In recent years, Nintendo has taken an interesting approach to E3.
Rather than hold a press conference like all the other big names in the industry, the company instead began to deliver pre-recorded videos called "Nintendo Directs" that served much the same purpose. Oftentimes, E3 Nintendo Directs would be followed by a live stream for viewers at home, where all of the company's latest and greatest games would be shown.
That wasn't exactly the case this year. Not only did Nintendo decide to not deliver an E3 Nintendo Direct, but the company only showed off a handful of games, with the majority of time dedicated to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
As it turns out, that was probably the right move. Twitter revealed that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the most tweeted-about game of E3, and videos and images from the show floor display massive crowds waiting in line for hours upon hours for a chance to play Nintendo's latest adventure. Game journalists rushed out of the gate to be among the first to play Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a reaction that hadn't been seen for a Nintendo game in nearly a decade.
It has become easy to question just about everything Nintendo does these days. When it announced it wouldn't be talking or showing its new console at E3, many fans were outraged. The reaction was much the same when the company announced Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be the only playable game at the show. When it announced there would be no Nintendo Direct, and only a live stream showing off a small number of games, fans began to worry. Had Nintendo finally lost it? Could the Big N really only show up to E3 with one game and still be successful?
The answer is a resounding yes. Turns out all those fears couldn't have been further from the truth. Nintendo knows exactly what it's doing. Nintendo knows anticipation levels for Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are through the roof and Nintendo knows that all it needed to do was let fans see the game in action. The company is so confident in its new product that it didn't need to show anything else (though it did detail the new Pokemon and a few other titles).
With the Wii and Wii U, Nintendo may have baffled some of its hardcore fanbase, but that doesn't mean the company isn't keenly aware of its place in the industry. Each decision it makes is a calculated one, and this year at E3, it made the right call. By not muddying the waters with additional games or a new console, Nintendo rightfully put its entire spotlight on what is sure to be one of the company's biggest games in recent memory. Judging from the reactions of fans, it's a move that worked exactly as intended.
