Nintendo shared today that there will be a 45-minute Kirby Air Riders-focused Direct presentation on Tuesday, August 19.
More details on the iconic pink Nintendo character’s upcoming game entry are coming. Nintendo shared today that there will be a 45-minute Kirby Air Riders-focused Direct presentation on Tuesday, August 19. As revealed via the Nintendo Today app, the presentation will start at 8am PT / 11am ET / 2pm BST. While the Switch 2 game release date remains as vague as 2025, this may be the perfect opportunity to give fans something to look forward to.
The social post on Nintendo of America reads: “Join us August 19th at 14:00 (UK time) for a #KirbyAirRiders Direct with director Masahiro Sakurai. The livestreamed presentation will last roughly 45 minutes and offers an in-depth look at the upcoming #NintendoSwitch2 game.” There is also a link to watch the Direct.
While 45 minutes seems like a long time for a Direct focused on one game, Sakurai is super passionate about this project. Especially in comparison to Mario Kart World’s 17-minute presentation and Donkey Kong Bonanza’s 15-minute Direct, this one looks to be special. So far, only a CGI teaser was shown at the massive Direct earlier this year. Fans are expecting to see gameplay footage and more.
The Direct could also be promoting Nintendo’s presence at Gamescom 2025, as they will be returning after last year’s hiatus. This is a major year for the company, most likely going to be offering more Switch 2 demos for visitors to play—with the high likelihood for the Pokémon Legends: Z-A demo being available to play on-site. Previews have already been pouring in from Anaheim’s 2025 Pokémon World Championships.
The anticipated Kirby Air Riders is a sequel to the 2003 GameCube racing game Kirby Air Ride. Last year, Sakurai said he was “still creating games for the time being”, despite previously claiming in 2022 that he was “semi-retired” following the release of Super Smash Bros Ultimate’s final DLC character. Then in 2022, he came back saying,” I’m sorry I can’t share more about this project, but assuming we’re able to get it made, it should be announced sooner or later.”
Sakurai posted on X last week, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his company, Sora. He hinted, “The new game Kirby Air Riders hasn’t even shown gameplay footage yet, but I think we’ll be able to share some information soon.” And now, here we are with a Direct coming out tomorrow.
