Nintendo Direct July 2025: Octopath 0, Monster Hunter Stories 3 & Zelda’s Secret War Revealed! Don’t Miss Out!

L(caps)et's Dive in Nintendo Direct July 2025: Octopath 0, Monster Hunter Stories 3 & Zelda’s Secret War Revealed! Don’t Miss Out!

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The bombshell July 2025 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase just dropped 25 minutes of Switch 2 firepower—and we’ve got every exclusive, surprise launch, and jaw-dropping trailer you MUST see. From a Zelda canon game-changer to an HD-2D JRPG explosion, here’s everything that matters!

⚔️ 1. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – The Tears of the Kingdom Prequel

Experience the canonical Imprisoning War that sets up Tears of the Kingdom. Play as Princess Zelda and King Rauru in a hack-and-slash epic fighting to seal Ganondorf. Winter 2025 can’t come soon enough! 15

🥚 2. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection (2026)

Capcom’s RPG spin-off returns! Ride Rathalos through a war-torn kingdom amid an environmental calamity called “The Encroachment.” With twin heirs, a mysterious egg, and Magnamalo sightings, this is 2026’s biggest JRPG tease 19.

🔥 3. Octopath Traveler 0 – Custom Heroes & Town Building!

Build your hometown in this HD-2D prequel! Out December 4, 2025, it features a customizable protagonist, 30+ recruitable allies, and a revenge plot spanning Orsterra. Dark Cloud meets Octopath? Yes, please! 1911

🧚 4. The Adventures of Elliot: Millennium Tales – Square Enix’s New HD-2D IP

An action-RPG from the Bravely Default team! Control adventurer Elliot and fairy companion Faie in real-time combat with 7 weapon types. Co-op support and a free demo dropped post-Direct! Launches 2026 510.

⚡ 5. Surprise Drops & Ports Galore!

Chillin’ by the Fire: Build campfires with friends—out now! 511

Persona 3 Reload: Hits Switch 2 October 23. Dark Hour, here we come! 111

Apex Legends: Free-to-play on Switch 2 August 5 + exclusive Pathfinder skin 59.

Yakuza Kiwami 1 & 2: Brawl through Kamurocho November 13 511.

Star Wars Outlaws: Scoundrel life on Switch 2 September 4 19.

🎮 6. Remakes & Sports Revivals

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted: HD remaster with co-op/PvP (Oct 23) 19.

EA Sports FC 26 & Madden NFL 26: Soccer/football return September 26 and August 14 111.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero: 180-character roster + motion controls (Nov 14) 59.

❓ Nintendo Direct July 2025: Highly Searched FAQs

Q: Is Hollow Knight: Silksong in the Direct?

A: No—despite fan hopes, it was a no-show. But Gamescom gameplay is confirmed! 413

Q: Which games are Switch 2 exclusives?

A: Hyrule Warriors, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Hela, Cronos: The New Dawn, and Apex Legends (enhanced) are Switch 2-only 159.

Q: Are physical copies available for Borderlands 4?

A: Yes! Hits Switch 2 October 3. Pre-orders include bonus loot 11.

Q: Is Age of Imprisonment canon to Zelda?

A: Absolutely—it directly sets up Tears of the Kingdom’s backstory 59.

💎 The Bottom Line

Nintendo’s Partner Showcase proved the Switch 2 is a third-party powerhouse—with JRPGs (Octopath 0, Elliot), action (Yakuza, Shinobi), and cozy sims (Chillin’) leading the charge. Winter 2025 will be dominated by Zelda’s war, but don’t sleep on December’s Octopath revolution!

Pro Tip: Grab the Adventures of Elliot demo now on the eShop—it’s 2026’s sleeper hit!

Sources: Nintendo Direct Archive, IGN, Eurogamer.