Nintendo Direct Reaction
Nintendo's latest Direct gave us a lot to discuss, but if there's one thing I walked away thinking, it's that the Switch 2 is really going to come into its own in year two looks incredibly bright.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Dated!
My biggest takeaway from the Direct was easily Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
As someone who literally just finished Fire Emblem: Three Houses for the fourth time, this reveal could not have come at a better time. The game looks gorgeous, runs at 60 frames per second, and appears to be building on many of the things I loved about Three Houses.
The fact that it launches with four protagonists immediately has me thinking about playthrough order. Right now, I'm leaning toward starting with Kai. Dietrich is tempting because he's exactly the type of character archetype I usually gravitate toward, but that's actually why I want to save him for last.
Either way, September 17, 2026 can't get here fast enough. This is an absolute day-one purchase for me.
Third-Party Support Continues to Impress
One thing that continues to stand out about Switch 2 is just how strong third-party support has become. Capcom is absolutely killing it right now with:
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Devil May Cry V
Monster Hunter Wilds (announed outside this Direct)
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen
Out of those, Dragon's Dogma 2 is probably the game I'm most excited about. I loved the original on Switch, and seeing the sequel arrive on Nintendo hardware is a huge win.
Square Enix also continues to go all-in on Switch 2. The cloud versions of the Kingdom Hearts games are finally being replaced with native versions, and Kingdom Hearts IV is coming day-and-date to the platform.
That's a huge deal for the platform.
We've talked on the blog before about how Nintendo and Square Enix have repaired their relationship over the years, and this Direct only reinforced that narrative.
Xenoblade Fans Are Eating Good
The Xenoblade announcements were also excellent. I'm still not thrilled that Nintendo isn't offering free upgrade paths for existing owners, but I'm happy the Switch 2 Editions exist at all.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 in particular needed the extra horsepower, as it definitely struggled the most technically at times. I'm very curious to see how much cleaner and smoother it runs on Switch 2.
And then there was Xenoblade Genesis reveal.
The game looks absolutely stunning and further proves that Monolith Soft remains one of Nintendo's most talented studios. It's still a ways off with a 2027 release window, but I'm already excited to see more of it.
Dustbloods Was Surprisingly Quiet
One game I expected to see more of was Dustbloods. The Direct gave us a network test announcement and a small amount of new footage. And that’s it. I thought Nintendo would dedicate more time to it.
At this point, I expect the game slip into 2027. Hopefully we'll see more in the coming months still.
A Few Other Games Caught My Eye
There were plenty of other interesting announcements as well.
I've heard great things about Lies of P, and while I'm not the biggest Souls-like player in the world, it's definitely on my radar. The same goes for Lords of the Fallen.
That said, my next big Souls-like adventure will probably be Elden Ring. After finally beating Dark Souls last year, I feel like it's time.
I'm also still interested in checking out Metaphor: ReFantazio, which continues to receive high praise from other RPG fans.
Ocarina of Time Was the Big Moment
As exciting as everything else was, let's be honest:
The biggest announcement of the Direct was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
The rumors turned out to be true.
Even though the reveal leaked ahead of time, I still loved the way Nintendo handled it. Seeing one of the greatest games ever made return in such a big way is really exciting for me.
What has me most intrigued, however, is the possibility of expanded storytelling.
I've written before about how an Ocarina of Time remake could flesh out many of the events that happen off-screen. Link's mother bringing him to the Deku Tree. Ganondorf's rise to power. Zelda's years in hiding. The Hyrulean Civil War.
The original game talks about these and many other events, but never shows them.
I'm hoping Nintendo takes the opportunity to expand those moments and give us a deeper look into the world of Ocarina of TIme’s Hyrule. If they do, they could make one of gaming's greatest stories even stronger.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this was an excellent Direct.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave getting dated and the unveiling of Ocarina of Time remake are the two main highlights for me.
Add in strong third-party support, exciting RPG announcements, and a growing lineup of Switch 2 exclusives, and it's hard not to feel optimistic about where Nintendo is headed.
2026 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Switch 2.