courses and two new routes for the Knockout Tour mode, expanding the game without requiring a separate paid DLC purchase.

Nintendo also announced a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Pikmin 4. The upgraded version will feature technical improvements, voice commands, and an additional game mode, although its release date has not yet been confirmed.

Other Nintendo Direct announcements

The presentation also brought updates on Professor Layton and the New World of Steam and several major Switch 2 ports, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Royal Edition, and three modern Resident Evil games. Meanwhile, Star Fox received a free multiplayer update, while Star Fox Adventures joined the Nintendo Classics catalogue.