Nintendo has finally put Star Fox back on the launch calendar. During a surprise Star Fox Direct on May 6, the company announced Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2, with Fox McCloud and the crew set to return on June 25, 2026.
The reveal was abrupt even by Nintendo standards. Nintendo of Europe posted a short heads-up written as “This is Miyamoto,” telling fans that a Star Fox Direct would begin “in just a moment” at midnight CEST and run for approximately 15 minutes.
This is not being framed as a totally new branch for the series. Nintendo says Star Fox is based on Star Fox 64, which makes the title feel like a reset button for the franchise: familiar structure, rebuilt presentation, and just enough new Switch 2-specific ideas to make the old flight path worth running again.
The big promise here is the visual overhaul. Nintendo is pitching a more cinematic take on the Lylat System, with revamped stages, updated character designs, new cutscenes, fully voiced dialogue, and an orchestral soundtrack. For a series that has spent years bouncing between nostalgia and experimentation, that is probably the smartest angle: make the best-known Star Fox game look and feel like a current Nintendo release before asking players to care about a bigger reinvention.
The mode list also gives this release more shape than a straight remake. Campaign Mode returns with branching routes, medals, and difficulty options, while Challenge Mode lets players replay cleared stages with new objectives. Battle Mode adds 4-vs-4 dogfights between Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, including online private matches and three objective-based stages.
There are also a few very Switch 2 ideas in the mix. Joy-Con 2 mouse controls can be used for aiming in Campaign and Challenge Mode, including a co-op-style setup where one player handles flying and another takes gunner duties. GameShare support is planned, and GameChat adds interactive Star Fox character avatars plus AR filters.
Nintendo’s official store pages add a few practical details too. Star Fox is listed as a Nintendo Switch 2 release with an estimated 14.8 GB file size, support for TV, tabletop, and handheld play, 1-2 players on one system, and online play for up to eight players. Nintendo also lists local and online GameShare support, with online features tied to Nintendo Switch Online and GameChat requirements.
For readers checking regional listings, Nintendo has live pages for the United States, Canada, and the UK. The UK page calls it a remake of Lylat Wars, which is the European name for Star Fox 64.
After years of Star Fox being treated more like a guest star than an active Nintendo franchise, this is a pretty direct test. A cleaner, modernized version of Star Fox 64 is the easiest possible on-ramp for new players, and June gives Nintendo a major Switch 2 exclusive between Yoshi in May and its heavier July schedule.
If it works, Nintendo has a path back to one of its strangest dormant series. If it does not, at least the company picked a version of Star Fox that people actually know how to explain in one sentence: get in the Arwing, save the Lylat System, and do the barrel roll.