nintendo direct

All The Announcements From Today’s Nintendo Direct

People have been wondering what Nintendo plans to do first-party-wise for the back half of 2025…and they’ll have to continue to wonder, as today’s Nintendo Direct was a “Partner Showcase” devoted entirely to third parties. Still, there were a lot of interesting titles revealed and Switch 2 satisfaction was possible, unless you were hoping to see Silksong. Here are the announcements in order of their release date:

Chillin’ by the Fire — Switch 2, Today
A game about building a fire. Seriously, that’s all it is. It can also serve as a video chatroom if you and your friends all have the equipment for it.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven — Today

Apex Legends — Switch 2, August 5
This game definitely isn’t new, but its appearance on a Nintendo device is.

Madden NFL 26 — Switch 2, August 14

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance — August 29
A demo is available today.

Star Wars: Outlaws — Switch 2, September 4

Cronos: The New Dawn — Switch 2, September 5

Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac — September 26
The sequel will be re-pacced just like its predecessor, minus any appearances from Ms. Pac-Man.

EA Sports FC 26 — September 26

NBA Bounce — September 26

FInal Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles — September 30
One of the more anticipated fall releases, and not just on Switch.

Borderlands 4 — Switch 2, October 3

Persona 5 Reload — Switch 2, October 23
There’s supposed to be a “physical version” but….on the Switch 2, you know what that means. They are slow to realize game key cards are a flop, so they’ll just keep happening until they get it.

Plants Vs. Zombies: Replanted — October 23

Once Upon a Katamari — October 24
Rolling up everything in the whole world never gets old, and now you can do it through time!

Goodnight Universe — November 11

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero — November 14

Yakuza Kiwami 1 & 2 — Switch 2, November 15
Yes, Yakuza Kiwami did come out on the Switch but you can upgrade for a discount if you own it.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure: Wheatflour Wonderland — Fall 2025

Octopath Traveler 0 — December 4
The third Octopath Traveler game is a prequel, as the title implies. At this early stage, can we convince Square to put it on a real cart?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection — Switch 2, 2026
A new Monster Hunter is on the way.

Hela– 2026
The epic tale of a mouse and her magic frog backpack.

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment — Switch 2, Winter 2026
Still no solid release date for this one, but we did get to see a bit more of it.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales — Switch 2, 2026
Well, this is a surprise…a brand-new HD-2D title from Square not based on any previous title. Unlike their previous games that looked like this, this one’s an action RPG, and two players can control protagonist Elliot and his fairy Faie at once. Even better…there’s a demo out TODAY!

Just Dance 2026 — Who cares when this is coming out.

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Avatar of KlingonWarrior87
KlingonWarrior87

Captain of the IKV Grilka's Revenge

231 messages 0 likes

I liked this presentation a lot more than others probably did. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac and the Yakuza Kiwami bundle are worth getting for me. I already played both on other platforms, but I enjoy playing old games on a handheld console. Final Fantasy Tactics finally coming back is also a dream. People complain about remakes, but if it helps a new generation discover good games, I support it. Of course, I still wish we saw something about Metroid Prime 4 or the next 2D Mario, but I’m patient. This is a good sign that third parties are trusting Switch 2.

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Avatar of Evans
Evans

Keep your boards rolling

112 messages 1 like

I just wanted Monster Hunter Stories 3 and I got it. That’s enough for me. The new design looks darker and cooler than the last one. Also, I want to try Hello Kitty Island Adventure—it sounds silly but fun. I don’t care much about the sports games or Apex. And yeah, no Silksong again, but whatever. The rest was fine. I'm hyped for what's next.

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Avatar of Bakachu
Bakachu

Member

304 messages 13 likes

For me, this Direct was a message: Switch 2 will be where JRPGs shine. Octopath Traveler 0, The Adventures of Elliot, and Final Fantasy Tactics all in one lineup? That’s excellent. The move toward more HD-2D games is especially exciting. Square Enix is clearly investing in Switch 2’s audience. I’m also happy to see Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven back in the spotlight. Sadly, there was no mention of Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake. And no new Zelda mainline news either. But I believe Nintendo is waiting for a separate first-party showcase. For now, I’ll enjoy what we have. Downloading Elliot demo tonight.

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Avatar of FalconPunch77
FalconPunch77

New Member

498 messages 18 likes

I wasn’t expecting much, and that’s probably why I’m not disappointed. These Partner Showcases are never about Mario or Zelda. But I still don’t see anything here that justifies buying a Switch 2 yet. Maybe Borderlands 4 if it runs well. I’m also interested in Cronos: The New Dawn, but I need to see more gameplay. Chillin’ by the Fire looks like a tech demo, not a real game. Hopefully, Nintendo has a real Direct with actual surprises later this year. For now, this feels like filler.

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Avatar of guy
guy

Sentai Monster with no Mouth Animation

109 messages 1 like

Wow! So many games I didn’t know I wanted. Once Upon a Katamari sounds adorable, and I love anything with time travel. I’m also curious about Hela—a mouse and a magic frog backpack? That’s creative! I’m not a big sports gamer, so Madden and NBA are not for me. But I think there’s something for everyone in this list. I do wish they gave us a new trailer for Silksong or something from Nintendo themselves, though. Still, I’m downloading the Elliot demo first thing after work.

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Avatar of Whale Mutant Kun
Whale Mutant Kun

Protector of the Ocean

97 messages 7 likes

Honestly, this Partner Showcase gave me a boost. I like seeing big studios experiment, like Square with Elliot and that cute Hela game. Even “small” ideas like Chillin’ by the Fire show that people are thinking outside the box. I know it’s not for everyone, but I admire simple concepts done well. I’ll probably skip the sports stuff, but there’s enough here that proves Switch 2 isn’t just for Nintendo fans—it’s becoming a strong platform for creative risks.

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Avatar of Sigma from Ohio
Sigma from Ohio

Ceo of Ohio Skibidi

67 messages 9 likes

This was weak. No Mario. No Zelda. No Metroid. No Donkey Kong. Are we just supposed to buy third-party ports forever? Even the “big” announcements were remakes or games we already played years ago. I’m tired of waiting. Where is the innovation? Where is Nintendo’s vision? This Direct was like watching other people bring snacks to a party and the host just watches. I don’t want another Partner Showcase. I want a real Direct with actual surprises.

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Avatar of Jayce
Jayce

Oh the Misery

47 messages 1 like

I think this Nintendo Direct was quite different from what many fans expected. The focus on third-party games makes sense because Nintendo probably wants to show the strength of Switch 2’s library soon. I’m excited about Apex Legends and Borderlands 4 coming to Switch 2. Those games need powerful hardware, and it looks like Switch 2 can handle them well. But I was hoping for some news about Silksong or a new Mario game. The announcement of “Chillin’ by the Fire” feels strange to me; a game just about building a fire? Maybe it’s more of a social experience than a game. Overall, the lineup looks promising for players who like a mix of genres and big names.

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Avatar of CaptainJanewayLover
CaptainJanewayLover

Captain of of my own express

21 messages 0 likes

I appreciate this summary of the Nintendo Direct because it puts all announcements in order. It’s clear Nintendo wants to build excitement for Switch 2 by showing strong third-party support. I think releasing demos alongside announcements is smart, especially for games like “The Adventures of Elliot” and “Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.” It helps players decide quickly if they want to buy. I am curious about the physical version of Persona 5 Reload on Switch 2. Will it have extra features? Also, I think the gradual upgrade path for Yakuza Kiwami shows Nintendo listens to players who already bought older versions.

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