A quiet year for Star Fox has suddenly turned into something much louder. After years of relative silence, the franchise is back in the spotlight in 2026, and now fresh rumors claim Nintendo may have not one but two new games in development. One would lean into multiplayer, while the other stays focused on the single-player campaign fans have missed since the series last felt truly alive.
Nintendo has a long track record of letting certain series sit on the shelf for extended periods, and Star Fox fits that pattern well. The series launched strong on the Super Nintendo with the original Star Fox, then delivered the beloved Star Fox 64 and the cult classic Star Fox Adventures on GameCube. More recent entries have struggled to recapture that magic. Star Fox Zero arrived in 2016 for the Wii U and drew criticism for its motion controls and limited story beats, which mostly came through mid-mission comms broadcasts rather than proper cutscenes. Fans have been waiting for a proper return to form, and the timing feels right with Nintendo pushing its biggest franchises into movies and new hardware.
The latest rumor comes from respected French gaming journalist Oscar Lemaire of Gamekult. According to discussions in a ResetEra thread, Lemaire reported that two Star Fox projects are in the works. One focuses on multiplayer, with a possible release window in 2026, while a single-player title could follow in 2027. The claim gained traction quickly among fans hungry for any official movement on the series. However, the information carries some uncertainty. Users on Reddit who followed Lemaire’s live stream argue that he may have only implied the next Star Fox game would include multiplayer elements rather than confirming a separate spin-off. That distinction matters, and it shows how quickly rumors can shift when details come secondhand.
Even with that caveat, the idea of a dedicated multiplayer Star Fox experience carries real appeal. Past entries experimented with cooperative and versus modes, but none made it the central hook. A spin-off built around team-based space combat or arena-style dogfights could bring in new players while giving veterans something fresh. Pair that with a traditional single-player campaign in 2027, and the franchise could finally deliver the variety it has lacked for years. The single-player side is especially important. Insiders have already suggested the next mainline game will emphasize stronger narrative focus than Star Fox Zero, with more cutscenes and character moments between Fox McCloud and his crew. That shift would address one of the biggest complaints about recent entries and align with how Nintendo has handled other revived series.
The timing lines up with Star Fox’s increased visibility in 2026. The characters have appeared in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, giving the franchise its biggest mainstream moment in years. That exposure has fans hoping the game will capitalize on the momentum rather than let it fade. A stronger story could help the series feel more connected to Nintendo’s wider universe, especially if the movie introduces new audiences to Fox and the team. It also fits Nintendo’s broader strategy of building out its properties across games, films, and other media.
The Nintendo Switch 2 makes this potential return even more intriguing. With a new console in need of standout first-party titles, Star Fox could help fill the gap during what some have called a slower stretch for major Nintendo releases. A multiplayer-focused game in 2026 could serve as an early system seller, while the 2027 single-player title gives the platform a deeper campaign experience later in its lifecycle. Nintendo has shown it can deliver big comebacks when it commits, and Star Fox has the built-in fanbase and recognizable cast to make an impact if the execution matches the hype.
Of course, all of this remains rumor until Nintendo confirms anything. The conflicting interpretations between the ResetEra thread and Reddit listeners highlight how easily details can get blurred in the early stages. Still, the fact that a reporter like Oscar Lemaire is even discussing two separate projects suggests something is moving behind the scenes. Nintendo rarely lets its dormant IP stay quiet forever, and the combination of movie exposure and new hardware creates the perfect window for a revival.
For long-time fans, the prospect of both a multiplayer spin-off and a narrative-driven single-player game feels like the best of both worlds. It could expand the audience without abandoning the core space combat and story that made the series special in the first place. The 2026 release window for the multiplayer side would give players something to look forward to almost immediately, while the 2027 title provides a longer campaign to sink into once the initial excitement settles. If the stronger narrative focus holds up, it could finally give Fox McCloud and his crew the depth they have deserved since the days of Star Fox 64.
Nintendo’s 2026 slate is already shaping up to be significant, and Star Fox could play a meaningful role in kicking things off. Whether the rumors prove accurate or shift in the coming weeks, the renewed attention on the franchise is welcome. Fans have waited long enough for a proper return, and the combination of movie synergy, potential multiplayer depth, and a fresh single-player campaign on Switch 2 offers genuine reason for optimism. The next few months will likely bring more clarity, but for now the possibility of two new Star Fox games feels like the start of something bigger for a series that has spent too long on the sidelines.