"With the Switch 2's first full calendar year ahead, 2026 is sure to be an interesting year for Nintendo. We already know that some fan-favorite hits like Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave are set for later in the year. Nintendo also has big cultural events outside of game set for 2026, like the release of the second Super Mario film and Pokémon's 30th anniversary. All signs point to Nintendo keeping its unprecedented hot streak going."
"A New Mainline Mario Game It's been more than eight years since Mario last graced a Nintendo platform with a mainline sequel, and the release of the Switch 2 means there's no better time than now. Most of Nintendo's big franchises, like Metroid, Zelda, Pokémon, Kirby, and even Fire Emblem, have seen a new entry in the last three years."
"More Free Switch 1 Game Updates The first six months of the Switch 2 were a mixed bag. While highlights like Donkey Kong Bananaza held fans over, the rest of the library consisted of older third-party games and cross-platform indie releases. Thankfully, the console's ability to play Switch 1 games filled those gaps nicely. Even better was the wave of free title updates that provided these older Switch games a fresh coat of paint."
Nintendo will enter 2026 with the Switch 2's first full calendar year and several high-profile releases and events. Fan-favorite titles such as Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave are scheduled for later in the year. The second Super Mario film and Pokémon's 30th anniversary create additional cultural momentum. A new mainline Mario game is overdue after more than eight years and would align with historical patterns of Mario releases near new-console launches. Early Switch 2 months showed mixed library depth, but Switch 1 backward compatibility and free updates—upgraded visuals and steadier frame rates—helped sustain goodwill among early adopters.
Read at Inverse
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