Ocarina of Time Remake confirmed, Kingdom Hearts 4 lands on Switch 2 October 8, Star Fox launches June 25 with a free demo out now — the complete recap of 30+ reveals.
Nintendo just broke the internet. This morning's Nintendo Direct — the first major presentation in nine months — delivered the kind of show fans spend years asking for and rarely get. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is real. Kingdom Hearts 4 is coming to Switch 2 with a firm date. Star Fox returns in sixteen days with a free demo you can download right now.
Here is everything that matters from the full presentation.
The Headliner: Ocarina of Time Remake
After 27 years, Nintendo officially announced The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake for Nintendo Switch 2, releasing later this year. The newly appointed Nintendo of America president made the announcement live, and the reaction online was immediate and seismic.
This is a full remake, not a remaster — updated visuals with modern lighting, reimagined Hyrule Field and Kakariko Village, refined combat, and Koji Kondo's original soundtrack. A holiday 2026 window is expected. We've broken down every frame of the trailer in our full Ocarina of Time Remake deep-dive.
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Kingdom Hearts 4 — October 8, Including Switch 2
The biggest third-party surprise of the show: Kingdom Hearts 4 launches October 8, 2026, and Switch 2 is getting it natively alongside PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Square Enix is also bringing the entire back catalog — 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, 2.8, and Kingdom Hearts III with Re Mind — to Switch 2, with save transfer support from the old cloud versions. A Kingdom Hearts 3 demo is on the eShop today. Full breakdown here.
Star Fox — June 25, Demo Out Now
A brand-new mainline Star Fox hits Switch 2 on June 25 — the first new entry since Star Fox Zero in 2016. Arwing, Landmaster, and Submarine vehicles are confirmed, multiplayer is included, and a free demo with save transfer is live on the eShop right now. Our full preview.
Every Other Confirmed Date
The Direct delivered over 30 reveals. The dates that matter:
- Rhythm Heaven Groove — July 2, 2026, with 80+ minigames and 30 co-op multiplayer modes
- Dragon's Dogma 2 — October 9, 2026 (Switch 2 port)
- Final Fantasy Resonance — October 22, 2026, Square Enix's HD-2D RPG for Switch and Switch 2
- Switch 2 Sports — October 22, 2026, the Wii Sports successor
- Final Fantasy XIV Switch 2 early access — August 2026
- Minecraft Switch 2 Edition — 2026, date TBA
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword — Switch 2 confirmed, date TBA
Looking to 2027
Nintendo also seeded next year: Xenoblade Genesis is a new mainline entry described as a "new beginning" built around anima crystals, alongside Switch 2 definitive editions of the original Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave got a release window, PikuNiku 2 brings back the beloved colorful platformer, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a Switch 2 Edition.
Switch Online subscribers got immediate gratification too — Donkey Kong 64 is available now on NSO, with new NES, SNES, and Game Boy challenges added today.
The Bottom Line
Nintendo just transformed the Switch 2's second half of 2026 from quiet to absolutely stacked — Star Fox in June, Rhythm Heaven in July, FFXIV in August, then an October with four major releases, capped by Ocarina of Time for the holidays. We've mapped every date in our complete Switch 2 release calendar.
The Direct era of "wait and see" is over. Nintendo came to win the year.
