Nintendo used its September 9, 2026 Direct to answer the question fans have been asking since Metroid Dread wrapped up in 2021: what comes next for Samus Aran on new hardware. The roughly 45-minute broadcast, which ran at 10:00 am ET / 7:00 am PT, confirmed Metroid Ravenous as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive landing January 28, 2027, alongside a genre-shifting new Kirby entry called Kirby and the World Beyond, targeted for spring 2027. Persona 6 and a remaster labeled Persona 4 Revival also got Switch 2 confirmations, rounding out a presentation outlets like GamesRadar and Pixelkin described as headlined by the two first-party reveals.
For a console that launched in 2025 and has spent its first year leaning on ports and third-party support, a new 2D Metroid and an ambitious 3D Kirby represent Nintendo’s clearest signal yet that first-party exclusives are finally arriving in volume. This piece breaks down what was shown, what it means for Switch 2’s software lineup heading into 2027, and how the reveals compare to the platform’s prior showings.
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What Nintendo announced on September 9, 2026
Nintendo billed the September 9 broadcast as a general-purpose Direct focused primarily on Nintendo Switch 2 software, following on from earlier events tied to The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary. According to Nintendo’s own recap, viewers “got their first look at brand-new games featuring two iconic Nintendo heroes: Samus Aran in Metroid Ravenous, an intense new 2D action adventure, and Kirby’s journey through the expansive 3D landscapes of Kirby and the World Beyond, both coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch 2.”
Coverage from outlets including GamingTrend, Pixelkin, GamesRadar, and iPhone in Canada framed those two titles as the clear centerpiece, with Persona 6’s Switch 2 confirmation treated as one of the broadcast’s bigger surprises. iPhone in Canada summarized the event as one Nintendo “packed with more than 40 minutes of Switch 2 announcements, headlined by the new 2D Metroid Ravenous, an all-new 3D Kirby game dubbed Kirby and the World Beyond and confirmation that Persona 6 is coming to the console.” Reports also referenced additional franchises appearing in the lineup, including Yo-Kai Watch and Mega Man content, though outlets did not specify exact titles, platforms, or release dates for those segments.
Notably, this Direct arrived just a day or two after a separate Zelda-focused celebration marking the franchise’s 40th anniversary, meaning Nintendo effectively ran two back-to-back showcases in the same week. That earlier event covered an Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2, while the September 9 broadcast shifted focus to “the rest of the upcoming releases,” as one outlet put it.
Metroid Ravenous: the first new 2D Metroid since Dread
Metroid Ravenous is Nintendo’s first 2D entry in the series since 2021’s Metroid Dread, and multiple outlets describe it as a direct narrative sequel rather than a spinoff. Nintendo’s own marketing copy, cited by 9to5Toys, sets up the premise: “Take control of Samus Aran, a renowned bounty hunter ambushed by unknown attackers and marooned on an unfamiliar moon. Gather your arsenal, navigate a maze of corridors, hunt down powerful bosses, and use your newly awakened Metroid instincts to devour your foes.” That “eat or be eaten” framing, which Nintendo used directly in its own promotional language, points to a more aggressive predator-prey mechanic layered onto the series’ familiar exploration loop of maze-like corridors, gated progression, and boss encounters.
Pixelkin called it “a new 2D action-platformer starring armored bounty hunter, Samus Aran,” and noted it’s “a sequel to 2021’s Metroid Dread, making it the most recent game in the timeline.” GamesRadar’s framing was similarly direct: “Metroid Ravenous, the first 2D Metroid since Dread, is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in January.”
Metroid Ravenous is confirmed as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, with a worldwide release date of January 28, 2027, appearing consistently across Nintendo’s own product listings and outlet coverage, including a corroborating report from Game Informer. A Special Edition was also detailed, bundling the physical game, a SteelBook case, and a three-amiibo set from a newly announced Metroid Ravenous amiibo line. Pricing has since been disclosed: Nintendo Life’s September 2026 breakdown of the Direct listed the digital edition at $59.99 and the physical release at $69.99, with the game’s estimated file size pegged at roughly 20.2 GB according to Sortiraparis.
