Nintendo answered my prayers and is releasing Banjo-Kazooie in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate today. God bless you all.

There's a new Nintendo Direct taking place this afternoon, as you've likely already heard. We're set to get some new information about Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokemon Sword and Shield, and likely more talking points about The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and the Nintendo Switch Lite. It should be a decent showing altogether, but I'm dying for a Banjo-Kazooie release date in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate more than anything.

This year's earlier reveal that Banjo-Kazooie would be returning in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is still the most excited I've been about anything related to video games in quite some time. This silly bear and bird are two of my favorite characters in the world and I'm still somewhat in shock that they're even going to be added to the game. Even though Hero just released only a little more than a month ago, I still want Banjo added to Smash Ultimate as fast as possible.

So is it likely we get a release date today? Well, maybe. There's a new advertisement circulating for the game right now in Japan that might hint to when Banjo-Kazooie could arrive. The ad prominently features Banjo and is only being put up in storefronts from now until September 15, meaning that a release date for the third DLC fighter could drop before that date. This same thing happened with Hero last time as well, and that character was added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate not long after.

Then again, every time I've ever gotten my hopes up about anything Banjo related over the past decade, I've more often than not been met with disappointment. Banjo-Kazooie's announcement to be joining Smash Ultimate is literally the only time that my expectations have been met with reality as long as I can remember.

At the end of the day, Banjo-Kazooie will hit Smash Ultimate at some point--this fall, to be specific--but I'm just impatient. Give me a release date for my beloved backpack-wearing bear today Nintendo. I beg of you.