Yesterday felt like Christmas morning for Nintendo fans. After weeks of speculation and wishful thinking, Nintendo dropped their July 31st Partner Showcase, and honestly? It was way better than most of us expected. Twenty-five minutes packed with announcements that made it crystal clear – the Switch 2 isn’t just getting Nintendo’s usual first-party heavy hitters. Third-party developers are going all-in on Nintendo’s next console, and that changes everything.
The Big Picture: Why This Direct Matters More Than You Think
Let’s be real here. Nintendo Directs focusing on partner games usually don’t get people as hyped as the main events featuring Mario and Zelda. But this one was different. This wasn’t just about announcing a few indie games and calling it a day. We’re talking about major franchises, massive publishers, and games that traditionally skip Nintendo platforms entirely.
The presentation ran for roughly 25 minutes and focused on upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch games from publishing partners, but what Nintendo didn’t mention beforehand was just how stacked this lineup would be.
The timing here is crucial too. We’re still in that weird transition period where the Switch 2 exists but isn’t officially out yet, and developers are trying to figure out where to place their bets. This Direct basically served as a massive vote of confidence from third parties that Nintendo’s next console is worth their investment.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: The Return of a Fan Favorite
The biggest surprise? Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection was revealed as the next chapter in the Monster Hunter Stories series. Now, if you’ve been following Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise, you know the Stories spin-offs have always been the underdog compared to the main series. But here’s the thing – they’re really good, and they deserve way more attention than they get.
The original Monster Hunter Stories games took the brutal, challenging world of Monster Hunter and transformed it into something more approachable through turn-based combat and a focus on befriending monsters rather than just hunting them. It’s Pokemon meets Monster Hunter, and it works way better than it has any right to.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with a release window of 2026. That’s still a ways off, but the fact that Capcom is already committing to Switch 2 exclusivity for major announcements says a lot about their confidence in the platform.
What caught my attention about the trailer wasn’t just the gorgeous visuals – though they definitely looked like a proper next-gen upgrade – but the subtitle “Twisted Reflection.” That suggests we might be getting a darker, more mature storyline this time around. The Monster Hunter universe has always had some pretty heavy lore buried beneath all the hunting and crafting, so I’m curious to see if Stories 3 will dig deeper into that.
Square Enix Goes All-In on HD-2D
Square Enix had a massive presence in this Direct, and they came armed with their secret weapon: HD-2D graphics. We got not one, but two major announcements in this style that’s become Square’s calling card for their retro-inspired JRPGs.
First up was The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. The game has a debut demo available now, which is always a smart move. There’s nothing like letting people actually play your game to build hype. From what we saw, it looks like classic JRPG storytelling with that gorgeous HD-2D art style that made Octopath Traveler such a visual treat.
But the real surprise was Octopath Traveler 0. The game was rumored beforehand, and it appears to be mixing Octopath’s traditional formula with some Suikoden influences. For those who don’t know, Suikoden was a legendary JRPG series known for its political intrigue and massive cast of recruitable characters. If Square Enix is really blending that with Octopath’s mechanics, we could be looking at something special.
The HD-2D style has proven to be more than just a gimmick. It captures that nostalgic 16-bit JRPG feeling while adding modern polish and effects that make everything pop. Square Enix has found their niche with this art style, and it’s smart that they’re doubling down on it for Switch 2.
Sports Games Finally Coming to Nintendo
Here’s something I never thought I’d be writing about a Nintendo Direct: EA Sports games that actually matter. We got new details on EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 and EA SPORTS FC 26 coming to Nintendo platforms.
For years, Nintendo console owners have been left out in the cold when it comes to major sports franchises. Sure, we’d get the occasional FIFA Legacy Edition that was basically the same game with updated rosters, but never the full experience. The fact that EA is bringing their flagship sports titles to Switch 2 suggests that Nintendo’s next console might finally have the horsepower to run these games properly.