Kirby and the World Beyond: a 3D open-world pivot
If Metroid Ravenous is a return to form, Kirby and the World Beyond is a genre departure. Nintendo’s own description frames it as Kirby’s “journey through the expansive 3D landscapes,” and GamingTrend’s recap expanded on that: “A new 3D adventure is on the horizon for Kirby! Freely explore an expansive world and put Kirby’s Copy Abilities to creative use as you uncover what awaits in Kirby and the World Beyond.” Pixelkin went further, calling it “a 3D open world adventure starring the lovable pink guy, Kirby,” while GamesRadar noted it “looks like the first open-world Kirby game.”
According to Pixelkin’s recap, Kirby’s traditional copy-ability system carries over into this larger format, letting him “gain new abilities (including that of a certain green-hatted hero) to explore an expansive world and save a mysterious girl.” That nod to a “green-hatted hero” strongly suggests a Link-inspired copy ability, continuing Kirby’s history of absorbing powers from other Nintendo properties, and the “save a mysterious girl” detail gives the game a more defined narrative hook than most prior entries in the series.
Kirby and the World Beyond is set for a spring 2027 release window on Switch 2 only, a timeline outlets connected to the franchise’s 35th anniversary. Nintendo has not attached a specific calendar date, pricing, or special-edition details to the title as of this Direct, which is typical for titles still several months from a confirmed release quarter.
Persona 6, Persona 4 Revival, and the rest of the lineup
Outside the two first-party headliners, the Direct confirmed Persona 6 is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, a notable move given Atlus’s history of staggered platform releases for the series. Nintendo’s UK Direct recap page also listed a title referred to as Persona 4 Revival under a “spring 2027” grouping alongside Persona 6, though outlets did not provide a specific release date for either Persona title at this stage.
Coverage also referenced a broader wave of third-party content, with Pixelkin’s own headline naming “Metroid, Kirby, Yo-Kai Watch, Mega Man, and more” as part of the show, and 9to5Toys separately citing “GameCube, more” among the Direct’s notable reveals. None of the sourced coverage specifies exact titles, platforms, or release windows for the Yo-Kai Watch, Mega Man, or GameCube-related content, so treat those as confirmed categories of announcement rather than named, dated products until Nintendo or outlets publish further detail.
| Title | Platform | Release Window | Genre / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metroid Ravenous | Nintendo Switch 2 (exclusive) | January 28, 2027 | 2D action-adventure; direct sequel to Metroid Dread |
| Kirby and the World Beyond | Nintendo Switch 2 (exclusive) | Spring 2027 | 3D open-world adventure; series’ 35th anniversary title |
| Persona 6 | Nintendo Switch 2 | Not yet dated | Mainline Persona entry, confirmed for Switch 2 |
| Persona 4 Revival | Nintendo Switch 2 | Spring 2027 (per Nintendo UK listing) | Remaster/remake, grouped with Persona 6 on Nintendo’s recap page |
| Yo-Kai Watch content | Not specified | Not specified | Referenced by outlets, no title/date confirmed |
| Mega Man content | Not specified | Not specified | Referenced by outlets, no title/date confirmed |
Why this Direct matters for Switch 2’s first-party pipeline
Nintendo Switch 2 launched in mid-2025 with a lineup heavy on backward-compatible titles, upgraded ports, and third-party support, a pattern common to nearly every Nintendo console launch going back to the original Switch. What’s changed with this Direct is the arrival of two genuinely new first-party franchises with concrete, near-term release windows rather than vague “in development” teases. Metroid Ravenous landing in January 2027 gives the console a AAA exclusive roughly 18 months after hardware launch, a cadence broadly in line with how Nintendo paced Metroid Dread’s 2021 release relative to the original Switch’s 2017 debut, adjusted for the compressed development cycles Nintendo has increasingly favored for 2D titles.
Kirby and the World Beyond is the more structurally significant announcement of the two, because it represents Nintendo testing whether one of its most reliably linear, family-friendly franchises can carry an open-world structure without losing what makes Kirby games approachable. Recent Kirby entries, including Forgotten Land and Star Allies, experimented with semi-open hub areas but stopped short of a fully explorable 3D world. If Nintendo commits Kirby to the open-world format long-term, it would put the franchise in more direct competition with Switch 2’s broader library of open-world adventure titles, a genre segment that has grown considerably on the platform since launch.
