Nintendo will be “furious” with last week’s major leaks that detailed numerous Switch 2 games set to launch throughout the rest of 2026 and into 2027, including a Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake and launch details for the next big 3D Mario platformer.
That’s according to ex-Nintendo employee Kit Ellis, who now hosts the Kit & Krysta podcast that dissects the latest goings on at their former employer.
Last week, renowned leaker Natethehate effectively laid out Nintendo’s full launch plans for the next 12 months and beyond, in astonishing and frankly unprecedented fashion. Numerous Nintendo games have leaked in the past, of course, but it’s hard to remember such open discussion of the company’s upcoming release slate happening quite like this in the past.
Natethehate’s leak not only spoiled the announcement of a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake this Christmas, but of a new Star Fox game and fresh Switch Sports title due this summer.
The coming months will also reportedly see the launch of previously-announced games such as Splatoon adventure spinoff Splatoon Raiders, Rhythm Heaven: Groove and Fire Emblem: Fortune Weave, alongside Switch 2 Editions for Pikmin 4 and Xenoblade 2.
Finally, Natethehate claimed that Nintendo’s long-awaited next 3D Mario platformer would not arrive in 2026 — something that has come as a blow to fans counting the many years since the launch of Super Mario Odyssey, nearly a decade ago.
“I can promise you that Nintendo is absolutely furious about this,” former Nintendo of America PR manager Kit Ellis said in a post on social media. “If you’re trying to avoid this stuff, good luck, because it’s all over the place,” he continued, noting that Natethehate had “a very accurate track record for a really long time now.”
“My mind goes to Nintendo and how they really have a problem with leaks right now that they don’t seem to be able to solve,” Ellis said, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the leak and what it means for a company like Nintendo that relies on the element of surprise to help market its upcoming games.
“This isn’t just somebody cryptically tweeting out a few things 24 hours before a Nintendo Direct,” Ellis said. “This is somebody who has laid out their entire line-up for the rest of this year and part of next year’s. For a company like Nintendo whose approach to marketing is propped up by the element of surprise, it’s a big problem.
“This just feels like uncharted territory for Nintendo. They’ve had leakers before, and they’ve dealt with leakers before. This feels like a different situation and I don’t know what’s going to happen next. But for the company overall, this is going to become a major priority going forward.”
Nintendo is yet to comment on the leaks, and seems unlikely to do so. Reportedly, the company does not plan to host any major announcement showcase before this summer’s annual June Nintendo Direct. Earlier today, Microsoft announced plans for its own Xbox Games Showcase.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
