Fox McCloud has been dormant for nearly a decade, and now one of Nintendo's most reliable insiders is saying the wait ends this month. NateTheHate posted on X that the new Star Fox game will be announced in April, either through the Nintendo Today app or Nintendo's official X account. When someone pushed back and asked if he was certain about the timing, he simply said yes.
I said StarFox will be announced this month via Nintendo Today or Twitter.
— NateTheHate2 (@NateTheHate2) April 7, 2026
That kind of confidence means something coming from NateTheHate. His track record includes correctly calling the exact date Nintendo revealed the Switch 2, multiple Nintendo Direct dates, and, according to Eurogamer's reporting, he also nailed Oblivion Remastered's existence and shadow drop last year. These aren't lucky guesses; this is someone with real sources. The Star Fox rumour itself isn't new either. NateTheHate first floated it on his podcast at the end of March, claiming not only that a new game is in development but that it's targeting a summer release on Switch 2. VGC subsequently backed that up.
The timing makes obvious sense. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie gave Fox McCloud a surprisingly substantial role, and by most accounts Glen Powell's performance landed well with audiences. Nintendo would be leaving money on the table if it didn't capitalise on that renewed interest fast. The last mainline Star Fox release was Star Fox Zero in 2016, a game that managed to alienate fans with forced gyroscope controls and a dual-screen setup that nobody asked for. The franchise has been sitting in a corner ever since.
What Kind of Game Are We Actually Getting?
That's the question nobody can answer yet, and honestly it matters more than the announcement date. Star Fox as a series has always struggled with identity. The SNES original and Star Fox 64 are classics precisely because they committed fully to the on-rails space shooter format and executed it brilliantly. Every attempt to expand beyond that, whether it was the ground sections in Star Fox Adventures or the Arwing-on-foot hybrid of Star Fox Zero, ended up diluting what made the series work. A new entry that goes back to basics, tight rail shooting, satisfying barrel rolls, memorable boss fights, and a proper co-op experience, would be very welcome on Switch 2.
Credit where it's due to Nintendo for apparently choosing the Nintendo Today app as the announcement vehicle rather than holding everything for a traditional Direct. That approach worked for Splatoon Raiders and it keeps the fanbase engaged between bigger showcase events. It also means the announcement could drop at any point in the next three weeks without warning, which is genuinely exciting. The real question is whether this turns out to be a full new entry or something smaller, a remaster, a compilation, something designed to test the waters before a bigger commitment. NateTheHate's original claim pointed to a summer release, which would suggest a real game rather than a stopgap port.
Star Fox veteran Giles Goddard is separately working on a spiritual successor called Wild Blue, which he's said fans of the franchise will enjoy. The re-reveal gameplay trailer is worth a look if you haven't seen it. The fact that there's appetite for two Star Fox-adjacent games in 2026 says everything about how badly Nintendo has neglected this franchise and how much goodwill still exists for it.
If NateTheHate's April deadline holds, we'll know very soon whether Nintendo is ready to give Star Fox the proper revival it deserves, or whether this ends up being another false start for one of gaming's most underserved franchises.
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