Nintendo published its weekly storefront roundup on October 16, 2026, and this one carries more weight than the usual Thursday drop. The Nintendo eShop update folds in a long list of new Switch and Switch 2 releases, but the two lines drawing the most attention are the opening of a Switch 2 storefront page for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and the launch of the Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Expansion Pass, which is exclusive to Switch 2 owners. Nintendo, GamesRadar+, Mashable, Nintendo Everything, T3 and Time all picked up the news within hours of the storefront going live.
The timing matters. Nintendo has used its eShop update cadence all year to seed hype for bigger reveals without committing to a full Nintendo Direct, and the October 16, 2026 update follows that playbook closely. A storefront page opening for a long-awaited remake signals a release window is close, even when Nintendo has not confirmed a price or launch date in the listing itself. Below is a full breakdown of what actually shipped, what simply went live as a product page, and what the update tells us about Nintendo’s plans heading into the holiday quarter.
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What’s New on Nintendo eShop This Week (Oct. 16, 2026)
According to Nintendo’s official “What’s New on Nintendo eShop” bulletin, the October 16, 2026 update covers new releases across both Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch. The headline arrivals include It Takes Two, the Cody-and-May co-op adventure making its way to Switch 2 and Switch, Bluey’s Happy Snaps, a photo-driven exploration game built around Bluey and Bingo, and Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, a new entry following Trevor Belmont and his daughter Rose as they hunt monsters with the Vampire Killer whip.
Beyond those three, the Switch 2 storefront lists a wide batch of new and rereleased titles: Astral Ascent (Switch 2 Edition), Burger Bistro Story (Switch 2 Edition), Console Archives, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor (Switch 2 Edition), DESOLUS, Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition, Disney/Pixar Toy Story: Retro Roundup, Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea (Switch 2 Edition), House Flipper 2, LEGO Harry Potter Collection, Once Upon A KATAMARI, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Holiday Play Edition, and Tales of Eternia Remastered. Three of those, LEGO Harry Potter Collection, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Holiday Play Edition, and Tales of Eternia Remastered, are flagged as newly available on October 16 specifically, while the rest of the batch had already been listed and simply round out this week’s featured shelf. Readers who want the full rundown on the Toy Story package can check our Toy Story Retro Roundup coverage for the game-by-game breakdown.
Ocarina of Time’s Switch 2 Page Goes Live
The single biggest story inside this week’s Nintendo eShop update is the appearance of a dedicated storefront page for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2. The listing opened on October 16, 2026, and outlets including GamesRadar+, Mashable, Nintendo Everything, T3 and Time all confirmed the page’s existence within the same news cycle. What none of those reports could confirm, and what Nintendo’s own listing does not expose, is a price, a specific release date, a file size, or a demo. In other words, this is a product-page opening event, not a confirmation that the remake is purchasable today.
That distinction matters for anyone trying to plan a purchase around the news. A storefront page opening ahead of a full reveal is a pattern Nintendo has leaned on before, most often a few weeks ahead of a release date announcement rather than the announcement itself. Fans who have been tracking the back-and-forth over whether the remake lands in early or mid-November already have a home base for that debate in our earlier coverage of the Ocarina of Time remake date clash, which walks through the competing November 5 and November 14 windows that circulated before this eShop page appeared. Nothing in today’s update resolves that question definitively, but the page going live on the same day as a major Fire Emblem launch suggests Nintendo is clearing its storefront for a busier end-of-year release slate.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Expansion Pass Arrives
The other confirmed headline item is the Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Expansion Pass, which went live on the Nintendo eShop on October 16, 2026, and is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. Unlike the Ocarina of Time listing, this one is a real, purchasable product tied to an already-released game rather than a teaser page. The pass is structured as three content waves rolling out over time rather than a single DLC drop, which is a model Nintendo and its partner studios have used for other strategy titles to keep a game’s storefront presence alive between major updates.
What’s in Wave 1
Wave 1 is available now alongside the pass itself and adds four prototype weapons for the game’s four heroes, styled after the Heroes’ Relics from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. That detail alone has generated plenty of chatter among longtime Fire Emblem fans, since the Three Houses relic designs are some of the most recognizable weapon art in the franchise’s modern era. We covered the Wave 1 weapon set in more depth in our Fire Emblem Wave 1 breakdown, including how the new prototype weapons slot into existing builds.
