The video game industry explodes into life this September, with a deluge of exciting new releases as publishers hustle to release their titles well clear of the oncoming juggernaut that is Grand Theft Auto 6. Even though that game is not coming to Switch 2, it’s no different on Nintendo’s platform, which will see perhaps its busiest release month since launch.
In September, Switch 2 gets two very tasty exclusives — one of them a hotly anticipated new entry in a fan-favorite Nintendo franchise. There are also three AAA third-party games releasing day one on Switch 2, and one sequel to a much-loved indie.
The six games listed below are just the most anticipated all-new releases, too. A ton of cool ports hit Switch 2 in September 2, including Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, survival games Valheim and RuneScape: Dragonwilds, action games Hell is Us and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and classic RPG with very long title Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age — Definitive Edition.
1
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault
Release date: Sep. 2
2018’s Moonlighter is a much-loved indie that combines a cozy shopkeeping game with a Zelda-inspired dungeon-crawler. By night, you explore dungeons and collect materials to craft and sell in your shop during the daytime. For this new sequel, developer Digital Sun moves from a 2D presentation to a 3D isometric view, and draws heavy inspiration from Hades in its action-roguelite gameplay.
2
Orbitals
Release date: Sep. 3
Exclusive games from developers outside Nintendo’s first-party network are rare on Switch 2 — heck, they’re rare on any platform — and here’s a particularly exciting example from Tokyo-based developer Shapefarm and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 publisher Kepler Interactive. Orbitals is a co-op puzzle-platforming adventure for two players in the vein of Hazelight’s It Takes Two and Split Fiction. It’s also a super stylish and charming retro tribute to the more optimistic, all-ages sci-fi anime of the 1980s, including French-produced series like Ulysses 31. The fidelity of the art and animation style has to be seen to be believed, even in motion.
3
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Release date: Sep. 4
Capcom continues its full-throated support for the Switch 2 with yet another day-one release of a AAA cross-platform game. This time, it’s the first mainline entry in the studio’s historical fantasy action-adventure series in 20 years. Way of the Sword — which Capcom says is not a Soulslike — is focused firmly on the swordplay, with a sophisticated combat system for taking on rival swordsmen as well as the demons and other occult threats that haunt Edo-period Kyoto.
4
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Release date: Sep. 17
Nintendo and Intelligent Systems’ cult tactical RPG series returns, and there’s hope that Fortune’s Weave will deliver the excellence the series is capable of on both story and gameplay fronts for the first time since 2013 series highlight Awakening. Since then, Three Houses has massively expanded the popularity of Fire Emblem, so the sky’s the limit for Fortune’s Weave, which tells the story of four protagonists competing for glory at a heroic arena tournament. Could this be a genuine Game of the Year contender?
5
EA Sports FC 27
Release date: Sep. 25
EA’s gargantuan soccer series returns, still without FIFA branding, but benefiting nevertheless from the huge swell of interest in the sport after the 2026 World Cup. This new edition introduces The Grounds, a street-styled social football hub where you can customize and level up your player and engage in kickabouts, minigames, and club matches. Also, Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond are back!
6
Minecraft Dungeons 2
Release date: Sep. 29
Minecraft’s Diablo-lite series returns — a co-op dungeon crawler for up to four players with loads of mobs and loot. Everything’s much the same as the 2020 original but a bit better, including the art style, a jump ability, and, most importantly for a game like this, the loot. Armor is now split into four individual pieces (as in Minecraft proper) and there’s a new talisman slot, too, which means loads more stat-boosting affixes. Yum.
Related
The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally justified its existence
Splatoon Raiders is the latest exclusive to show off what Nintendo’s handheld can do