Nintendo cancels Direct live stream after Japanese earthquake

h2x1-nswitch-nintendoswitchonline-a-image1280w — Nintendo canceled its Thursday Direct live stream.
Nintendo

Nintendo canceled its Thursday live stream announcement about Switch and 3DS games in the wake of a Japanese earthquake.

The company, which is headquartered in Kyoto, planned to show 35 minutes of news on forthcoming games until an earthquake jolted Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido. At least seven are dead, dozens are missing and 3 million homes are without power.

Due to the powerful earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan, we have decided to delay this week’s planned Nintendo Direct. We will provide a new time and date in the near future. Thank you for your understanding. pic.twitter.com/IITgJFtzub
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 6, 2018

"Due to the powerful earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan, we have decided to delay this week's planned Nintendo Direct," the company tweeted early Thursday. "We will provide a new time and date in the near future. Thank you for your understanding."

Nintendo previously teased details about its forthcoming Switch Online service, including the ability to play the original Mario Bros. game in co-op mode.

The company says it will release 20 free NES games for subscribers of the service, which costs $3.99 a month, or $20 a year. The service is expected to go live in the second half of September.

First published on Sept. 5 at 3:35 p.m. PT.
Updated on Sept. 6 at 5:15 a.m. PT: Adds that the live stream has been canceled.