January 2025 is Stacked for Nintendo Switch 2 Games, and My Wallet is Not Ready

I feel like a kid again this holiday season. For the first time in years, I’ve put something bold on my Christmas list. Not a cozy game to lose a weekend to, not a gift card padded with plausible deniability, but something indulgent and deeply unserious in the best way possible. I asked for a Nintendo Switch 2. And judging by the increasingly unsubtle hints from my loved ones—strategic pauses, suspicious smiles, the kind of deflection that feels rehearsed—I think it might actually be happening.

When the Nintendo Switch 2 was announced earlier this year, I was confident I’d eventually pick one up. Not at launch, not in a rush, but when it felt necessary. A year or two in, maybe, once the library filled out and the hype settled into something more practical. That plan lasted right up until I started actually looking at what was coming next. With January 2026 looming, and with an even bigger slate stretching into 2026, it’s become painfully clear that “eventually” was never realistic. After the holiday glow fades and the new year sets in, this console won’t be a gift anymore. It’ll be a decision I make for myself, justified entirely by the games waiting on the other side of that purchase, and January alone is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

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New Games Coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in January 2026

January isn’t easing anyone into the Switch 2 era. It’s kicking the door open and daring players to keep up. Honestly, January alone would justify the system for me, but the real problem is that it doesn’t stop there. Here are some of the titles I’m most looking forward to at the dawn of the new year.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (January 15)

For longtime Trails fans, this is a big one. Trails Beyond the Horizon represents another major step forward for a series known for its dense worldbuilding and interconnected storytelling. Seeing it land on Switch 2 at launch feels significant. Not just as a technical upgrade, but as a signal that these sprawling JRPGs finally have a home that can keep up with their ambition.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition (January 15)

Yes, I already own it. Yes, I will be upgrading. No, I will not be explaining myself. New Horizons was a lifeline game for a lot of people, myself included, and revisiting it with improved performance and quality-of-life tweaks feels less like double-dipping and more like returning to a place that once mattered. If Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 edition smooths out load times and breathes a little more life into island living, that’ll be enough for me.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins (January 17)

Warriors games live or die by performance, so Origins arriving on Switch 2 feels an admission that Nintendo hardware can handle the large-scale chaos properly. If this delivers smoother battles and fewer compromises, it might be the best way to experience the franchise outside of PC.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (January 22)

This one still feels surreal. FF7 Remake Intergrade on Switch 2 isn’t just a port; it’s a statement. Having one of the most high-profile RPG remakes of the last decade playable on a Nintendo handheld console hybrid is the kind of thing that would’ve sounded impossible not that long ago. For anyone who missed it the first time or wants it untethered from a TV, this is great.

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January Isn’t the Only Good Time to Own a Switch 2 – The Whole Year is Packed With Great New Games

The Switch 2 lineup is starting to feel less like a launch window and more like a long-term commitment. If anyone is still debating whether the Switch 2 is worth it, the releases for 2026 make it a non-negotiable console. Looking ahead to 2026, the question won’t be whether the Switch 2 is worth owning. It’ll be how anyone managed to wait this long in the first place. My wallet may not be ready. But honestly? Neither was my heart, though, and it’s already lost this fight.

Pokemon Pokopia (March 5, 2026)

A cozy Pokemon spinoff arriving just two days before my birthday feels perfectly timed. Pokopia looks positioned as a gentler, slower-paced experience; something designed to be lived in rather than rushed through. It’s exactly the kind of game that benefits from portability, and exactly the kind of game I know will quietly absorb dozens of hours.

The Duskbloods (2026)

A brand-new multiplayer game from FromSoftware, exclusively on Switch 2, is not something I expected to type this decade. Coming from the studio behind Dark Souls and Elden Ring, The Duskbloods immediately stands out as one of the most intriguing unknowns on the horizon. Whatever this ends up being, it signals a level of third-party confidence that feels new for Nintendo.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave (2026)

I didn’t touch a Fire Emblem title until my favorite college roommate convinced me to try Three Houses. Late nights at Garreg Mach, balancing lectures with battles, remain some of my favorite gaming memories from that time. Fortune’s Weave already feels like a return to that emotional investment: the kind of game that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go.

Splatoon Raiders (2026)

I’ve somehow never played Splatoon despite its cultural chokehold on Nintendo fans. Raiders might finally be my way in. As a spinoff, it feels designed to be more approachable while still retaining the series’ distinct energy.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Fall 2026)

When I say this announcement nearly sold me on the Switch 2 by itself, I am not exaggerating. A new Tomodachi Life after all these years feels deeply personal, deeply strange, and deeply Nintendo. If there was ever a game designed to thrive on modern hardware and social chaos, it’s this one.

Brand

Nintendo

Original Release Date

June 5, 2025

Original MSRP (USD)

$449.99

Operating System

Proprietary