Capping off July 2025 with aNintendo DirectPartner Showcase felt like a fitting way to end the Switch 2’s second month since release. While the new console has already received fantastic first-partyNintendotitles likeMario Kart WorldandDonkey Kong Bananza, what has been just as exciting are the third-party games released on the console so far, with titles likeCyberpunk 2077andYakuza 0 Director’s Cutshowing off the Switch 2’s hardware capabilities. Now Switch 2 owners have even more third-party games to look forward to after the recent Partner Showcase, but when they can expect to see some of these titles released is a blank yet to be filled in.
The July 2025 Partner Showcase may not have struck a chord with every fan, asstrange titles likeChillin' by the Fireleft some viewers scratching their heads. However, other surprising titles were a treat to see confirmed for a Switch 2 release, with games likePersona 3 Reload,Cronos: The New Dawn, andDragon Ball: Sparking! Zeroall coming with release dates attached. However, there remains a batch of confirmed Switch 2 third-party games that are still without, leaving some significant gaps in the console’s line-up in the latter half of 2025.
Nintendo Switch 2 Has Several Confirmed Third-Party Games Missing Release Dates
Games like Elden Ring, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong Were No-Shows at the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase
As is tradition for Nintendo Directs at this point,Hollow Knight: Silksongwas absent once again despite the fact thatSilksongfans can try a demo at Gamescomand the confirmation that it will be released by Holiday 2025. While the lack ofSilksongis disappointing but not surprising, what made less sense were the no-shows fromHades 2andElden Ring, two games previously confirmed for the Switch 2 without solid release dates. Both of these games seemed primed for an appearance heading into this Partner Showcase, so their absence speaks volumes.
All three of these games have confirmed 2025 release windows, but without firm release dates, that window is closing fast.Hades 2recently released patch 11as the final update of early access before v1.0 releases, making it seem like the announcement of a release date was imminent.Elden Ring: Tarnished Editionwas one of the headlining third-party games from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct back in April, so its lack of a cemented release date with only a few months left in the year also remains baffling. With all of these third-party games hanging in limbo, the most apparent news to come from this Nintendo Direct is that the back half of 2025 is still in flux.
Some of the Partner Showcase’s Biggest Games Lacked Release Dates Too
Aside from the games that didn’t get an appearance whatsoever, not every game that was shown came with a release date either. Two of the most unexpected games announced wereMonster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted ReflectionandThe Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Talesthat bookended the Direct. However, neither of these games have release dates beyond vague 2026 release windows. Two sizeableRPGs from Capcom and Square Enixseem like big draws for Switch 2 owners, but the lack of hard release dates for the titles takes some of the wind out of their sails.
While it was surprising to seeHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentat the Partner Showcasegiven thatZeldais a first-party Nintendo IP, it was great to see more from Koei Tecmo’s latest entry in the spin-off series after it was announced during the Switch 2 Direct in April. However, the game still hasn’t committed to a release date beyond sometime this Winter. This window is a bit narrower than other games lacking a firm release date, but still leaves a concerning hole in Nintendo’s 2025 release schedule with the year rapidly coming to a close.
