E3: Nintendo Threatens Leaker With Legal Action [Update: Zelda Breath Of The Wild 2 Announced]

Update: Pleasantly enough for those interested in a surprise, the Nintendo Direct was capped off with a major reveal. Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, or whatever the sequel will be called, was confirmed as in development. Some of the other reveals confirmed things that had been rumored previously, such as The Witcher 3 for Nintendo Switch. We also learned of two new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC characters, including Banjo Kazooie. Read on for a look at what Nintendo did to ensure it had some surprises in store for the presentation.

It wouldn't truly be E3 if a number of surprises didn't leak in advance, but even so, this year has been particularly leaky. Nearly all of this weekend's biggest announcements were spoiled early, from Ninja Theory's new game, Bleeding Edge, to Elden Ring, From Software's rumored collaboration with Game of Thrones author George RR Martin. Nintendo's own E3 press conference is still to come, and it appears the company is taking measures to ensure none of its secrets spill out ahead of time, as it has reportedly threatened legal action against a well-known leaker.

Twitter user Sabi, who has accurately leaked details from Microsoft and Bethesda's press conferences before each one aired (including Keanu Reeves' appearance in Cyberpunk 2077 and Xbox Scarlett's technical specifications), revealed they had received a cease and desist letter from a lawyer representing Nintendo (via Eurogamer). Sabi has since said they will not leak anything from the Nintendo Direct, although they assert they'll continue leaking non-Nintendo secrets.

Nintendo's E3 Direct is scheduled for today June 11, at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST. The company recently confirmed the broadcast's runtime--roughly 40 minutes. We also know Nintendo will reveal the next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character during the Direct; game director Masahiro Sakurai confirmed as much in a video message following Nintendo's Smash Ultimate World Championship on June 8.

Beyond that, however, Nintendo hasn't said much about this year's Direct. The company teased the broadcast will focus on Nintendo Switch games coming in 2019, and it confirmed Luigi's Mansion 3, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening will all be playable on the E3 show floor, so they'll all presumably get some time in the spotlight during the Direct.

If you want to tune in, you can find out when and how to watch Nintendo's E3 Direct here. That isn't the only Nintendo news to come from this year's E3, however. The company also aired a Pokemon-focused Direct on June 5, which revealed a ton of new details about Pokemon Sword and Shield. You can catch up on all the Pokemon Direct news and rewatch the broadcast here.

E3 2019 Conference Schedule

• Monday, June 10, 4:30 PM PT -- Kinda Funny Showcase
• Monday, June 10, 6 PM PT -- Square Enix Press Conference
• Tuesday, June 11, 9 AM PT -- Nintendo Direct Showcase

More E3 news:

• New Xbox console, Scarlett, revealed
• Xbox Scarlett details: 8K, 120 FPS, SSD
• Elden Ring is From Software and George RR Martin's new game
• Cyberpunk 2077 release date announced
• Final Fantasy VII Remake announced