One week to the day of their big show, Nintendo has officially announced their E3 2018 presentation will be christened Nintendo Direct: E3 2018. This marks the first time since 2013 that the Direct banner was used for their E3 online presentation. To that end, Nintendo has revisited their E3 2018 schedule beginning June 11th as a friendly reminder of the festivities to come.

Following their Splatoon 2 World Championships that start on the 11th and wrap up in the finals on June 12th, the E3 Direct will be broadcast at Nintendo’s traditional E3 slot, June 12th at 9 AM Pacific, followed directly by three days of Treehouse Live (also having become a firm tradition in the last few years).

The much-anticipated Super Smash Bros. Invitational, featuring Smash Bros. professional players in the first hands-on of the Switch release, will begin on June 12th following the Splatoon 2 tournament finals.

Nintendo’s E3 Direct will focus on Nintendo Switch’s biggest upcoming releases, including Super Smash Bros. Series producer Masahiro Sakurai has tweeted he will be joining the Direct in some capacity. On the show floor, both Smash Bros. on Switch and the freshly-announced Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee! will be playable by attendees.

E3 2018 in Los Angeles, California is but days away. Stay tuned to Operation Rainfall for all the latest, greatest breaking stories from the annual games convention, and be sure to tune into the live streamed Nintendo Direct: E3 2018 this coming Tuesday.

Alex Irish
When he's not writing about games, Alex Irish is an illustrator and animation expert. His favorite gaming franchise is Pokémon, full-stop, but his favorite game of all time is Resident Evil 4. He attended the first-ever IGN House Party and is a five-time attendee of the Ottowa International Animation Festival.