Wave 2 and Wave 3 Roadmap
Reports tracking the Expansion Pass roadmap describe Wave 2 arriving around the 2026 holiday season with wearable outfits and three additional allies, named in multiple outlets as Aurora, Smyrnos, and Jurah. Wave 3 is pegged for sometime in 2027 and is said to add new story content tied to characters named Bertrand, Talimun, Orchel, and Anatolia, along with further allies and classes. Pricing details for the pass itself vary slightly by outlet, with several reports putting the standalone Expansion Pass near $34.99 and a bundled game-plus-pass package closer to $104.99, though Nintendo’s own US product listing does not expose a price in the portion of the page that search engines have indexed so far. Readers should treat those figures as reported rather than officially confirmed until Nintendo’s storefront displays them directly.
| Wave | Status | Content | Reported Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave 1 | Available now | Four prototype weapons styled after Three Houses Heroes’ Relics | October 16, 2026 |
| Wave 2 | Planned | Wearable outfits plus allies Aurora, Smyrnos, and Jurah | Holiday 2026 (reported) |
| Wave 3 | Planned | New story arcs for Bertrand, Talimun, Orchel, and Anatolia, plus new classes | 2027 (reported) |
Arcade Archives and Retro Additions Pile Up
Nintendo’s Arcade Archives line also picked up a sizeable batch of entries in this update, spanning everything from brand-new indie arcade-style games to older licensed titles getting a storefront refresh. The list includes Fighting Golf, Asteranova, Chained Beasts, Creepy Tale: Snow Child, Croc’s World 5, Cubic Cosmos, Queen’s Blade Re:Build, Super Arcade Soccer 2026, The Jackbox Party Pack 12, Valkyrie Saga and ZENONIA, alongside several titles with staggered release dates through late October: Crab Evolution Roguelite, Moto X and Tenebris Somnia on October 16, Frostpunk on October 19, Chico’s Delivery and DEMONS’ NIGHT FEVER on October 21, and Hail to the Rainbow also on October 21.
It is a sprawling list, and most of these titles will not move the needle on their own. What the breadth of the Arcade Archives batch shows is that Nintendo is using the eShop’s weekly cadence to keep a constant stream of smaller releases flowing even in a week dominated by two much bigger stories. That steady background noise of indie and licensed arcade titles has become a defining feature of how the Switch 2 storefront operates compared with the original Switch’s early years, when new releases landed in smaller, more sporadic batches.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Gets Three New GBA Titles
Subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack tier are getting three new Game Boy Advance classics as part of this update. Monster Rancher Advance, originally released on GBA in 2001, lets players breed monsters generated from inscribed Tablets. METAL SLUG ADVANCE, the 2004 action shooter starring recruits Walter and Tyra, joins the lineup as well. Rounding out the trio is Kururin Paradise, a 2002 Japan-only action title where players pilot a helicopter called the Helirin through obstacle courses without touching the walls. All three are available now for Expansion Pack members at no extra cost beyond the existing subscription.
These GBA additions continue a pattern Nintendo has followed since folding the Game Boy Advance library into the Expansion Pack tier: a steady trickle of two or three titles per update rather than large batch dumps. For subscribers who have been building out a retro library on Switch 2, this update adds meaningful variety across genres, from a monster-breeding sim to a side-scrolling shooter to a puzzle-platformer hybrid.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Pre-Orders Open With Early Access
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is not out yet, but its pre-order push is already live inside this eShop update. The Switch 2 version of the game launches October 23, 2026, and anyone who pre-orders a digital edition through the Nintendo eShop gets Campaign Early Access starting October 16, the same day as this update, with DMZ Early Access following on October 20. Nintendo’s listing describes a single-player campaign built around a South Korean squad fighting to hold a collapsing front line, alongside a parallel storyline following Captain Price, plus a multiplayer mode and a DMZ extraction mode that rewards players for making hard calls about what to secure and when to pull out.
Giving pre-order customers a full week of campaign access before the official launch date is an aggressive move for a major third-party release on Switch 2, and it signals how seriously publishers are treating the platform’s installed base heading into the holiday shopping season. It also puts Modern Warfare 4 in a release window that overlaps directly with the Ocarina of Time storefront page opening, giving Switch 2 owners two very different kinds of flagship releases to track in the same month.
