Highly-Anticipated July 2026 RPG Is Free To Play On Switch 2 Right Now

14 hours ago 10

Published Jun 18, 2026, 1:01 AM EDT

Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work.

Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has already managed to curate a rather spectacular selection of RPGs, from third-party classics to first-party Switch 1 upgrades. We've seen the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Persona 3 Reload flood onto the platform with so many more looming on the horizon. It has been great to see the Switch 2 get so much support from RPG developers, and it absolutely appears as if there is no sign of that slowing down, both from third-party publishers and first-party exclusives.

This is perhaps best evidenced by an upcoming RPG releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2 in July. It is one of the most critically acclaimed in the genre and has garnered quite a significant fanbase since its release on other platforms a short while ago. Fortunately, for those eager to get their hands on it early, or indeed those simply hoping to try what could very well end up being the best Switch 2 game of 2026 before it officially releases in July, there is a free version available right now.

The Central Town in Digimon Story Time Stranger.

Digimon Story Time Stranger is slated to release on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 10 July 2026. It promises to be one of the best RPGs on the Switch 2, at least based on the extraordinarily glowing reviews of the PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 versions that launched back in 2025. It significantly builds upon everything established in earlier entries, from the visuals to the Persona-esque gameplay, to offer the definitive Digimon video game experience.

Fortunately, those who are highly anticipating the game can play it early and for free on the Switch and Switch 2 by downloading its demo. The demo, which is available right now, features the opening chapter of the game as well as the unlockable Central Town - Adventure Trial mode, which becomes available after beating the story content. The progress made in the main story will be carried over to the full game, but any progress made in the Central Town - Adventure Trial mode won't.

The player and their digimon fighting enemy digimon in Digimon Story Time Stranger.

Digimon Story Time Stranger garnered a 78 on Metacritic, a rather commendable score, and currently sits at Very Positive on Steam, with 93% of its 7,700+ reviews being positive. It is perhaps not terribly surprising that the latest Digimon Story game is a success, especially considering its predecessor was one of the best games like Persona, which truly felt like it understood the property it was based on. Of course, it remains to be seen how the Switch and Switch 2 versions hold up, although fans can at least check out performance early via the free demo.

Digimon Story Time Stranger is even a perfect starting point for those with little connection to the original Digimon anime. Its gameplay is the most accessible and robust, its story is standalone and newcomer-friendly, and it's the most visually stunning to date. For those who like Pokémon and Persona, Digimon Story Time Stranger may be worth trying. At the very least, it's probably worth giving Digimon Story Time Stranger's completely free demo a whirl, just to see if it clicks.