The Persona 6 confirmation also carries weight beyond a single SKU. Atlus and parent company Sega have historically staggered Persona releases across platforms, with earlier entries often skipping Nintendo hardware entirely or arriving years later as ports. A same-generation Switch 2 confirmation for a mainline Persona entry signals Sega now treats Nintendo’s platform as a primary release target rather than an afterthought, a shift that mirrors the broader trend of Japanese publishers prioritizing Switch and Switch 2 day-one support after the original Switch’s commercial performance.
Historical context: how Metroid and Kirby have performed on Nintendo hardware
Metroid has never been Nintendo’s best-selling franchise, but it has consistently punched above its commercial weight in critical reception and long-tail engagement. Metroid Dread, developed for the original Switch and released in October 2021, was widely credited with reviving the 2D side of the series after an 11-year gap since Metroid: Other M and nearly two decades since the last mainline 2D entry, Metroid Fusion. Dread’s reception set a high bar that Metroid Ravenous now has to clear, particularly given the “eat or be eaten” mechanic Nintendo has attached to the new game’s marketing, which suggests a deliberate attempt to differentiate rather than simply iterate.
Kirby, by contrast, has been one of Nintendo’s steadier performers, with Kirby and the Forgotten Land on the original Switch representing the series’ first full 3D platforming entry and one of its best-reviewed installments. Kirby and the World Beyond’s open-world ambitions build directly on that 3D foundation rather than starting from scratch, and the series’ 35th anniversary framing gives Nintendo a natural marketing hook independent of the game’s mechanical ambitions.
Switch 2’s exclusive lineup versus PS5 and Xbox in early 2027
With Metroid Ravenous dated for January 28, 2027, and Kirby and the World Beyond targeting spring 2027, Nintendo now has two confirmed first-party exclusives bookending the first quarter of next year, a period that has historically been lighter on major releases across the industry following the holiday rush. That positioning gives Switch 2 a relatively uncontested early-2027 window, at least among its own first-party output, though neither Sony nor Microsoft has confirmed competing exclusives for the same window as of this Direct.
| Factor | Metroid Ravenous | Kirby and the World Beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Platform exclusivity | Nintendo Switch 2 only | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
| Confirmed release | January 28, 2027 | Spring 2027 (no fixed date) |
| Genre | 2D side-scrolling action-adventure | 3D open-world adventure |
| Predecessor | Metroid Dread (2021) | Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022) |
| Special edition confirmed | Yes, with SteelBook and amiibo bundle | Not announced |
| Anniversary tie-in | None stated | Kirby’s 35th anniversary |
Market impact: what this means for Switch 2 hardware momentum
Nintendo has historically used marquee first-party exclusives to sustain hardware sales momentum well past a console’s launch window, and the confirmation of two new franchises for early-to-mid 2027 fits that pattern. Metroid titles in particular tend to skew toward a dedicated but smaller buyer segment compared to Mario or Pokémon, meaning Ravenous is more likely to function as a critical-reception driver and a reason for existing Switch 2 owners to stay engaged than as a standalone system-seller on the scale of a new Zelda or Mario Kart entry. Kirby, with its broader family-friendly appeal, carries more direct hardware-attach potential, particularly if the open-world format proves accessible to the franchise’s traditionally younger audience.
The Persona 6 and Persona 4 Revival confirmations add a different kind of value: they signal to third-party publishers that Switch 2 is now a viable day-one target for narrative-heavy, traditionally PlayStation-and-PC-first franchises. That matters for the platform’s long-term software diversity, since a console’s commercial health increasingly depends on more than first-party output alone.
What wasn’t shown: notable absences from the September 9 Direct
Sourced coverage of the Direct does not mention new Mario or Pokémon announcements during this specific broadcast, despite both franchises being perennial fixtures of Nintendo’s showcase events. The Zelda 40th-anniversary content, including the previously detailed Ocarina of Time remake, was covered in a separate event earlier in the same week rather than as part of the September 9 broadcast itself. Viewer numbers and concurrent-stream statistics for the Direct were not disclosed in available reporting, so any claims about audience size beyond qualitative descriptions like “great Direct” should be treated as unconfirmed.
Predictions: where Switch 2’s 2027 lineup goes from here
- Nintendo will likely attach standard pricing for Metroid Ravenous in a follow-up announcement or product listing update within the next one to two months, ahead of pre-orders opening for the Special Edition.