Nintendo Music and In-Game Events Round Out the Update
Outside of game releases, the update adds the full soundtrack for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask to Nintendo Music, including tracks like “Clock Tower,” “Termina Field” and “To the Moon.” It is a small addition on its own, but it keeps the Nintendo Music service relevant to the same audience that is now watching the Ocarina of Time page with interest, since Majora’s Mask is a direct narrative sequel built on Ocarina of Time’s engine and assets.
On the mobile side, Pokémon Pokopia is running a seasonal event called Pumpkaboo’s Sweet Surprises from October 17 at 5 a.m. local time through November 1 at 4:59 a.m. local time, where players collect pumpkin candy by disguising themselves as household items to surprise approaching Pokémon. Nintendo also used the update to spotlight a new wave of official merchandise covering franchises including Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Pikmin and Splatoon, and pointed shoppers toward its full list of current eShop sales and deals without specifying individual discount percentages in the public-facing summary.
Why This Week’s Update Matters for Switch 2’s Library
Taken individually, most of the items in this week’s Nintendo eShop update are routine. Arcade Archives entries, GBA Classics drops and seasonal mobile events happen nearly every week. What makes October 16, 2026 stand out is the combination: a flagship remake teaser, a confirmed expansion launch for one of Nintendo’s core strategy franchises, and an aggressive third-party pre-order push, all landing on the same storefront refresh. That combination gives Nintendo three separate hooks to pull different buyer segments back into the eShop in the same week, from Zelda loyalists checking for release news to Fire Emblem fans buying new content to shooter players locking in early campaign access.
It also reinforces something Nintendo has been building toward since the Switch 2 physical games format debate cooled down earlier this year. Even with physical cartridges still very much part of Nintendo’s plans, as detailed in our earlier report on Nintendo’s commitment to physical games, the eShop has become the primary venue where Nintendo tests reveals, stages pre-order campaigns, and rolls out subscription perks. A storefront page opening quietly on a Thursday can now move as much conversation as a scheduled Direct presentation.
How This Compares to Previous Nintendo eShop Updates
Weekly Nintendo eShop updates have followed a fairly consistent shape for years: a handful of new indie or mid-budget releases, a batch of Arcade Archives additions, and occasional subscription-tier perks for Nintendo Switch Online members. What has changed since the Switch 2 launch is the frequency with which those weekly updates now carry a major storefront event layered on top of the routine additions. This week’s pairing of a blockbuster remake teaser with a confirmed expansion launch is a heavier news week than the typical late-2025 cadence, when updates more often leaned on a single headline release rather than two at once.
| Update Element | Typical Weekly Pattern | October 16, 2026 Update |
|---|---|---|
| Headline releases | Usually one | Two: Ocarina of Time page, Fire Emblem pass |
| Arcade Archives additions | 2-5 titles | Over 20 titles across staggered dates |
| Switch Online + Expansion Pack additions | 1-3 titles | 3 GBA titles (Monster Rancher Advance, METAL SLUG ADVANCE, Kururin Paradise) |
| Third-party pre-order pushes | Occasional | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 with tiered early access |
| Companion media additions | Rare | Full Majora’s Mask soundtrack on Nintendo Music |
Competitive Context: How Nintendo’s Storefront Cadence Stacks Up
Sony’s PlayStation Store and Microsoft’s Xbox storefront both run their own promotional calendars, but neither publishes a consistent weekly “what’s new” bulletin with the same structure Nintendo uses. Sony tends to lean on seasonal sales events and PlayStation Plus monthly game drops, while Microsoft folds most of its storefront activity into Xbox Game Pass additions and removals. Nintendo’s weekly eShop bulletin, by contrast, functions almost like a standing newsletter, covering new releases, subscription perks, sales, and even companion media like Nintendo Music in a single predictable format every Thursday.
That format gives outlets like WorthPlaying, which has run a Nintendo Download Thursday column tracking these updates for years, and Nintendo Everything a reliable weekly news cycle to build around. It also gives Nintendo a low-cost way to tease bigger news, like the Ocarina of Time page opening, without the production overhead of a full Direct presentation. For a company that has historically been more conservative than Sony or Microsoft about surprise announcements, the weekly eShop update has become a useful pressure valve for controlled hype.
