I feel like a kid again this holiday season. For the first time in years, I've put something bold on my Christmas list. Not a cozy game to lose another weekend, not a gift card padded with plausible deniability, but something indulgent and deeply frivolous in the best possible way. I asked for one Nintendo Switch 2. And judging by the increasingly less subtle cues from my loved ones—strategic pauses, suspicious smiles, the kind of deflection that feels rehearsed—I think it might actually happen.
When the Nintendo Switch 2 was announced earlier this year, I was convinced that I would eventually buy one. Not at launch, not in a hurry, but when it felt necessary. A year or two in, maybe, when the library filled up and the hype settled into something more practical. That plan lasted until I actually started looking at what was coming next. With January 2026 approaching, and with an even bigger slab stretching into 2026, it has become painfully clear that “finally” was never realistic. After the Christmas glow wears off and the new year sets in, this console won't be a gift anymore. It will be a decision I make for myself, motivated entirely by the games that await on the other side of that bargain, and January alone does a lot of heavy lifting.
16 Big Switch 2 games coming soon
Nintendo's latest financial report highlights 10 first-party games headed for the Switch 2 console.
New games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in January 2026
January doesn't ease anyone into the Switch 2 era. It kicks the door open and dares players to keep up. Honestly, January alone would justify the system for me, but the real problem is that it doesn't stop there. Here are some of the titles I'm most looking forward to as the new year dawns.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (January 15)
For a long time Track fans, this is big. Trails Beyond the Horizon represents another major step forward for a series known for its dense world-building and interconnected storytelling. Seeing it land on Switch 2 at launch feels significant. Not just as a technical upgrade, but as a signal that these sprawling JRPGs finally have a home that can keep up with their ambitions.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition (January 15)
Yes, I already own it. Yes, I will upgrade. No, I won't explain myself. New horizons was a lifeline game for many people, myself included, and returning to it with improved performance and quality of life tweaks feels less like double-dipping and more like returning to a place that once mattered. If Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 edition evens out loading times and breathes a little more life into island life, that's enough for me.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins (January 17)
Warrior games live or die by performance, so Origin arriving on the Switch 2 feels like an acknowledgment that Nintendo's hardware can properly handle the large-scale mayhem. If this makes for smoother combat and fewer compromises, it might be the best way to experience the franchise outside of PC.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (January 22)
This one still feels surreal. FF7 Remake Intergrade on Switch 2 isn't just a port; it is a statement. Having one of the most high-profile RPG remakes of the last decade playable on a Nintendo handheld console hybrid is something that would have sounded impossible not so long ago. For anyone who missed it the first time or wants it loose from a TV, this is great.
Nintendo Switch 2 finally lets me fill in a 22-year-old blind spot
The Nintendo Switch 2 is a very impressive console, and it spurs me to return to a franchise I haven't touched in over 20 years.
January isn't the only good time to own a Switch 2 – The whole year is packed with great new games
The Switch 2 series is starting to feel less like a launch window and more like a long-term commitment. If anyone is still debating whether the Switch 2 is worth it, the 2026 releases make it a non-negotiable console. Looking ahead to 2026, the question won't be whether the Switch 2 is worth owning. That's how someone managed to wait this long in the first place. Maybe my wallet isn't ready. But honestly? Neither was my heart, and it has already lost this fight.
Pokemon Pokopia (March 5, 2026)
A cozy one Pokémon spinoff coming just two days before my birthday feels perfectly timed. Pokopia looks positioned as a gentler, slower experience; something designed to be lived in rather than rushed through. It's exactly the kind of game that benefits from portability, and exactly the kind of game that I know will quietly absorb dozens of hours.
Pokemon Gen 10 is also almost confirmed for 2026.
The Duskbloods (2026)
A brand new multiplayer game from FromSoftware, exclusive to Switch 2, is not something I expected to write this decade. Coming from the studio behind Dark souls and Fire Ring, Duskbloods immediately stands out as one of the most exciting unknowns on the horizon. Whatever this ends up being, it signals a level of third-party trust that feels new to Nintendo.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (2026)
I didn't touch one Fire emblem title until my favorite roommate convinced me to try Three houses. Late nights at Garreg Mach, balancing lectures with battles, are still some of my favorite gaming memories from that time. Fortune's Weave already feels like a return to that emotional investment: the kind of game that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go.
Splatoon Raiders (2026)
I somehow never played Splatoon despite its cultural stranglehold on Nintendo fans. Raiders may finally be my way in. As a spinoff, it feels designed to be more accessible while retaining the series' distinct energy.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Fall 2026)
When I say this announcement almost sold me on the Switch 2 by itself, I'm not exaggerating. A new one Tomodachi life after all these years, it feels deeply personal, deeply strange, and deeply Nintendo. If ever there was a game designed to thrive on modern hardware and social chaos, this is it.
- Stamp
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Nintendo
- Original release date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating system
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Proprietary
