The recent surprise announcements regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 have caught a lot of people off guard. Nintendo has announced a Switch 2 edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and a big, free update for all systems. Alongside that were the announcements of Fallout 4 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows coming to Switch 2. Surprisingly, an exclusive Switch 2 pro controller and amiibo were also revealed for the upcoming game, Resident Evil: Requiem. These are undoubtedly going to some of the largest releases on Switch 2, all revealed in a short, quick burst.
The Switch 2 Momentum
The reason it is so surprising is that Nintendo has already showcased a Direct in September. This, as part of their Mario anniversary in an already stacked Switch 2 releases schedule. With their big franchises currently in between development, it was difficult to believe the Switch 2 get so many releases. But as Nintendo’s newest financial report has shown, they aren’t slowing down as fans migrate from to the Switch 2. Not only are big third-party titles coming for the console, but Nintendo has readied a staggering number of cross-gen titles. They are starting off strong.
These events allow us to reevaluate how Nintendo is approaching the first half of 2026. In an inevitable Direct, if they have already announced some pretty big stuff, then what else are they holding back? A safe bet would be to put another cross-gen title on the release schedule, but they likely have bigger plans. What is it that is being set up for fans in 2026? With Nintendo reportedly increasing their development teams towards the new console, it’s time to make some bold guesses. I doubt all they have up their sleeve are more Switch 2 editions.
Expansion of Nintendo Switch Online
One thing we can assume is that Nintendo is going to expand Nintendo Switch Online—they said as much. The typical assumption would be that they offer more classics, sprinkling in a bit of “free” DLC and upgrade packs. But that’s what they have already been doing. It is implied they are looking to do more with the service.
An interesting detail about this is how GameChat has an “Open-Access Period” that ends in March 2026. This seems unimportant on its own but reflects the open-access period of the Switch online service at launch in 2017. After that period ended, they created tiers of the service with varying benefits and continued to expand the online experience. The services we take for granted now. This came with slight improvements in personalization and the integration of phone apps that interact with the Switch.
New Possible Online Services
We don’t need to be so bold as to assume that Nintendo will completely revolutionize the service. But we can assume that they will restructure it around the Switch 2. Coupled with the increased demand for personalization, and the introduction of GameChat’s essential communication, there’s a good chance that Nintendo will restructure the service to that experience. What if they introduce a form of Miiverse? What if they introduce a general messaging system? They could introduce an improved lobby or partying system on Switch 2 that helps players interact with each other further.
You know what that’s starting to sound like? The Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program. That very program is a signal that Nintendo is planning something for Switch users, a way to expand services. Even if that test was solely to gather data on managing servers, it wouldn’t be crazy to assume they’d use that. At worst, it could be a single release title that revolves around what was leaked about the program. That would slot itself well in that first half of 2026, strengthening the Switch 2 transition.
Nintendo Still Has More to Announce
As for big release titles, we can make anything up. The fact that there’s already a stacked released schedule eating into 2026 so quickly, implies big secrets that Nintendo is waiting to “surprise and delight” fans with. The bare minimum could be a disappointing Direct filled with small titles like in the anniversary direct. That would just fill up the year even more so. Worst-case scenario is that Nintendo updates the dates on prior announcement alongside a few trailers and calls it a day. But the company can’t operate that way in the first year of their new console’s launch. They have to keep up momentum, according to their own marketing and business obligations.
Conservatively speaking, Nintendo assuredly has either a new intellectual property or is making a new entry for one of their franchises. As can be seen with Mario Tennis Fever, they are already making that theory true. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a new WarioWare or Switch Sports titles to go alongside their new console. Another trend of theirs that we can see continue is third-party collaboration. In many cases, multiplatform games get their initial unveiling from a Nintendo Direct, proving their influence. Many are already encouraged by the Switch 2 to provide exclusive entries, such as the already announced The Duskbloods. Frankly, it is inevitable that another big exclusive title will come to fruition according to this trend—it’s just about when.
The Transition to the Next Generation
With the record-breaking sales of the Switch 2 coming into consideration, going beyond even Nintendo’s expectations, the pressure is on. The financial report on Nov. 5, 2025, revealed just that, and also reinforced their dedication to their gaming platforms. It is a reassurance—a promise that more is coming.
A key piece of information that was shared in that report was how development is now fully shifting from Switch titles to Switch 2 titles, likely exclusives. It is unclear if this change was always going to happen this quickly, but the sales numbers certainly pushed them to state it now rather than later. With my early theory about Switch online, Nintendo has also chosen to reiterate expanding its services. So, there it is, Nintendo is saying it softly. Yet their actions suggest urgency, a ready plan for the beginning of next year to be big, to top off the fiscal year in March of 2026.
More Than Just Games
Even with all this factoring in, while 2026 is determinably going to be a big year, not everything is going to be in the short term. It is also quite likely that any announcement by March will be to set up the rest of the year. Nintendo did focus on talking about their long-term plans, after all. Funnily, it could go either way. The other funny thing about the situation is that the short-term or long-term things we’ll see won’t necessarily be games. It could be online services as I suggested, or more updates to older titles. Who knows, the big thing next year could be a new application on consoles that lets players interact with the platform in a unique way. Features can play a pretty important role, especially in this transitionary period. It is all nonetheless pretty exciting.
A Packed First Year
There’s no doubt that Nintendo is going to do something pleasantly surprising next year, so it’s best not to bet on any single thing. I mean, in the span of a few months, they announced: Pikmin shorts, a redundant Mario Galaxy bundle, several Switch 2 editions, and a bunch of third-party collaborations I thought we’d get years later. The impression I got about the first five months of the Switch 2 generation is “Wow, I didn’t expect this much so fast.” The momentum is genuinely impressive—and Nintendo is promising just as much if not more content going into 2026. They’ve caused many of us fans to reevaluate our expectations.
