Nintendo Direct: 5 Switch 2 games we need to see Friday
Nintendo announced a Nintendo Direct livestream to close out the week, after weeks of rumors and leaks suggesting there would be one.
One of the biggest brands in gaming is fresh off a successful launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 console, but there's a pretty big void where information about upcoming games should be. Sure, we know about Kirby Air Riders, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and a few others, but we're sort of flying blind regarding the next year or so of Switch 2 games.
The good news is that there's a big, 60-minute Nintendo Direct on Friday morning at 9am ET. That's a lot of time for Nintendo to fill, and while there will be some Switch 1 games in the mix, let's talk about the Switch 2 games we really need to see from Nintendo during the livestream.
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I should note that most of these are games that are already announced. It's hard for me to say we "need" to see something that hasn't been confirmed yet, after all.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
First up is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which has been an albatross around Nintendo's neck for eight years now. Originally announced in 2017, with development internally canceled and restarted a couple of years later, this tentpole Switch 1 game has become a tentpole Switch 2 game by virtue of its odd development cycle.
Strangely, despite Nintendo's repeated insistence that Prime 4 is still coming this year, it doesn't have an official release date yet. I can't make any guarantees because I'm just some guy, but I would be extremely surprised if this Direct doesn't fix that. I'd call this a near-certainty.
Hades II
Hades II is in a somewhat similar place as Metroid Prime 4: It's supposed to come out this year, but there isn't a date for it yet. We called the early access version one of the best games of last year, so needless to say, we've got our eyes on Hades II. It's coming to Switch 2 before other consoles, so if a release date announcement is coming anytime soon, it might be on Friday. Fingers crossed.
The Duskbloods
Perhaps the most intriguing known quantity coming for Switch 2 is The Duskbloods, the new game from Elden Ring developer From Software. This was announced as a big Switch 2 exclusive back in April, but the trailer was enticingly vague. We know it's a multiplayer game of some kind, with a sort of steampunk-inspired setting and plenty of gross monsters to kill, but that's it. This game isn't set to come out until 2026, but who knows? It could be early 2026, and if that's the case, it might be time to unleash some firm details on those of us who really want to play it.
Splatoon Raiders
Splatoon Raiders is an interesting case because Nintendo originally announced it in a mobile app, separate from any Direct livestream a few months ago. There's a very short and very uninformative trailer that makes it look like a single-player survival game set in the Splatoon universe. That's a really neat idea, as a guy who loves Splatoon but doesn't necessarily always want to play against other people online.
This one also feels like it's almost certain to show up, at any rate.
Whatever is next for either Fire Emblem or Animal Crossing
In terms of games that haven't actually been announced but feasibly could be, two major Nintendo franchises come to mind: Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing. I'm not greedy enough to ask for both, but I think it's possible we hear from one or the other on Friday.
My rationale here is that the last Animal Crossing came out more than five years ago and was a monumental success for Nintendo. It's very possible the next one isn't ready to show yet, but I'm certain there is a next one coming for Switch 2. Nintendo doesn't need any help selling Switch 2 consoles, necessarily, but announcing a new AC game would certainly drive some sales by itself.
Fire Emblem hasn't been dormant for quite as long, with the last release in early 2023, but there have been persistent rumors of a new one (whether a true new game or a remake of an older one) coming to Switch 2. Again, it's entirely feasible that neither of these series are ready to shine the spotlight on whatever is next for them just yet, but 60 minutes is a lot of time to fill. There's gotta be something like this in there.
Honorable mention: The next batch of Switch 2 upgrades
One final thing worth noting is that every previously announced Switch 2 Edition of an older Switch 1 game is already out. There are also no announced plans for any free upgrade patches for any older Switch 1 games right now, though there are certainly plenty that could still use it. Whether Nintendo feels like charging for upgrades that add new content or simply patching games so they run better on Switch 2, I would expect to see at least one announcement related to this during the Direct.
My hope is that any or all of the Xenoblade Chronicles games get upgrades because I'm a sicko, but I'll take anything at this point.
Topics Nintendo Nintendo Switch
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
