One Year In: The Switch 2 Has Found Its Stride

The Switch 2 just hit its first anniversary during Summer Game Fest week, and the annual showcase served as a definitive referendum on the console's health. Put simply: it is going well. Developers and players alike seem to be buying into Nintendo's new hardware.

Third-Party Support and AAA Parity

The most telling sign of the Switch 2's relevance is the lineup of major third-party titles. Both Resident Evil Veronica and Final Fantasy 7 Revelation—two of the biggest games slated for 2027—are confirmed for day-one releases on the console. This level of parity with Xbox and PlayStation is a significant step forward from the original Switch era.

Square Enix, in particular, used the Nintendo Direct to reveal Kingdom Hearts 4 as a day-one Switch 2 title, a notable shift for a series traditionally associated with PlayStation. Other day-one titles confirmed for the platform include Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Lords of the Fallen 2. The influx of ports is also accelerating, with the latest Direct highlighting 10 major releases, including Dragon's Dogma 2, Lies of P, Stellar Blade, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and DayZ.

Nintendo's 2026 First-Party Push

Nintendo has moved past the era of the original Switch, focusing its resources entirely on its new hardware. By the end of 2026, the company will have released eight Switch 2 originals, including:

• Mario Tennis Fever
• Pokémon Pokopia
• Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
• Star Fox
• Slaptoon Raiders
• Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
• Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
• The Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake

The decision to make Nintendo Switch Sports Resort a Switch 2 exclusive—rather than bringing it to the massive install base of the original console—signals that Nintendo is aggressively pushing its audience to upgrade. With an additional six Switch 2 Editions planned for the year, the company is maintaining a consistent, better-than-monthly publishing cadence.

Hardware Outlook

While the broader industry is currently facing a RAM supply crisis, the Switch 2 may be uniquely positioned to weather the storm. Because the console features less RAM and onboard storage than its competitors, it is less susceptible to the supply chain issues currently delaying the next generation of PlayStation and Xbox hardware. In an era of rising gaming tech costs, the Switch 2’s leaner profile makes it an increasingly attractive, affordable option for consumers.

Weekly Highlights

For those looking for something to play right now, the visual novel Schrödinger's Call has emerged as a standout, currently ranking in the top three games of 2026 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic. Meanwhile, for fans of the classics, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is this week's featured Nintendo Classic, offering a handheld adventure perfect for those anticipating the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake.