Nintendo and Atlus actually announce a game (re-)release for November 2026
Plus other less shocking highlights from today's Nintendo Direct
Microsoft didn’t. Sony didn’t. Capcom, EA and Ubisoft haven’t done it.
But Nintendo and Sega-owned Atlus, undeterred by anything else happening in gaming in the penultimate month of 2026, announced a game release during today’s Nintendo Direct showcase. Yes, it’s for a Switch 2 port, but still…
Metaphor Re:Fantazio Switch 2 edition will ship on November 12.
Metaphor is the acclaimed October 2024 role-playing game from the lead creators of the Persona series. It had previously come out for PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series.
The lede for this story isn’t me being cheeky. Sure, Metaphor isn’t a brand new release, but it’s still exceptional that Sega/Atlus will be doing this.
The November 2026 video game release calendar is barren, very likely due to the one big game that is announced for the month: November 19’s Grand Theft Auto VI.
GTA VI isn’t even scheduled for Switch 2, certainly not for Nov. 19, so owners of that system are currently not looking at many new releases to play that month.
The scant other releases for November for any platforms include a remastered version of Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters, and a Barbie Rewind compilation, both from Atari.
Worth noting: Nintendo did not announce any games of its own for November, nor December. That Metaphor announcement is from Sega/Atlus, and was simply made via Nintendo’s Direct showcase. This doesn’t mean Nintendo itself is dodging GTA season. The company has taken its time lately announcing release dates, and it and may well hold off on announcing releases for either or both of those months until September. Last year, Nintendo’s two big Switch 2 exclusives for November weren’t publicly given release dates until August (for Kirby Air Riders) and September (for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment). Metroid Prime 4, released in December 2025, didn’t get its release date until September 2025 as well.
Other news from today’s Direct:
Nintendo did pile on to September: The already-clogged September release calendar will also get the new Nintendo-published Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave strategy game on the 17th of that month.
A Wii Sports return with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, a 12-sport compilation from Nintendo slated for October 22. It includes tennis, bowling, boxing, even thumb wrestling and skateboarding (the last of which is handled with Switch 2’s mouse controls)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2. No release date other than 2026 for this new version of the classic time-travel adventure that debuted on the Nintendo 64 in 1998. Just a glimpse of a non-gameplay clip. (Given the spots Nintendo has claimed for itself in September and October, this seems likely for November or December).
New Xenoblade: Nintendo and Monolith Soft’s long-running role-playing game series Xenobloade is getting an original sequel subtitled Genesis, for release next year (Switch 2-upgraded editions of the first three numbered Xenoblade games, dated for July, October and December).
Strong third-party Japanese support:
A “2D-HD” retro-styled new Final Fantasy, subtitled Resonance, from Square Enix on October 22 (also for PC, PlayStation and Xbox)
A new Dragon Quest Monsters game, The Withered World, also from Square Enix in December (also for PC, PlayStation and Xbox)
A surprise trailer of the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts IV, confirming it’ll ship for Switch 2 alongside other platforms at a TBA date, also from Square Enix. The game was announced back in 2022.
The Duskbloods, the Switch 2 exclusive from From Software (Elden Ring, Dark Souls), with a closed network test this summer
Dragons Dogma 2, including a new Dark Arisen expansion, from Capcom for October (also for PC, PlayStation and Xbox)
A fair amount of FOMO. Nintendo in recent years has had a thing for releasing games for limited times. During today’s Direct, the company announced two time-limited experiences: a Mario-themed series of challenges integrated into the Switch 2’s Donkey Kong Bananza, running only through September 1; and a series of challenges tied to classic Donkey Kong games offered to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, also only through September 1
More Pokémon. There is no mainline new Pokémon game slated for late 2026, but there will be expansions to this year’s hit Pokémon habitat-building Pokopia game. Nintendo announced a three-part expansion, beginning its roll-out in August, though no price was announced.