Although the Nintendo Switch 2 was not mentioned in the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, I am nevertheless sure that a large part of its launch catalog was still featured. Officially, little is known about what games will be coming to the new console, but logic does already indicate a few firm candidates. Moreover, one recurring detail seems to point directly toward which games are coming to the Switch 2, suggesting the console will have an incredible initial lineup.
Nintendo reportedly has an predictions regarding the April 2025 Switch 2 Direct, the March Nintendo Direct seems to have quietly solidified much about the console's first wave of titles.
Metroid Prime 4 & More Are "Coming 2025"
Nintendo's Biggest 2025 Games All Have Unclear Release Dates
Among the many games featured in the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, among the most significant were Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake, all of which share a broad release window of coming sometime in 2025. This is in direct contrast to the more minor new titles, which typically gave specific dates for their own releases. Of course, it would not be too strange for one or two titles to have a year-only release window in a Nintendo Direct. However, in this case I do not believe that it is merely a coincidence.
Despite the undeniable fact that 2025 will be a big year for Nintendo, most of the company's biggest releases are shrouded in a level of mystery. Details on both the Switch 2 and several of what are likely to be the year's biggest games are currently scarce, prompting widespread speculation. Of course, it is worth noting that this is presumably the result of a deliberate marketing strategy aimed at maintaining interest. Nevertheless, I can see a probable connection between the console and these games, which is only growing stronger over time.
A Vague Release Window Could Be Because Of The Switch 2
Major Games Like Prime 4 And Legends: Z-A Would Be Perfect Launch Titles
To me, the fact that so many of Nintendo's important games for 2025 are still lacking precise release dates indicates only one thing: that their planned releases are intended to either coincide with or follow that of the Switch 2. This seems like the most likely explanation for why Nintendo is consistently being so vague about these titles. Until the Switch 2's own release date is announced, the company likely wants to hold back on providing a date for any of the console's first wave of prominent games.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream was given a similarly simplistic release window of 2026, effectively guaranteeing that it will be on the Switch 2 given the console's release window despite this not being acknowledged in the Nintendo Direct itself.
Of course, this is technically only speculation at present, but these games being available on the Switch 2 makes far more sense than them all being released before it. Being released alongside each other would make the Switch 2 the natural console to play these games on, with its upgraded hardware all but guaranteeing a superior gameplay experience in comparison to its predecessor. Any one of these games would be an exciting launch title for the Switch 2, to say nothing of the effect that they could have collectively.
These Games Are Likely Dual Releases On Switch Consoles
Dual Releases Would Match The Original Switch’s Own Launch
On the other hand, it should also be acknowledged that the launch of the Switch 2 will not mean an abrupt halt to any form of for the original Nintendo Switch. New games will certainly continue to be released for both consoles for a while to come, a scenario helped by the fact that the Switch 2's backward compatibility would realistically go both ways for many titles. If the newer console can run a game with ease, its predecessor also has a good chance of being able to play it, at least for titles with less intensive performance requirements.
Nintendo Switch Reveals Virtual Game Cards To Make Owning Multiple Consoles More Flexible
As revealed in the most recent Nintendo Direct, a new feature will allow Switch owners to more freely transfer their digital titles between systems.
This approach even has a direct precedent in the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Although BOTW was a definitive game for the Switch, it was still a dual-release title, also being available for the Wii U. In much the same way, any or all of the 2025 Nintendo titles like Metroid Prime 4 could still be available for the Nintendo Switch in addition to the Switch 2, although their performance may naturally differ depending on the console.
The release of the Switch 2 will be one of the biggest gaming events of the year, and I cannot see Nintendo holding anything back in its work to make it a success. Arranging for franchises like Metroid, Dragon Quest, and Pokémon to all have new games on the console makes perfect sense, and the continued lack of clarity regarding these titles' own release dates only deepens my certainty that this is what is intended. March 2025's Nintendo Direct may not have been about the Nintendo Switch 2, but I am sure it still hinted plenty about the console's launch.
