Whatever happened to Nintendo’s iconic, incredibly fun Star Fox? For years, it seems that Nintendo has only given its cast of anthropomorphic combat pilots the bare minimum care and attention. That’s to the frustration and disappointment of many, as while the game doesn’t have anywhere near as large of a player base of the likes of Mario or Zelda, it’s still beloved by its fans.
Thankfully, some good news could be on the horizon, and the future of Star Fox looks a little brighter now in the wake of recent reports that suggest Nintendo might intend to revamp the IP as part of its plans for the Switch 2. While all the focus has been on the launch of the successor to the handheld console (and possibly a new Pokémon game alongside it), it seems that Nintendo is bringing a new Star Fox game to the Switch 2 as a surprise move. However, be prepared to refrain from getting too optimistic, as complicated trademark filings and leaks are the source of the news.
Felipe Lima unveiled the first piece of the puzzle when he uncovered a new trademark filing for Star Fox, which Nintendo made in Brazil on December 19, 2023. The application is currently ‘waiting for the deadline to present the opposition,’ which allows interested parties to oppose the new trademark. This discovery comes alongside another international registration for a new Star Fox trademark, dated November 28: not a renewal of an existing trademark, but a whole new trademark for Star Fox. Interesting…
In addition to the news of Nintendo’s trademarking activity come leaks from well-known Nintendo leaker, Zippo. They further fueled excitement for a Star Fox revival with a blog post that details more information about the speculated Star Fox game. Zippo claims that Nintendo is exclusively and internally handling the development of the new Star Fox installment, departing from the collaborative approach seen in recent entries. The last time Nintendo took full control of the Star Fox series was with the release of Star Fox 64 in 1997.
According to Zippo, the rumored game is to be a sequel with a significant emphasis on online multiplayer, which would be a new frontier for Star Fox as something that the franchise is yet to heavily explore. The leaker suggests that Nintendo plans to unveil the game within the next twelve months, raising hopes for a brand-new adventure alongside the highly-anticipated Switch 2, which Nintendo could release this year.
As with any gaming industry rumor, it’s important to approach these leaks and the trademark news with caution. Nintendo hasn’t officially confirmed the development of a new Star Fox game or even the existence of the rumored Switch successor. However, more information from Nintendo seems imminent, leaving us eagerly speculating on what a brand new Star Fox game on the next-gen handheld could look like.
For more Nintendo fun, check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch games, or see our brilliant Mario Wonder review. You can also see our picks for the best mobile games too, to broaden your horizons even further.