Nintendo’s September 2026 Direct has come and gone, and fans are counting what didn’t show up. The 45-minute presentation brought Metroid Ravenous, Kirby and the World Beyond for 2027, and a Mario Kart World update. But for many players, the biggest stories were the games that stayed in the shadows.
The Duskbloods, FromSoftware’s vampire-themed Switch 2 exclusive, was the most conspicuous absence. The game still carries a 2026 release window, and a recent network test had issues. Fans expected a release date announcement. They got none.
The Duskbloods Keeps Its Date a Secret
FromSoftware has not delayed the game, at least not publicly. But the calendar is closing in. If the studio still plans a 2026 launch, it is running out of time to announce one.
“WHERE IS DUSKBLOODS,” wrote X user Oroboro in a post dated September 9. The post captured a mood that spread across social media as the Direct ended with Kirby rather than the vampire title.
Luigi’s Mansion 4 Stays Unannounced
Next Level Games, the studio behind the Luigi’s Mansion series and Mario Strikers: Battle League, has not confirmed a new project. Nintendo acquired the developer in 2021, but its last headlining release was 2022’s Mario Strikers: Battle League. The studio helped with 2025’s Metroid Prime 4, but fans want more.
Almost seven years have passed since the last mainline Luigi’s Mansion game launched. Fans on social media, including user Squidbunny, weighed in on the series’ absence. Nintendo has said nothing.
Animal Crossing Fans Feel Ignored
No new Animal Crossing game was announced. That is not a surprise — Nintendo has not promised one. But Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out in 2020, and a Switch 2 version refreshed the island life in January of this year. Fans still wanted more.
“Me because they didn’t announce animal crossing,” wrote GabrielHorizons on X. Another user, Mo, posted: “So… no animal crossing mention in the nintendo direct??”
| Game | Status After September 2026 Direct |
|---|---|
| The Duskbloods | No release date shown; 2026 window intact |
| Luigi’s Mansion 4 | Not announced; no word from Next Level Games |
| Animal Crossing (new) | Not announced; New Horizons remains the latest |
| Mario Kart World DLC | Update delivered, but fans want more |
| 3D Mario | No new mainline game shown |
Mario Kart World’s Update Wasn’t Enough
Mario Kart World did appear. It got a shadow drop of reimagined SNES courses, free of charge. That should have been a win. Social media and IGN comment sections suggest it was not.
“Anything to avoid giving us new costumes or original tracks, huh?” one IGN reader wrote. “Better than nothing, I suppose, but still – I’m curious what Nintendo’s long-term plans for this game are.”
Mario Kart 8 received its Booster Course Pass years after launch, so Nintendo has a history of slow DLC. Fans like QuasartheWacky are less patient. “omfg just give us new characters and actual new tracks already,” they posted.
A New 3D Mario Remains Missing
Super Mario Odyssey launched about eight months after the original Switch. The Switch 2 is now 15 months old. No new 3D Mario has arrived.
One popular X post put it bluntly, calling the wait for a new 3D Mario game pathetic. Donkey Kong Bananza has helped fill the gap for some players. But it has not cooled the demand for a proper Mario adventure, and fans were hoping Yoshiaki Koizumi would have something to share.
Zelda’s Stream Did Not Save the Day
Nintendo held a Zelda anniversary stream yesterday with big announcements. That did not soften the disappointment. Players largely agree that, aside from Metroid and Kirby, today’s Direct could have hit harder as the year winds down.
Rumors Built the Mountain of No-Shows
Rumors suggesting new Super Smash Bros., Nintendogs, and Luigi’s Mansion games were in the works only helped build the mountain of no-shows overshadowing the show in fans’ minds. None of those games appeared.
What Fans Can Expect Next
The absence list is long. Some of these games were never confirmed, and some were heavily rumored. Either way, the September 2026 Direct gave fans a clear message: the wait continues.
Source: ign.com
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