Nintendo
Hardware, storefront and ecosystem news for Nintendo.
Pokémon Champions Available Now on iOS and Android DevicesPokémon Champions is now available for free on iOS and Android devices, in addition to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The game features competitive Pokémon battles with cross-play compatibility between mobile and Nintendo Switch systems. A special in-game campaign for Raichu is also running until September 2, 2026.
EA Sports FC 26 is Europe’s next Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial on Switch 2, SwitchNintendo is offering a Game Trial for EA Sports FC 26 in Europe for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners with an active membership, running until June 24. The trial allows full access to the game, with progress transferable to the paid version. The game features a new international tournament mode, authentic stadiums, and an overhauled gameplay experience.
Nintendo och Zelda-remaken vann tittarkampen under spelveckanNintendo's Direct presentation and the trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake garnered the most viewers during a recent gaming week featuring multiple events. The Nintendo Direct reached 3.8 million concurrent viewers, surpassing Summer Game Fest and PlayStation's State of Play. The Zelda trailer has accumulated 115 million YouTube views as of June 11th, making it the most-watched trailer from the period.
Games Inbox: Is Xbox worth saving?This article discusses the uncertain future of Xbox, with readers expressing concern over potential studio closures and a lack of innovation. The piece contrasts Xbox's current strategy with past industry practices of companies like Electronic Arts and questions whether Xbox deserves to be saved given its perceived mismanagement and impact on developers.
Nintendo Switch System Update Brings Improvements to eShop ExperienceNintendo has released a firmware update for the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and OLED Model, redesigning the eShop with a matching color theme, user-verification PINs, and improved video playback controls. The eShop is now a native app, enhancing performance. The article also touches on upcoming games like Rhythm Heaven Groove and Frostpunk, and provides sales figures for the Nintendo Switch and its successor, along with a lowered sales forecast for the latter.
PSA: Switch Online + Expansion Pack Limited-Time Offer Adds Free Bonus Month For 12-Month Memberships (US)Nintendo is offering a free bonus month for its Switch Online + Expansion Pack service to 12-month members in the US who purchase or redeem their membership before July 28, 2026. Existing members can also qualify by renewing or upgrading. The premium tier provides access to retro game libraries, including Donkey Kong 64, and online play features.- Evening Safety DanceNintendo has stated that the stolen employee data by a hacker group is limited and outdated, despite a $2 million ransom demand. The company is investigating the extent of the breach.
The Pokemon Company Announces Pokemon TCG AI Battle Challenge, Fully Exploring Controversial TechnologyThe Pokemon Company has announced the Pokemon TCG AI Battle Challenge, a competition where players train AI bots to compete in the Pokemon Trading Card Game for cash prizes. Organized in partnership with HEROZ and the Matsuo Institute, with support from Google, NVIDIA, and Kaggle, the event aims to explore AI's strategic capabilities in complex card games. The competition has sparked controversy due to its public endorsement of AI technology, which contrasts with Nintendo's human-first approach, and concerns about using the event for AI training.
Nintendo issues statement about recent data breachNintendo has confirmed a data breach impacting internal employee survey data from a third-party service, TinyPulse. The company stated that no personal customer or financial data was accessed, and Nintendo's own systems remain secure. The compromised information is limited to a small subset of employees' data from several years ago.- Nintendo Switch update makes the eShop much more responsiveNintendo has released an update for the Nintendo Switch that significantly improves the responsiveness and performance of the eShop. This update aims to provide a smoother user experience when navigating the digital storefront.
Poll: Will You Be Replaying Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Before The Remake Arrives?The upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has sparked a discussion among Nintendo Life staff about whether to replay the original beforehand. While some see Zelda games as special events not to be replayed often, others consider them comfort games with high replayability. The exact nature of the remake remains unclear, with speculation ranging from a faithful 1:1 reworking to a more substantial overhaul.
Nearly a decade later, the original Switch finally has an eShop that isn't painfully slow, thanks to a new system updateNintendo has released a system update for the original Nintendo Switch that significantly improves the performance and user experience of its eShop. The update introduces a new local eShop app, similar to the one on the Switch 2, making navigation much faster and addressing long-standing complaints about sluggishness. It also adds PIN code options for store access and payment methods.
Bebolicious vinner PaperKlays-speedrunBebolicious has won the PaperKlay speedrun, completing the game's first world in 6 minutes and 11 seconds. The article also touches on other gaming news including a potential Witcher game, updates for Assassin's Creed Shadows, and rumors about Ninja Theory's future.- New TIGA Board reinforces commitment to championing the UK games industryTIGA, the UK video games industry's trade association, has appointed new members to its Board of Directors, including Gemma Brown, Ben Gunstone, Dan Hett, Greg Howson, Marco A. Minoli, Stuart Muckley, Tim Repa-Davies, Sitara Shefta, and John Tearle. These appointments aim to strengthen TIGA's advocacy for games businesses across the country, focusing on growth, skills development, and policy initiatives. The new board members bring diverse expertise from various studios and specialisms within the UK games sector.
New Nintendo Switch update makes the eShop run better, only took 9 yearsNintendo has released a firmware update for the original Nintendo Switch that redesigns the eShop layout and improves its performance. This update, version 22.5.0, addresses long-standing complaints about the eShop's slowness by implementing a native app structure similar to the Switch 2, resulting in faster loading times.- Nintedo och Zelda-remaken vann tittarkampen under spelveckanNintendo's recent Nintendo Direct presentation garnered the most viewers during the early June gaming showcase week, attracting 3.8 million concurrent viewers. The trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake also became the most-watched trailer, accumulating 115 million views on YouTube by June 11th.
New Switch 1 Update Finally, At Long Last, Resolves One Of Its Most-Annoying IssuesA new system update for the original Nintendo Switch, version 22.5.0, has significantly improved the performance of the eShop. The update redesigns the eShop's layout, adds support for dark mode, and enhances general system stability, resolving long-standing issues with input lag and slow loading times.- PlayStation’s “Mascot” DilemmaSony has long struggled to establish a distinct mascot for its PlayStation platform, unlike Nintendo's Mario or Sega's iconic characters. This article discusses the ongoing challenge Sony faces in identifying a character that resonates with gamers and represents the brand.
Rejoice! The Original Switch eShop Isn't Awful AnymoreNintendo has updated the Nintendo Switch eShop, redesigning it to be a dedicated app rather than browser-based, significantly improving its speed and performance. The update also introduces a darker theme option, aligning it with the Switch 2's interface, though concerns remain about the prevalence of low-quality, AI-generated titles on the storefront.
Japan’s best-selling games of May 2026 – strong second month for Tomodachi Life, Yoshi debutsFamitsu reports that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream was Japan's best-selling game in May 2026, selling over 500,000 copies. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book debuted in third place with over 50,000 units sold. Nintendo led as the top publisher, and the Nintendo Switch 2 saw a significant sales boost to 700,000 units.