Rumours about a new Xenoblade Chronicles release have started to circulate online today after a possible “leak” on the casting platform Spotlight.
The page of voice actor Caitlin Thorburn (who voiced multiple roles in the second game) has reportedly been updated to reference a “Xenoblade Chronicles” project due out in 2026. She’s apparently reprising her role as KOS-MOS, who previously appeared in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and the Xenosaga series.
So that’s what’s supposedly been uncovered. As for the legitimacy of this, it is just a rumour for now, but apparently the profile can only be updated and edited by the person who is the subject of the page. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything and could also be a mistake.
If this is a sign of a new Xenoblade game (or a returning one in some way or form), this wouldn’t actually be the first time something like this has happened. Xenoblade fans have been quick to point out how a similar situation happened ahead of the reveal of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, when the Melia voice actor Jenna Coleman spoke about “another game” before an official announcement.
If we hear any updates, we’ll let you know. Just keep in mind Nintendo or Monolith Soft haven’t announced any new or returning Xenoblade Chronicles projects at this stage.
Do you think we’ll see a Xenoblade Chronicles game, announcement, or maybe even an update in 2026? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
The plan was to spend a little extra time to deliver the “best possible experience” on Nintendo’s new system, but it appears the plan has changed. In Take-Two’s latest earnings results (the parent company of 2K Games), the Switch 2 version has been removed from the company’s release schedule.
Take-Two spokesperson Alan Lewis told Variety, the “difficult decision” has been made to “pause development” on this particular version of the game. The team at Gearbox is instead focused on delivering “quality post-launch content for players on the ongoing improvements to optimize the game”.
This decision won’t impact other Switch 2 projects, and 2K will continue to collaborate closely with Nintendo. Upcoming releases for Switch 2 include PGA TOUR 2K25 and WWE 2K26.
Before the most recent delay and cancellation of pre-orders, Borderlands 4 was meant to arrive on the Switch 2 in October 2025. This title was originally released on other platforms last September and while the shift to open world was praised, there were also reports of the console version’s problematic performance at the time.
If we hear any significant developments regarding the Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4, we’ll let you know. How do you feel about this news? Let us know in the comments.
Super Mario Party Jamboree has received its first update of 2026, and it adds some general changes as well as other improvements.
Most notably, there’s now support for Thai and Polish, and apart from this, players can expect “several other adjustments and fixes” under the game’s general changes to improve the overall experience.
Along with this are some other adjustments and fixes. Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo’s official support page:
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Ver. 2.3.0 (Released February 3, 2026)
The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:
General
Support added for Thai and Polish.
Several other adjustments and fixes have been made to improve the gameplay experience.
The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch:
General
Several other adjustments and fixes have been made to improve the gameplay experience.
You can find out more about the Switch 2 game update for Mario Party Jamboree in our review here on Nintendo Life. If you already own the original Switch version, you can also upgrade your existing copy. The Switch 2 version comes with additional minigames supporting Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, camera functionality and more.
Apart from this update for Mario Party Jamboree, Nintendo also updated the Switch 2 exclusive Drag x Drive today and expanded its digital Game Boy library.
Have you downloaded this update yet? Noticed anything else? Let us know in the comments.
As we enter February, Nintendo has today announced two more titles for the Switch Online’s Game Boy library.
Following the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie Yoshi reveal, Nintendo seems to be continuing the Yoshi celebrations with the release of the 1991/92 puzzle-themed Game Boy title Yoshi. Alongside this, Nintendo has locally released the 1990/91 platformer Balloon Kid.
Here are the official Nintendo descriptions for both titles and you can check out the trailer above.
Yoshi™
Yoshi is an action/puzzle game starring Mario’s trusty buddy Yoshi, who has been imprisoned in an egg. Now it’s raining Goombas, Bloopers, and Boo Buddies, and you have to help Mario stop the airborne invasion. As the critters fall, catch them on trays. Stack two of a kind and they both disappear, or capture the whole bunch in between eggshells. When the eggshells match, out hatches Yoshi and up goes your score! The action heats up as the characters fall faster and faster. To save the day, switch and shuffle, and don’t let your piles get too high!
Balloon Kid™
In the little town of Pencilvania, there lived a brother and sister who loved to play with balloons. Alice and her younger brother Jim would spend countless days filling the skies with their balloons. One day, Jim filled all of his balloons and tied them together to make a beautiful balloon rainbow across the sky. But suddenly, a strong wind came and carried Jim away.