- Expect a narrower release window for Kirby and the World Beyond, likely a specific month rather than the broad “spring 2027” label, to surface closer to the Kirby 35th-anniversary date.
- Persona 6’s Switch 2 version is likely to launch simultaneously with, or shortly after, its PlayStation and PC counterparts rather than as a delayed port, given how the confirmation was framed alongside the platform’s other 2027 titles.
- Additional Yo-Kai Watch and Mega Man details referenced but not detailed in this Direct are likely to surface in a dedicated Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase or a standalone press release before the end of 2026.
- Given the pattern of two Directs in one week, Nintendo may continue using shorter, more frequent broadcasts through early 2027 rather than a single large year-end showcase, spreading announcements like Metroid Ravenous pricing and Kirby’s exact date across multiple smaller events.
How Metroid Ravenous compares to Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread arrived in October 2021 as the first mainline 2D Metroid in nearly two decades, built by MercurySteam in collaboration with Nintendo’s internal teams, and it introduced the EMMI stealth-pursuit sections that became one of the game’s defining features. Metroid Ravenous continues directly from Dread’s story, per outlet reporting, making it the newest chapter in the Metroid timeline rather than a prequel or side story. The “newly awakened Metroid instincts” and “devour your foes” language in Nintendo’s own marketing copy suggests Ravenous is introducing its own signature mechanic in the same way Dread had the EMMI robots, rather than simply reusing Dread’s structure wholesale. Nintendo has not named the specific development studio behind Ravenous in the materials reviewed for this article, so that detail remains unconfirmed pending further Nintendo communication.
Amiibo and collector’s editions: what’s confirmed so far
The Metroid Ravenous amiibo lineup, as broken down by Nintendo Life in September 2026, splits into two standalone figures available at launch alongside a separate three-amiibo set reserved for the Special Edition. The Special Edition itself bundles the physical copy of the game, priced at $69.99 versus $59.99 for the digital-only release, together with a SteelBook case and that three-figure amiibo set. No collector’s or special edition has been announced for Kirby and the World Beyond at this stage, which is consistent with Nintendo’s tendency to reveal edition details closer to a title’s confirmed release date rather than at initial announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Metroid Ravenous coming out?
Metroid Ravenous is set for a worldwide release on January 28, 2027, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, according to Nintendo’s own product listings and outlet reporting from the September 9, 2026 Direct, with Game Informer separately corroborating the January 28, 2027 launch date.
Is Kirby and the World Beyond an open-world game?
Outlets including Pixelkin and GamesRadar described it as Kirby’s first 3D open-world adventure, letting players freely explore an expansive environment while using Kirby’s traditional Copy Abilities. Nintendo’s own language describes “expansive 3D landscapes” rather than confirming a fully open-world structure in exact technical terms.
What platform are these games releasing on?
Both Metroid Ravenous and Kirby and the World Beyond are confirmed as Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives. Neither title has been announced for the original Nintendo Switch.
Is Metroid Ravenous a sequel to Metroid Dread?
Yes. Multiple outlets, including Pixelkin, describe Metroid Ravenous as a direct narrative sequel to 2021’s Metroid Dread, making it the most recent entry in the Metroid timeline.
How much will Metroid Ravenous cost?
Pricing has been confirmed: Nintendo Life reported in September 2026 that the digital edition is priced at $59.99, with the physical release at $69.99. A Special Edition bundling the game, a SteelBook case, and a three-amiibo figure set has also been detailed at that pricing tier.
Is Persona 6 confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2?
Yes. The September 9 Direct confirmed Persona 6 is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, alongside a listing for a Persona 4 Revival title grouped under a spring 2027 release window on Nintendo’s UK recap page.
Did this Direct include new Zelda, Mario, or Pokémon announcements?
No new Mario or Pokémon titles were mentioned in available coverage of this specific broadcast. Zelda’s 40th-anniversary content, including a previously revealed Ocarina of Time remake, was covered in a separate Nintendo event earlier the same week.
What other franchises appeared in the Direct?
Outlet coverage references Yo-Kai Watch and Mega Man content, plus a mention of “GameCube” among the broadcast’s notable reveals, though specific titles, platforms, and release dates for these were not detailed in available reporting.
