Nintendo confirms Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope release date

Update: Nintendo has now confirmed that Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope will officially launch on October 20th, 2022 for Nintendo Switch. Similarly, Bowser was confirmed to be a new playable character. More details will be revealed during Ubisoft's own showcase on July 29th,2022 

Original Story: Ubisoft has seemingly leaked the release date for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope on Nintendo Switch ahead of today's Nintendo Direct presentation. 

It appears that the developer published the release date on its official store earlier than planned with anyone concerned that the upcoming Mario game wouldn't make its intended 2022 release date, now able to rest easy. According to the page, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is scheduled to release on October 20th, 2022.

With Splatoon 3 set to launch in September and Pokémon Scarlet / Violet due for November, this date makes a lot of sense, as Nintendo likes to aim for at least one major release every month. The first game, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, originally launched in August 2017 and has gone on to accumulate at least two million sales in its first year. 

The synopsis for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope reads as such: "An entity named Cursa has been seeking out the energy of the titular Sparks, creatures formed by the fusion of Lumas and Rabbids, and while doing so has plunged the galaxy into chaos. Mario and his friends must travel to different worlds to restore peace to the galaxy, save the Sparks, and defeat Cursa."

Additionally, a handful of new screenshots were found alongside the launch date with a new character joining the group – and it's none other than the plumber's pesky nemesis, Bowser, who is now playable by the looks of things. Check out the images below: 

October is now looking very stacked for major video game releases if this date proves true. A few examples of titles launching during the month include Overwatch 2, Forspoken, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Gotham Knights, A Plague Tale: Requiem and Marvel's Midnight Suns. Throw in a Mario game and it's going to be quite a busy few weeks. 

T3 has reached out to Ubisoft for comment. 

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is officially scheduled to release sometime in 2022 exclusively on Nintendo Switch. We'll likely find out more during the 25-minute Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, which is set to take place later today. 

In the meantime, check out T3's Mario Strikers: Battle League review to see if the frantic football game is worth picking up. It's also worth checking our Nintendo discount codes page for the latest offers.