As Alice, you must save your brother from peril. Float through eight different stages as you follow Jim’s trail of balloons. Collect as many balloons as possible to earn bonuses. Test your piloting skills to avoid enemies, or let go of your balloons to face enemies on the ground. In BALLOON TRIP mode, compete for the highest score and move up the ranks. Take a big gulp of courage and give Alice a hand as she searches for her missing brother!
And in case you’re wondering, Japan is getting Yoshi and Balloon Fight GB this week. The second game, released exclusively in Japan in the year 2000, is a Game Boy Color version with some updates such as a world map and the ability to save. You can see it in action in the trailer below:
This title is an action game for the Game Boy Color released in 2000 on the Nintendo Power game rewriting system. You control Alice, who flies while holding on to a balloon, and chase after her younger brother who has been blown away by the wind. Clues to her brother’s whereabouts are balloons left all over the stage. You will progress while avoiding various obstacles, including birds with sharp beaks and flying fish that appear from the sea. Sometimes you can even let go of the balloon and explore on land. In “Balloon Trip” mode, you can challenge yourself to see how long you can fly without hitting an obstacle.
If you want to revisit these titles on Nintendo’s digital Game Boy library, you’ll need to have an active Switch Online subscription.
What do you think about the latest Game Boy releases for the Switch Online service? What other titles would you like to see added? Let us know in the comments.
February 1, 2026: We added two new Knockout codes for free ice and spins, and removed some expired codes.
It’s not easy being the last penguin standing, as you well know, but our Knockout codes guide can help you. It turns out penguins are very competitive, especially when a person is controlling them – you need to look out for number one (that’s you), maybe form an alliance with one hand, and be ready to push them off the edge with the other. Hey, it’s better them than you.
We actually find it hilarious to watch friends betray one another, and not just because watching penguins flail about and fight is funny (it is), but because we can just imagine the look on people’s faces when their new friend shows their true colors. That, and we like to swoop in and knock them off mid-celebration – we’re more like vultures than penguins, we’re very opportunistic.
Here are all of the new Knockout codes:
LIKES – ice (new!)
SORRY – 300 ice
LOVE – three spins
Plenty more games offer freebies, so make sure you stop by our Roblox codes page to see what else is out there for you.
Knockout codes are one of the best ways to get ice and spins, which can help you pick up the win and look good while doing so. Milestones generally mark the release of new codes, so make sure you bookmark this page and check back periodically to avoid missing out when the developer, Braxworks, releases one.
Is there a Knockout Discord?
While not for Knockout specifically, you can join the developer’s Discord server, Braxworks. The team tends to make announcements regarding the latest news and updates there, and you can make some friends who share the same interest in games as you.
How do I get more Knockout codes?
Keeping up to date with the game’s various social media channels, the Discord server, and the Braxworks Roblox group is how you can find new Knockout codes. However, it’s time-consuming to search through all of those posts and messages, so it’s best to check here instead when you want a freebie, as we search all of the channels and put the codes here in one handy place.
Expired codes:
We often search for new codes, so make sure you stop by again soon in case there’s something fresh for you.
Stardew Valley celebrates its 10th anniversary later this month. Yes, really. On 26th February 2026, ConcernedApe’s monumental farming sim will turn a decade old. It came to Switch in 2017 and, in the time since it’s release, has sold millions of copies and has consistently received a number of big free updates, with the next one — update 1.7 — on the horizons.
And, speaking to IGN ahead of the game’s big birthday, Eric ‘ConcernedApe’ Barone gave us a little tease of what to expect from the upcoming update, and they’re related to children and marriage.
Barone admitted he’s “trying to not reveal too much because I like for it to be a surprise”, but allowed himself to slip in a few little details into the chat: “Well, there is a popular fan request, which has to do with the children, trying to make the children a little more interesting.”
Right now, children don’t really have a function in the game — they’re key to getting the Full House achievement, and you get some extra dialogue with your spouse, but that’s about it. Perhaps we’ll be able to talk to them more or maybe they can help on the farm when they’re old enough. Who knows!
But long-time fans will also be excited to know that Barone is going to be “adding two more marriage candidates, but I’ll reveal who it is on the anniversary day.” There are currently 12 marriage candidates in-game, so this will bring up the list of eligible bachelors to 14. And of course, there are no gender restrictions here, either.
Of course, those aren’t the only two things coming with update 1.7, which Barone also teases: “…there’s a lot of other things in the update as well that no one’s really asked for, but I think people will appreciate it.”