This isn’t just about the games themselves – it’s about what they represent. Sports games are huge sellers, and they’re often system sellers too. People will buy a console just to play the latest Madden or FIFA with friends. Nintendo having access to these franchises could seriously expand their audience beyond their traditional base.
Katamari Makes a Comeback
Sometimes the best announcements are the ones you didn’t see coming. Once Upon a Katamari is coming to Nintendo Switch on October 24, 2025. The Katamari series has always been wonderfully weird – you play as a tiny prince rolling a sticky ball around, picking up objects to make it bigger until you’re eventually rolling up entire cities and planets.
It’s been years since we’ve had a proper new Katamari game, and honestly, the Switch feels like the perfect platform for it. The series has always been about pick-up-and-play fun, and the Switch’s portable nature makes it ideal for quick Katamari sessions. Plus, the bright, colorful art style will look fantastic on both the Switch’s screen and docked on a TV.
The timing is perfect too. With so many serious, dark games in development, sometimes you just want something that makes you smile. Katamari has always delivered on pure joy, and we could all use more of that.
Classic Games Getting the Treatment They Deserve
The Direct also showed that publishers are taking classic game preservation seriously. We saw announcements for updated versions of beloved older titles, including what looks like enhanced ports and remasters that take advantage of modern hardware.
The showcase included ports of Yakuza, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, and Persona 3 Reload. These aren’t just quick cash-grab ports either – they’re games that traditionally haven’t appeared on Nintendo platforms, or at least not in their full glory.
The Yakuza series finally coming to Nintendo platforms is particularly noteworthy. These games are massive, story-heavy experiences that showcase some of the best writing in gaming. The fact that they’re making the jump to Switch 2 suggests that Nintendo’s next console really can handle the big, complex games that have traditionally been PlayStation and Xbox exclusives.
What This Means for Switch 2’s Future
Looking at everything that was announced, a clear picture emerges: third-party publishers see Switch 2 as a legitimate platform for their biggest games. This isn’t the Wii U situation where developers were hesitant to commit resources. This is publishers going all-in from day one.
The variety is impressive too. We’re getting JRPGs, action games, sports titles, puzzle games, and everything in between. That suggests Switch 2 won’t just be “the Nintendo console” – it’ll be a genuine competitor for all kinds of gaming experiences.
What really stands out is how many of these games are either Switch 2 exclusives or getting special treatment on Nintendo platforms. That’s not something we’ve seen consistently in previous generations. Usually, Nintendo consoles get the watered-down versions of multiplatform games, if they get them at all.
The Elephant in the Room: No First-Party Nintendo Games
Of course, this being a Partner Showcase means we didn’t see any major first-party Nintendo announcements. No new Mario, no Zelda updates, no Metroid Prime 4 news. That’s by design, but it does leave some pretty big questions unanswered.
We know Nintendo has major first-party titles in development for Switch 2. The question is when we’ll see them and how they’ll stack up against this impressive third-party lineup. Nintendo’s first-party games have always been the main draw for their consoles, but having this strong third-party support means the pressure is off them to carry the entire platform alone.
What Comes Next
This Direct felt like a statement. Nintendo and their partners are serious about making Switch 2 a platform that can compete with anything else on the market. The games we saw weren’t filler – they were genuine system sellers that will appeal to different types of gamers.
The real test will be how these games actually perform on Switch 2 hardware. We’ve seen impressive trailers before, but Nintendo’s success with their next console will depend on whether these games run as well as they look. Based on what we saw yesterday, though, it seems like publishers are confident that the hardware can deliver.
We’re still waiting for Nintendo to fully reveal Switch 2 and its capabilities, but this Partner Showcase gave us the clearest picture yet of what gaming on the platform will actually look like. And honestly? It looks pretty great.
The next few months should bring more details about Switch 2’s launch lineup, pricing, and release date. If the third-party support we saw yesterday is any indication, Nintendo’s next console launch could be one of the strongest in recent memory. That’s exciting news for anyone who loves great games, regardless of which platform they usually prefer.
Gaming is about to get a lot more interesting, and Nintendo’s partners just proved they’re ready to be part of that future.
