September's Nintendo Direct told us a lot about the Switch 2's future, and I fear 2026 is the year I crack and buy another handheld

Back in July, I bought a Steam Deck instead of a Switch 2. It's a decision I stand by – even as recently as Hollow Knight: Silksong, I still find new ways to love my Steam Deck. But that doesn't make it an easy decision. During September's Nintendo Direct, we were shown the Switch 2's foundations beyond Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World – and I'd be lying if I didn't have the faintest FOMO.

The last-second reveal of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave blew my mind, not least because its story is seemingly connected to Fire Emblem: Three Houses – a game I've spent tens of hours completing every path in. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment tantalizes the part of my brain that still tries to discern Zelda lore, while Pokemon Pokopia appeals to the other part that just wants to switch off and get cozy. And while Fire Emblem alone is enough to put my wallet in jeopardy, the bigger picture – that the Switch 2 will build upon and may even surpass the original Switch – makes me wonder if buying one will only be a matter of time.

Getting to work

When we look at that bigger picture, there are two very telling upcoming Switch 2 games. One of the biggest reveals of September's Direct was Resident Evil Requiem, which will launch on the Nintendo handheld along with all other platforms on February 27, 2026. Even though the Switch 2 already runs the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws, seeing it ready for Resident Evil Requiem still impresses.

The second of those big-hitters is Borderlands 4, which was not included during the Direct but nonetheless launches for the handheld on October 3. That's a few weeks later than console and PC, but sentiment seems high – earlier in the year, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford shared "it's pretty astonishing how perfect this platform is for Borderlands 4".

If Nintendo wants to position the Switch 2 as a more comprehensive and capable console to its predecessor, the launch of Borderlands 4 and Resident Evil Requiem need to be butter-smooth. Like Cyberpunk, there will be a lot of eyes on these games, waiting to see whether the Switch 2 can keep up with current, performance-intensive releases. The best-case scenario is that both titles run without a hitch, while technical issues would only reinforce Nintendo's reputation for lagging hardware – undoing months of the Switch 2's positive messaging around third-party support. Remember, the company isn't just making a case for players – it wants developers to feel confident in knowing future releases have a home on the Switch 2.

But that's only half of the Switch 2's story. Since the 2017 Switch's release, competitors – namely the Steam Deck and ROG Ally – have moved into the handheld space, bringing with them more versatility. The Steam Deck I bought in July has steadily gobbled up all of the indies I used to play on the Switch, and with the ROG Xbox Ally X still to come this year, the Switch 2 has serious competition that its predecessor didn't face.

That's where games like Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Pokemon Pokopia come in. As I've written about before, Nintendo's real strength is its first-party and exclusive offerings. While the present offerings of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza leave plenty of room for more, we've already got a new Fire Emblem game, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid Prime 4, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on the way – to name a few. I didn't think anything short of a new mainline Zelda game could bring me on board, but it will be increasingly difficult to talk myself out of the Switch 2 as its library balloons over the next year.

While the Switch 2's pre-launch Direct focused more on its parity with other consoles, September's glimpse into the future felt distinctly more Nintendo. Looking even further ahead, things only get more exciting. We're still yet to see what Zelda's teams are cooking, whether the Switch 2's first mainline Mario game will be 2D or 3D, or what's in store for the likes of Animal Crossing. Selfishly, Pokemon Colosseum is a diamond in a long list of gems waiting to arrive on Nintendo Classic. All told, that's a ludicrously bright future for the Switch 2.

Whether Nintendo gets to have its cake and eat it too, wheeling out its legends while maintaining that the Switch 2 is a practical way to play demanding third-party contemporary games, remains to be seen. But Resident Evil Requiem's day-one rollout inspires confidence, and for many, a new Fire Emblem game will be the real system seller over Mario Kart World. For me, a future where the Switch 2 sits alongside my Steam Deck is looking incredibly likely – turn away, wallet.

We've also pulled together a list of the best Steam Deck games