Nintendo Direct 2026: From new Xenoblade game to Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake, everything that was announced

The summer of 2026 is definitely one for the video game history books. The season started with PlayStation’s State of Play; we then got the Xbox Games Showcase, and most recently, Nintendo had their Direct presentation, where we got a whole bunch of new announcements. The latest Direct ran for around 50 minutes, and it covered a wide range of titles across both the Nintendo Switch and the newer Nintendo Switch 2. There were a whole bunch of first-party franchise revivals, and we also got a lot of games from third-party developers as well. If you’re one of the five Nintendo fans in India that missed it, though, here’s every major announcement from the show.

Ocarina of Time is finally getting a remake

Starting with the biggest announcement, it came in the form of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake for Nintendo Switch 2. The trailer showed a complete visual overhaul of the Nintendo 64 game, and while other details are yet to be revealed, the announcement immediately became one of the most talked-about moments on social platforms like X. Given that this is the Zelda franchise’s 40th anniversary year, it makes sense that they are releasing it this year. The exact release date with pre-order details is yet to be announced.  

Also Read: Xbox Games Showcase 2026: Gears of War: E-Day, Persona 6, Fable and every major announcement

Xenoblade gets two big announcements

Two major announcements were coming from the Xenoblade franchise. One of them is in the form of the latest Xenoblade Genesis, which has been announced as a brand-new entry in the series for Switch 2, and it’s going to be released in 2027. More details are awaited. 

On top of that, it was also announced that Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is also getting a Switch 2 upgrade, which would allow the game to run at 4K and 60fps on TV mode and 1080p and 60fps in handheld mode. There’s also new content, including a high-speed traversal vehicle, new racing modes, and additional voiceover. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and 3 Switch 2 editions have also been confirmed for later this year. Safe to say that the Xenoblade fan base definitely had a good day after a long wait time.

Wii Sports is back: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort

If you had the original Wii, then I’m sure you’ve at least heard of or played the popular Wii Sports game. Well, after much waiting, we’re finally getting a new entry in the franchise, and it comes in the form of the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. It is coming exclusively to Switch 2 on October 22. It brings 12 sports games to the iconic Wuhu Island and includes games like bowling, tennis, golf, and archery, alongside newer additions like skateboarding. The fun part is that these utilise the mouse controls on the Joy-Con 2 to enhance the experience. 

Major updates from the Kingdom Hearts franchise

Square Enix announced that the complete Kingdom Hearts Collection, which includes HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind DLC, is coming to the Switch 2 on October 8. And no, these are not the cloud versions that were seen on the original Switch; instead, these are native ports coming to the hardware. The cloud versions of the game are getting discontinued. 

An even more exciting announcement comes in the form of Kingdom Hearts IV, which will launch on Switch 2 the same day as other platforms like PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game continues Sora’s journey in the mysterious city of Quadratum.

The Duskbloods to get a network test

FromSoftware, the developers behind the popular Souls-like franchise, Dark Souls, took the world by storm when they revealed a completely new game exclusively for the Switch 2. The Duskbloods is a new multiplayer game, and while more details are awaited, at the Direct, the developers announced that they are now gearing up for a closed network test in summer 2026. The game pits up to eight players against each other with unique blood-based powers and abilities. The exact release date is yet to be confirmed, but a full release is slated for 2026.

Major announcements from Capcom 

In the third-party announcements, Capcom had one of the strong showcases. They revealed that the upcoming Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming to Switch 2 on September 25. The interesting bit here is that you have the option to play the game using the Joy-Con 2 motion controls for swordplay, which should make it different from other platforms. Not only that, but Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen has also been confirmed for the Switch 2, and it is coming out on October 9.

Stellar Blade goes portable

Nintendo fans got another surprise, and it came in the form of the surprise entry of Stellar Blade. Previously a PlayStation exclusive, which later got ported over to PC, is now officially coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. While no specific release date has been given, the announcement alone caught plenty of people off guard.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave revealed

A brand new Fire Emblem game was also unveiled, and it’s called Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. It is set around a tournament called the Heroic Games; it follows four new heroes: Cai, Dietrich, Theodora, and a fourth character, which is yet to be revealed. No release date has been announced yet, but we know that it is coming out this year.

Other notable announcements

A few other games were also introduced that include Orbitals, a retro anime-styled two-player co-op adventure; it releases exclusively on Switch 2 on September 3. Minecraft is also coming to Switch 2 with the visual graphics upgrade. Rhythm Heaven Groove is coming to the original Nintendo Switch on July 2 with over 80 rhythm-based minigames.

Also Read: Sony State of Play: From God of War spin-off to a new look at Wolverine, all key announcements here