Sounds like we’ll find out a little bit more — at least on the marriage candidates — on 26th February, then! Perhaps we’ll get an update on the Switch 2 Edition patch and European release, too.
Make sure you give the full interview a read for some lovely little tidbits about Barone’s time developing the game, including how he comes up with ideas, his love of David Lynch, and the fact there’s still a secret no one has discovered in-game.
We’re suckers for a good murder mystery game with a funky visual style, and The Posthumous Investigation looks like exactly that.
This is an upcoming noir thriller from developer Mother Gaia Studio and publisher CriticalLeap, where you’ll be trying to solve the murder of Brás Cubas in 1937 Rio de Janeiro. The catch is that you’re caught in a time loop, and will have just one day to get to the bottom of things before everything resets.
The thing that immediately caught our eye with this one is the black-and-white visual style, which lends the whole thing a certain Obra Dinn-esque noir flair that we can’t help but enjoy. And with 14 different suspects to follow around the loop, we’re anticipating more than a few “a-ha” moments to keep the dopamine levels high.
Here’s a quick rundown of the game’s key features and a handful of screens, courtesy of CriticalLeap:
The Client is the Victim: Investigate a murder where the only witness is the ghost who hired you. Master the Loop: You have one day to solve the case, but infinite chances. Learn the routines of 14 distinct characters, shadow them through a stylized 1930s Rio, and use knowledge from previous loops to unlock new dialogue paths. A Living Literary World: Inspired by the biting satire of “The Brazilian Shakespeare,” Machado de Assis, the game offers a witty, morally ambiguous narrative where no one—not even your client—is completely innocent. True Deduction: No hand-holding. Use your “Thinking Board” to physically connect clues, reconstruct timelines, and identify the killer through pure logic.
This one arrives on PC at the end of March, and the dev has confirmed that a Switch version is “to follow”. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see what it’s all about.
What do you make of The Posthumous Investigation? Does it look up your street? Let us know in the comments.
2026 marks 40 years of the Dragon Quest series, a staggering achievement for one of the RPG genre’s biggest and brightest. Known for its cosy atmosphere, warm character, humour, and iconic art, Dragon Quest is due a big year, and Square Enix is kicking things off with a brand new “reimagining” — Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined.
Bringing what is regarded as one of the longest RPGs of the PlayStation era to Switch 1 and Switch 2, Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined has attracted joy — and a few raised eyebrows — for streamlining events and making a few tweaks to the game. What was a 100+ hour experience (or 70-ish-hours on 3DS) is now much leaner. So, how to you retain the magic when you’re trying to appeal to new audiences, but make sure that old fans are satisfied?
We had a chance to ask the game’s producer, Takeshi Ichikawa, a few questions about the upcoming reimagining — which, for the record, we absolutely loved. Ichikawa has worked on the Dragon Quest series since 2018, starting out with Dragon Quest Builders 2 as an assistant producer.
As a long-time fan of the series, we asked him about his experience with the original PS version, what changes were difficult to make, and whether the team got to share their work with the series’ artist, the late Akira Toriyama.
Nintendo Life: Before we dive into Reimagined, can you share with us the first time you experienced Dragon Quest VII, and what you thought of the game – PlayStation or 3DS version?
Takeshi Ichikawa, Producer of Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined: I was in the lower grades of elementary school when I first played the PlayStation version. I remember thinking at the very beginning, “When will the battles start?” and I don’t think I managed to clear the whole game back then.
When I played it again as an adult, I was able to complete it successfully, and I found the dark world filled with irrationality especially striking and modern.
Image: Nintendo Life
There’s a lot of pressure to keep the traditions of Dragon Quest intact while modernising certain aspects. How do you juggle those expectations with a game like Dragon Quest VII Reimagined?
As a major title with a passionate fanbase, there was certainly pressure. However, the excitement of being able to deliver this beloved franchise in a way that feels fresh outweighed it, and I believe we were able to enjoy the development process.
I remember thinking at the very beginning, “When will the battles start?”
Having worked on previous Dragon Quest games before in various different ways, how different is it working on a remake like Reimagined to say, a mainline entry such as Dragon Quest XI or a spin-off like Dragon Quest Builders 2?
In a remake, we believe it’s essential not only to offer players a fresh experience but also to preserve the charm of the original version. Striking the right balance between these two is crucial.
Given that it’s a big year for Dragon Quest in 2026 with the 40th anniversary, why is this year the right time to return to Dragon Quest VII? And why kick off the celebrations with this one?
DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past originally released in 2000 – so this year is its 26th Anniversary! Because of this, we felt it was the perfect time to bring its storytelling and unique atmosphere to a wider audience – especially now, in today’s world.
DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined not only “reimagines” the story and emotional portrayal of its characters but also makes the game significantly more approachable and accessible. We believe this game will be enjoyable for both previous DRAGON QUEST VII players and newcomers alike!
Image: Nintendo Life
What attracted you to the diorama style that’s used in Reimagined? Why did you decide to go with something completely different, as opposed to the HD-2D style used for Dragon Quest III and Dragon Quest I & II?
The original DRAGON QUEST VII was defined by Akira Toriyama’s designs, featuring charming, stylized characters. We considered how to convey that cuteness while still capturing the game’s unique atmosphere.
At the same time, we discovered that movies and games featuring doll motifs were well-received globally, which inspired us to combine this concept with DRAGON QUEST VII’s character designs. We felt this approach would create a visually appealing style, leading to the visual expression seen in the game.
Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to show this work to Toriyama. However, as mentioned earlier, we kept in mind throughout production that the visual style needed to match the charm of his adorable illustrations.
Dragon Quest is usually known for being lighthearted and charming – at least, it always feels very cozy to us! But Dragon Quest VII is often considered one of the darker entries. How do you balance this and do you make any changes in Reimagined to lean more one way rather than the other?
DRAGON QUEST VII is a work whose appeal lies in two aspects: the irrational and dark scenarios encountered throughout the journey, and the exciting coming-of-age story of an ordinary boy growing into the savior of the world. This title preserves that appeal while reimagining it.
Image: Nintendo Life
You’ve talked about streamlining the game’s narrative and the discussions you had on which scenarios you wanted to keep, rather than get rid of. How tough was it to cut the sections you eventually settled on, and do you have a favourite that was a must-keep for the final game?
We felt that reimagining the scenario was necessary to create a more fast-paced and immersive narrative experience. Throughout the process, we consciously made adjustments to ensure that the original version’s unique atmosphere and core story remained intact.
If you were to sum up Dragon Quest VII Reimagined in one sentence (or one word if you want a challenge), what would it be?
Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to show this work to Toriyama.
This title allows you to experience the irrational nature of the world and the exciting story of growth that lies beyond.
And finally, to wrap up this interview, what does Dragon Quest mean to you? And how will you be celebrating the 40th anniversary?
DRAGON QUEST VII is the story of the growth of a boy from humble beginnings, and I hope that, through developing this title, I too have grown. I would be delighted if this game could serve as the beginning of delivering a wonderful 40th anniversary celebration of DRAGON QUEST to everyone.
This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and flow.
Thank you to Ichikawa-san and the team at Square Enix for making the time to speak to us.
Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined launches on Switch 1 and Switch 2 on 5th February 2026. Will this be your first time playing the game, or did you play it on PlayStation or 3DS? Let us know down below!
Nintendo’s latest financial report paints a positive picture for the Switch 2, with the console comfortably outpacing, well, pretty much everything that’s come before it. Since launching in June 2025, its now shifted an astonishing 17.37 million units, and is well on track to hit its forecasted target on 19 million for the fiscal year.
However, comments from Nintendo’s President, Shuntaro Furukawa, may raise a few eyebrows as we head towards the end of FY2026 and into FY2027 (thanks, Reuters). Naturally, with memory prices rises exponentially thanks to the advent of AI, questions regarding a potential price increase for the Switch 2 are lingering.
When asked about this, Furukawa provided the most corporate-laced answer imaginable; one that we’re certain won’t assuage fears anytime soon. He simply said that Nintendo would “carefully consider the matter while taking a comprehensive look at the state of adoption of the platform, current sales trends, costs, profitability, market environment, and other factors.”
So it could go either way, then.
As further covered by Nikkei, Furukawa also concedes that the rising memory prices may impact the company’s financial performance in the future, though there are no immediate risks for the remainder of the fiscal year. When discussing the upcoming financial year, Furukawa said “If prices continue to rise for a long period of time, it could put pressure on profits from the next fiscal year onwards”.
So despite the Switch 2 performing exceptionally well in its first year, the situation is undoubtedly more complex. It’s not just a case of “console sells well, money goes up”; there are many factors to consider, and it seems that memory prices may well have a pretty huge impact in the coming months and years.
We’ll keep a close eye on how Nintendo deals with the situation and provide further updates as soon as we hear more.
Are you concerned about memory prices? Do you think it might eventually lead to a price increase for the Switch 2? Let us know with a comment.