Market Impact: What This Means for Switch 2 Momentum
None of this week’s additions are likely to show up as a standalone line item in Nintendo’s next earnings call, but the cumulative effect of these weekly updates matters more than any single release. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave getting a three-wave expansion plan extends the shelf life of a Switch 2-exclusive title well into 2027, which supports attach-rate numbers for the console rather than just unit sales for the game itself. Meanwhile, third-party publishers structuring pre-order campaigns like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s tiered early access around the eShop update cycle suggests growing confidence in Switch 2’s install base as a platform worth prioritizing alongside PlayStation and Xbox versions.
The Ocarina of Time page opening carries a different kind of market signal. Remakes of beloved Nintendo 64 titles tend to generate outsized attention relative to their eventual sales, because they pull in both nostalgic older players and younger Switch 2 owners discovering the game for the first time. Even without a confirmed price or date, the page opening alone has been enough to put Ocarina of Time back into trending searches across GamesRadar+, Mashable, Nintendo Everything, T3 and Time in a single day, which is the kind of free marketing reach Nintendo rarely gets from a routine Arcade Archives drop.
Historical Context: Nintendo’s Pattern of Teaser Pages
Nintendo has a long history of letting storefront infrastructure leak ahead of formal announcements, whether through accidentally indexed product pages, placeholder listings, or, as in this case, a page that goes live with limited information attached. These soft-launch moments typically precede a fuller reveal, whether that comes through a dedicated Direct, a press release, or simply a follow-up eShop update that fills in the missing price and date. Fans tracking the Ocarina of Time situation should expect the current ambiguity to resolve within weeks rather than months, based on how similar storefront teasers have played out for past Nintendo remakes and remasters.
Predictions: What Comes Next for the Nintendo eShop
- Expect Nintendo to fill in the Ocarina of Time remake’s price, release date, and file size within the next few eShop updates rather than waiting for a dedicated Direct.
- Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave’s Wave 2 content, reported to include new allies and wearable outfits, is likely to arrive in a December eShop update timed to holiday shopping traffic.
- Expect more third-party publishers to adopt tiered pre-order early access similar to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s Campaign and DMZ staggered unlocks as a way to build hype ahead of Switch 2 launches.
- Arcade Archives batches will likely keep growing in size week over week as Nintendo leans on licensed back-catalog titles to fill out slower release weeks.
- Nintendo Music will likely continue pairing soundtrack additions with major game news, meaning more classic Zelda and Mario scores could land around future remake announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time actually available to buy right now?
No. The October 16, 2026 Nintendo eShop update opened a storefront page for the Switch 2 remake, but Nintendo’s listing does not include a confirmed price, release date, or file size, so it is not yet purchasable.
What platforms is the Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Expansion Pass available on?
The Expansion Pass is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 and went live on the Nintendo eShop on October 16, 2026.
What does Wave 1 of the Fire Emblem Expansion Pass include?
Wave 1 adds four prototype weapons for the game’s four heroes, designed in the style of the Heroes’ Relics from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
When does Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launch on Switch 2?
Nintendo’s eShop listing confirms a Switch 2 launch date of October 23, 2026, with pre-order customers getting Campaign Early Access from October 16 and DMZ Early Access from October 20.
What new Game Boy Advance games were added to Nintendo Switch Online this week?
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members gained access to Monster Rancher Advance, METAL SLUG ADVANCE, and Kururin Paradise as part of this update.
Did Nintendo confirm a price for the Ocarina of Time remake?
No. Despite the page opening, Nintendo has not published a confirmed price, and reports should be treated as unofficial until the storefront listing updates.
How often does Nintendo update the eShop with new releases?
Nintendo publishes a “What’s New on Nintendo eShop” bulletin on a weekly basis, typically covering new releases, Arcade Archives additions, sales, and Nintendo Switch Online perks.
Is there a Nintendo Music addition in this update?
Yes. The full soundtrack for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, including tracks like “Clock Tower” and “Termina Field,” was added to Nintendo Music as part of the October 16, 2026 update.
