Nintendo E3-Related Activities Announced

It’s no secret that Nintendo will have a somewhat muted presence at this year’s upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). After announcing that its upcoming NX platform would be skipping the tradeshow, it paired down its show floor to only one game: The Legend of Zelda for Wii U (final name to be announced). Instead of its normal press conference or Digital Event on the first day of the show, Nintendo is hopping right into Treehouse Live, a stream that will show off the new Zelda. It also canned its three-year tradition of allowing the public to try out some of the E3 demos at local Best Buy stores. All of this combined made its E3 week look like it was going to be somewhat of a one-trick pony.

Since the original plans were revealed, Nintendo has added more meat to its E3 presence. While it’s true that Zelda will still be the only game for attendees to play at the show, the Treehouse will be showcasing additional games, like Pokémon Sun & Moon, Dragon Quest VII, Monster Hunter Generations, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. I wouldn’t be surprised for a few more games to make a surprise showing, like Paper Mario Color Splash and Metroid Prime Federation Force.

Perhaps in an effort to soften the blow of a lackluster showing at this year’s E3, Nintendo is reaching out to fans to give them some love. First up is its retweet event that’s going on today, June 8. Basically all you need to do is check out Nintendo’s Twitter account and retweet the Miitomo Zelda message. If the tweet gets 10,000 retweets a “Link’s new hair wig” will unlock in Miitomo for free. If at least 20,000 retweets are made, a “Link wig” will be given out for free in the app. As a reminder, Miitomo is a free to play communication app for iDevices and Android.

On June 14, users of Miitomo can play a new Miitomo Drop game that will have various Zelda gear to try and win. Your Mii can then dress up in the various accessories. Some items will be able to be purchased with the in-game Miitomo coins. In addition, Platinum Points can be exchanged for a Zelda gift on My Nintendo to be used in Miitomo.

Lastly, on June 14 at 11 AM PT / 1PM CT / 2 PM ET there will be an eShop sale. My Nintendo members who are signed in will receive a special bonus for buying select games included in the sale. No word yet on what games are included in this sale, but when it’s known we will issue a news update. The full press release is below:

Nintendo is getting ready for the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles next week, and wants to help fans stay engaged with all the Nintendo news and action from the show. Here’s a rundown of some of Nintendo’s activities before and during the show:

June 8

• The Legend of Zelda Twitter campaign for Miitomo in-app gifts: Miitomo users should check @NintendoAmerica on Twitter today for a special tweet kicking off a collaboration between the mobile app and the Legend of Zelda franchise. If the tweet gets a combined 10,000 retweets worldwide, Nintendo will issue a “Link’s new hair wig” as an in-app gift to all users of Nintendo’s Miitomo mobile app. If it gets 20,000 combined retweets, Nintendo will give all Miitomo users a “Link wig” in the Miitomo app.

June 14

• More of The Legend of Zelda in Miitomo: Miitomo will continue its celebration of The Legend of Zelda with a themed Miitomo Drop game that will give players the chance to win The Legend of Zelda-themed in-app gear for their Mii character. Players will also be able to use Miitomo coins in Miitomo to purchase The Legend of Zelda collaboration items. An additional The Legend of Zelda collaboration gift will be available on the My Nintendo website, and players can exchange their My Nintendo Platinum Points for this item.
• Nintendo Treehouse: Live – Day 1: Nintendo’s kickoff to the E3 trade show begins at 9 a.m. PT, with an introduction by Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime and the world’s first look at live gameplay of The Legend of Zelda game for the Wii U console. Viewers can also catch the first live gameplay of the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon games. Watch Nintendo Treehouse: Live via Nintendo’s channels on YouTube and Twitch, as well as on  http://e3.nintendo.com.
• Nintendo eShop sale: Starting at 11 a.m. PT until 8:59 a.m. PT on June 21, Nintendo is offering discounts on some of its most popular games as a special treat for fans. My Nintendo members who are signed in will also get a special bonus if they buy select games included in the sale. Anyone who hasn’t signed up for My Nintendo yet is encouraged to do so now to avoid the E3 rush. To get the extra discount, My Nintendo members must link their Nintendo Account to their Nintendo Network ID and access Nintendo eShop on their device at least once before they make a purchase. The discounted games can be purchased in Nintendo eShop or at http://e3.nintendo.com. Details about the discounts can also be found at http://e3.nintendo.com.

June 15

• Nintendo Treehouse: Live – Day 2: Starting at 10 a.m. PT, the Nintendo Treehouse: Live programming will showcase upcoming Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games, including Monster Hunter Generations from Capcom, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. The day will start with a special Pokémon GO developer Q&A. Watch all of Nintendo’s action from the E3 show floor via Nintendo’s channels on YouTube and Twitch, as well as on  http://e3.nintendo.com.

Craig Majaski

Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.