Big Changes Are Coming To Nintendo In 2026

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The past few years have been kind to Nintendo. The Switch is now the second-best-selling console in history after the PlayStation 2, and the Switch 2, while not as popular, is creeping up on Xbox Series X or S sales numbers. All the while, Nintendo has been loosening the reins on its IPs to turn them into multimedia franchises. But that was then and this is now.

A company like Nintendo can't afford to rest on its laurels. To stay on top of its game, the publisher and console giant must keep convincing audiences that its wares are worthy of their hard-earned cash and attention. 

From what we've seen (and according to some wild rumors), Nintendo has big plans for 2026. Some of these are to be expected — new game releases, remasters of old titles, and so on — but other changes are so out of left field you'd half expect Rod Serling to walk out and start narrating to a camera. Here are some of the biggest ways Nintendo is trying to stay relevant all throughout 2026 and possibly beyond.

We might as well start with the most obvious change coming to Nintendo in 2026: The company is going all-in on the Switch 2. The new console is much more powerful than the original Switch, which gives it the ability to do all sorts of things you didn't know your Nintendo Switch 2 can actually do. Is it any wonder why most of Nintendo's upcoming catalog consists of Switch 2 titles?

2026 promises to be full of Switch 2 releases. Some of the most anticipated titles include games like "The Duskbloods" and "Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave," but audiences are also hoping against hope that "Splatoon Raiders" will release this year. Furthermore, rumors are swirling that Nintendo is working on new "Super Mario" and "The Legend of Zelda" titles (or at least DLC and/or remakes of existing titles), and while it's unlikely the company will release any this year, announcements are more than possible.

Nintendo has also been on a "Switch 2 Edition" kick, rolling out updates for Switch titles to help them take advantage of the Switch 2's more powerful hardware. Admittedly, these are contentious because they cost money, but many make beloved titles even better. Plus, Nintendo has shadow-dropped quite a few. Nobody expected a "Xenoblade Chronicles X" upgrade pack, but Nintendo started selling one all the same. We can probably expect tons more Switch 2 upgrades for Switch titles throughout 2026.

In the spirit of fairness, the Nintendo Switch relied heavily on third-party titles, and so does the Switch 2. Some of the console's best games originated on other platforms, including "Hades II" and "Cyberpunk 2077," and the Switch 2 will continue that trend.

As the Switch 2 is more powerful than the Switch, many titles that the Switch couldn't handle will finally release on the Switch 2. 2026 has already seen ports of titles such as "Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade" and "Resident Evil Requiem." While these Switch 2 versions don't quite measure up to the PS5 Pro or PC versions, the drops in quality are nowhere near as egregious as they were in standard Switch ports for titles like "Mortal Kombat 1." Audiences are waiting with bated breath for even more titles, like "Pragmata" and "007 First Light," which are scheduled to release on the Switch 2 later this year.

While the majority of ports hitting the Switch 2 are of titles available on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, a fascinating rumor has been making the rounds on the internet: Sony might be planning to release a PS5 exclusive on the Switch 2. We would say that sounds unlikely if not laughable, but "Lego Horizons Adventures" released in 2024 for the PS5, PC, and Switch. Some people think "Horizon Zero Dawn" is the most likely candidate, while others believe a "Gran Turismo" port could be in the works. We can't say for sure until Nintendo makes an announcement, but there is reason to hope, which is more than we can say about the future of third-party Nintendo Switch 2 docks.

In Nintendo's early days, the company was open to letting third parties handle its properties, but the ill-fated "Super Mario Bros." live-action movie in the '90s convinced the company to keep a tight leash on its IPs. Recently, though, Nintendo has opened the floodgates and is becoming a multimedia juggernaut.

The most obvious upcoming cross-media project featuring Nintendo properties is Illumination's "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie." This film is a sequel to 2023's "The Super Mario Movie" (which was one of those movies that critics got unbelievably wrong) and will pick up from where the first film left off. However, it is only the first project audiences can expect in 2026. "The Legend of Zelda," another pillar of Nintendo's popularity, is getting a movie in 2027, and since 2026 is the 40th anniversary of the Zelda franchise, it's safe to assume a trailer will hit theaters this year.

Films aren't the company's only cross-media plans for 2026. In February, Nintendo rolled out a line of books and toys aimed at toddlers under the "My Mario" brand, along with "It's Me, Mario!" stop-motion shorts. Nintendo is also continuing its fruitful collaboration with Lego to release more "Super Mario" and "The Legend of Zelda" sets. And we can't forget about Nintendo's most profitable property, Pokémon. In 2026, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opened PokéPark Kanto in Japan, a theme park full of life-size statues of Pokémon. But you don't need to travel to Tokyo to see such statues — starting May 22, the Chicago Field Museum will host the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibit, a limited-time show that combines the world of Pokémon with real-world paleontology.

AI is making computers cost a lot more, as AI farms and companies that want to invest in AI are snapping up all the RAM chips. It stands to reason that this trend will carry over to gaming consoles that require plenty of RAM, and Sony has already hiked PlayStation 5 prices amid the RAM shortage and tariffs. The Switch 2 might be next.

Now, at the time of writing, Nintendo hasn't made any announcements regarding the Switch 2's price. The console is still $449.99 through retailers such as Amazon and the official Nintendo Store ($499.99 if you buy the "Mario Kart World" bundle), but rumors are swirling that the Switch 2's price will soon increase to offset the rising cost of RAM. You can trace many of these rumors back to Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa. According to Video Games Chronicle, during a shareholder meeting in February 2026, Furukawa told attendees that the recent RAM price increase wouldn't impact Nintendo's "hardware profitability" immediately, but added that if the price hikes don't calm down, Nintendo would "assess the market and take appropriate measures." In other words, if the cost of RAM continues to skyrocket throughout 2026, late adopters might have to spend over $500 for a Switch 2 before the year is out.

Again, we must stress that nothing is set in stone, and right now we are going off hearsay and speculation. That being said, it is better to be forewarned and forearmed against a potential shift in the market that never happens than to be caught off guard by one. We're hoping against hope that Nintendo doesn't increase the Switch 2's price, but we won't be surprised if it does.

It's a running joke that Nintendo threatens legal action as easily as most people breathe. Programmed your own pixelated remake of "Metroid 2" on your PC? Nintendo sends you a DMCA takedown notice. Run a Nintendo Switch piracy website? The FBI shows up to shut you down. But for once, Nintendo is wielding its lawsuit-happy hammer for a cause many people can get behind.

On March 6, Nintendo sued the U.S. government over tariffs. The complaint, which was filed to the United States Court of International Trade, claimed the tariffs were "unlawful trade measures." The document pointed an accusatory finger squarely at high-ranking members of the government, including U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. While Donald Trump and his executive orders are listed as the inciting factors, he isn't listed as a defendant due to his current position as the sitting President of the United States.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down and overturned the tariffs in question, and on March 5, NBC News reported that a New York federal judge ruled that companies that paid tariffs were owed refunds. Reading through the lawsuit, it appears as though Nintendo is suing the U.S. for that exact reason: to guarantee it receives the refunds owed. At the time of writing, it's too early to tell how this lawsuit will pan out, but odds are good it will be on everyone's lips in 2026 and possibly set quite the precedent regarding tariffs going forward.