Nintendo Direct February 2026: Everything we expect to see

Nintendo Direct is happening this week, so it’s time to round up all our speculation about what the games giant will unveil.

The livestream will air on Nintendo’s YouTube Channel at 6am PT/9am ET on Thursday, Feb. 5. It’s listed as a Nintendo Direct partner showcase for third-party games, which means the likelihood of seeing any first-party Nintendo games is pretty low, if not zero.

That doesn’t mean we can’t expect excitement, however. The show is 30 minutes long and features games for both Switch and Switch 2.

Here’s what we expect to see, and would like to see, from the showcase.

More fantasy ports

Since this Direct will be largely focused on third-party games, it’s reasonable to expect a decent chunk of it to be dedicated to ports of existing games. From Software (we’ll come back to them later) has already announced a Switch 2 port of Elden Ring with a 2026 release, so I wouldn’t be shocked if we got a precise launch date during this Direct.

There may be at least one more critically acclaimed RPGs getting Switch 2 ports. Nintendo YouTuber NateTheHate has predicted that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will show up during the Direct with a 2026 release date. Publisher Square Enix just released the Switch 2 version of that game’s prequel, Final Fantasy VII Remake, in January, and it’s apparently selling quite well.

Given that Square has already confirmed Rebirth would come to Switch 2 at some point, it would make sense for the next installment in the series to show up now.

The 2024 smash hit Metaphor: ReFantazio would also be a reasonable candidate for a Switch 2 release.

A second look at The Duskbloods?

You should probably get that checked out.
Credit: From Software/Nintendo

Near the end of the first big Switch 2 showcase last year, Nintendo announced The Duskbloods, a brand new Switch 2-exclusive game from the creators of Elden Ring, From Software.

Since then, we have not seen or heard anything about The Duskbloods, despite its announced 2026 release date. Given that this is technically not a first-party Nintendo game, it could, and arguably should, get prominent placement in this Direct.

007: First Light

Finally, Gen Z James Bond.
Credit: IO Interactive/Steam

I got a quick peek at 007: First Light, an upcoming James Bond game from the makers of Hitman. It seems an interesting mix of set-piece action sequences and creative stealth levels. And it is confirmed for a Switch 2 release when it launches on May 27.

It would be a pretty big deal for Nintendo if First Light showed up in any capacity during this Direct, but there’s also an argument that we’ve already seen all we need to see of this game prior to release.

Resident Evil: Requiem and other Capcom games

‘Monster Hunter Stories’ rules.
Credit: Capcom/Steam

Speaking of upcoming multiplatform releases with Switch 2 versions, Resident Evil: Requiem launches at the end of February. Capcom probably doesn’t need to do much more marketing for this game, which seemed fantastic when I played it a few weeks ago, but it couldn’t hurt to at least remind people that it exists and that it’s coming to Switch 2.

The same goes for Pragmata, an exciting-looking science fiction shooter with a unique hacking mechanic. It’s launching on Switch 2 (and everything else) in April.

I also wouldn’t mind seeing more of Monster Hunters Stories 3, a new entry in what is lowkey one of the better spin-off series in gaming right now.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 turns the action game series on its head. It offers really fun turn-based combat and a distinct take on Pokémon-style monster collecting mechanics. This is one of my most anticipated games of 2026, and I’d love to see more of it during this Direct.

At least one thing we won’t see coming

As with every Nintendo Direct, leave room for the unexpected. There will probably be a “one more thing…” announcement at the end that could be anything listed here, or something absolutely nobody has predicted.

Nobody in this business is better than Nintendo at preventing leaks and hiding secrets, which is part of what makes Nintendo Direct so compelling. We’ll find out together on Thursday morning.