Monster Hunter, Katamari, and JRPGs galore: Highlights from July 2025’s Nintendo Direct
No first-party titles, but we still got some announcements for ports, new instalments in dormant franchises and even a brand new Square Enix RPG.
Rumours were swirling a few weeks ago that Nintendo was planning a Direct event in July, a welcome event considering that the library for the Switch 2 has, so far, been somewhat slow to expand. Those rumours paid off when, at the eleventh hour, Nintendo announced a Direct to be held on 31 July.
There was a catch, though: This was set to be a Partner Showcase mainly focused on third-party games. So while there’s no news on some long-awaited titles like Metroid Prime 4, we did see some new games that’ll be hitting the Switch 2, as well as updates on previously announced games.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
While Monster Hunter fans got a big payoff for their patience this year with the release of Wilds (even though the game’s PC port is currently in a bit of a contentious state, based off its Steam reviews), Capcom took the time to unveil a new installment in MH’s RPG spin-off series: Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.
This announcement comes four years after the release of Monster Hunter Stories 2 in 2021, and will see a new cast of characters battling a threat called ‘The Encroachment’. This is set against the backdrop of tension between two nations, Azuria and Vermeil, and after the hatching of a dragon egg that birthed the last two Rathalos in Twisted Reflection’s world.
You take control of the heir of Azuria’s throne, and judging by the trailer, it looks like you’re paired with a Rathalos as your main monster (or ‘monstie’), similar to the previous Monster Hunter Stories games.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is set to release on the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam in 2026.
Once Upon A Katamari
In terms of original instalments, the Katamari series has lain dormant since 2011’s Touch My Katamari for the PS Vita, with new titles mostly taking the form of remakes like Katamari Damacy Reroll. That changed with the release of Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE for Apple Arcade earlier this year, and Once Upon A Katamari follows up on that, becoming the first original Katamari console title in 14 years.
We first learned about Once Upon a Katamari after the title got trademarked by Bandai Namco a few months ago, and this time, you’ll be rolling through time, with the trailer showing off stages set in different historical periods like the Ice Age and Edo Japan. The game will also feature an online multiplayer mode.
Finally, the game’s soundtrack will feature both returning artists from past Katamari games, like Shigeru Matsuzaki and Kenji Ninuma, along with new artists, including DAOKO, chelmico and suis from Yorushika. The Katamari games’ OST has usually been one of the franchise’s most well-known aspects, and hopefully, with this new release, it doesn’t disappoint.
Once Upon a Katamari will release on 24 October 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. Interestingly, neither Bandai Namco nor Nintendo mention the Switch 2 in relation to this game, so it might have to be played on the new console as a backwards compatible title. Nevertheless, you can pre-order it now.
A new Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment trailer
Although this Direct was supposed to be focused on third-party titles, it doesn’t mean we can’t hear about new titles in Nintendo’s first-party franchises. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment squeaks by on a technicality as it’s developed by Koei Tecmo’s AAA Games Studio, and it gets a new trailer in this Direct.
Interestingly, some keen viewers noticed Fi’s motif appearing at the end of the trailer, alongside what appeared to be a Construct from Tears of the Kingdom. We also get a glimpse of some unmasked sages, some new gameplay footage, and confirmation that this game is indeed a canon Zelda game. The same couldn’t have been said for the last Hyrule Warriors game, Age of Calamity.
No release dates yet, though, so we still only have a release window of sometime this winter.
Octopath Traveler 0
Octopath Traveler 0 is the next mainline entry in the Octopath Traveler series, made in Square Enix’s HD-2D art style. However, it’s notable in that it’s not a completely original game per se.
That’s because the game takes inspiration from Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, a mobile gacha game that was released in 2020. The game lifts the eight-character party cap for battles from the mobile game, and elements from COTC’s story that make an appearance in Octopath Traveler 0 include recurring characters and a focus on the Ring of the Flamebringer.
However, Octopath Traveler 0 isn’t a 1-to-1 copy, as it has a new script, new backstories for the playable characters, and introduces a town-building mechanic. The game also features a fully customisable protagonist, and importantly, it leaves Champions of the Continent’s gacha system behind, meaning all characters in Octopath Traveler 0 can be recruited through the story.
Octopath Traveler 0 releases on 4 December 2025 for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and Windows.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles story trailer
Keeping on the JRPG theme, we got a new story trailer for Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. To recap, The Ivalice Chronicles is a remake of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Tactics RPG from almost thirty years ago, and was first showcased in PlayStation’s State of Play earlier in June.
The State of Play event did mention a Switch and Switch 2 release for The Ivalice Chronicles, so while its appearance in this Direct isn’t much of a surprise, we did at least get a new story trailer to go along with it, along with a preview of what the voice acting will sound like, as the game features a fully voice-acted story.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will be available on 30 September 2025 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. It’s also up for pre-order now.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
Square Enix really got their money’s worth out of this Direct. Alongside Octopath Traveler 0, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales took the spotlight towards the end of the show.
Unlike Octopath Traveler 0, though, this is a brand new action RPG IP from Square Enix. Also rendered in the company’s HD-2D style, The Millennium Tales is set in the monster-filled land of Philabieldia, and sees you taking control of Elliot, an adventurer from the Kingdom of Huther who sets out to investigate recently-discovered mysterious ruins. Elliot is joined by Faie, a fairy companion who’s somewhat reminiscent of Navi from Legend of Zelda.
The game promises seven different weapon types, which can be powered up by items called Magicite. The Millennium Tales is also meant to be single-player, though there’s also a two-player mode, where both players can control Elliot and Faie individually.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is set to release in 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and Windows. A debut demo exclusively for the Switch 2 is also out now.
Indies and Ports
Persona 3 Reload was one of the many ports announced for the Switch 2 in this Direct. Screenshot: Nintendo of America YouTube channel.
Those were the biggest announcements for upcoming Switch 2 titles, though we’d be remiss not to mention some of the indie games mentioned during the showcase (no Hollow Knight: Silksong, though, sorry).
Two that caught my eye include Hela and Goodnight Universe. The former is an exploration game based on Scandinavian folklore that sees you taking control of a rat, while the latter comes from the makers of 2023’s BAFTA-winning title Before Your Eyes, and which promises to expand on that game’s blinking-based game mechanics. Hela is a Switch 2 exclusive set to release next year, while Goodnight Universe will release on Switch and Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC later in November.
And of course, there was a slew of reveals for ports of both existing games and upcoming games originally announced for other platforms. The most noteworthy ones are Persona 3 Reload, set to release on 23 October, and Borderlands 4, which will arrive on the Switch 2 on 3 October. Apart from those two titles, here are some of the other notable ports:
- Apex Legends
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
- Yakuza Kiwami 1 and 2