After leaks and speculation, if not years, it eventually became official. Nintendo has announced the next console: It is called Nintendo Switch 2. As the name suggests, it has a very similar design to a switch.
While that may seem like an obvious move, this iterative handheld is a rare strategy for Nintendo, choosing to innovate with new hardware and finding new control systems and new forms of play. However, with 146 million units sold on the market for nearly eight years, the Switch is Nintendo’s second-most successful gaming system (after the Nintendo DS) and the third-most selling console in history. So it’s not surprising that the company has decided at once that the design of the previous console was not broken and requires no modifications. The Nintendo Switch 2 also launched into a modified market where players expect to be able to advance their game library from one machine to another, hampering radical change.
However, after Nintendo’s very minimal announcement video, many questions remain. Nintendo focused on new hardware and showed only one new game, the new Mario Kart. They also declined to announce the release date or price of the Switch 2 company. And not all of the rumoured features of the new system were addressed in Nintendo videos. Here’s everything we know and everything we think we know about Nintendo’s next console.
What’s the latest Switch 2 news?
Several technical features of the Switch 2 appear to have been confirmed by filings of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). According to the documentation, the new Nintendo device (codenamed Bee-001, and almost certainly given the Switch 2) will have, just like the Switch, a right Joy-con NFC (close field communication) reader, or RFID device. This means that Switch 2 is compatible with Amiibo figurines. There is also an upgrade to Wi-Fi features from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6. Verge has full details.
What is the release date for Switch 2?
Nintendo confirmed in an announcement video that it will release the Switch 2 in 2025, but declined to provide a more accurate release date. At this stage, what we definitely know is to play Switch 2 before the years increase. However, there were strong signs that the wait wasn’t that long.
Last year, Nikkei reported that Nintendo was targeting it in March 2025 to avoid a hardware shortage and ensure a strong lineup of games, but said it could slip beyond March. The former clearly hasn’t happened, but it appears that the release will be plausible within the next few months of spring or summer. Nintendo announced the Switch in October 2016, debuting in Press and Player in January 2017, and released in March 2017. If the company follows the same timeline this time, it appears they are looking at the June 2025 release, given the timing of the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct in early April and the Switch 2 Experience events all drooping the length of the spring.
What is the price of Switch 2?
Apart from the game’s lineup, this is the biggest unanswered question we have about Switch 2. Nintendo made no mention of pricing in the announcement video. But the possibility is that it will be more expensive than a switch.
The Switch was launched in 2017 for $299, and its official sticker price hasn’t dropped by 1 cent since. This is consistent with changing pricing trends. With chip shortages, inflation and tech advances slowing down, this generation of consoles aren’t priced down like it did in the previous generation.
In this environment, Nintendo needs to know how to package more advanced technologies while keeping prices reasonably high. The Switch 2 is unlikely to be priced below $349, the current cost of the OLED switch model. $399 seems like a safe bet – the same price as the base steam deck. More than this, Nintendo will face a new wave of PC handhelds and an unpleasant comparison (Steam Deck Oled is $549, and Asus Rog Ally is $499).
There is also the question of whether the tariffs imposed on China in early February could affect the price of the Switch. Nintendo has begun manufacturing Vietnamese switches last The Trump administration plans to trade war with China in 2019, where it plans to increase production at new factories. Nintendo can avoid tariffs by supplying two units to the US using its Vietnamese production facility.
Which games do you have on Switch 2?
Nintendo shows a glimpse into what looks like a new Mario Kart, but chose not to check the game with the new console. So we’re still officially in the dark with Switch 2 launch titles and its big lineup. However, the combination of leaks and informed speculation allows for some good guesses.
Despite extensive leaks about the console itself, Nintendo was able to somehow avoid leaking its own game. However, knowing what we are doing about internal developments at Nintendo allows us to make some informed guesses.
- Mario Map 9: This may not be what it’s called, but Nintendo has shown that he has seen a glimpse into what looks like the new Mario Kart in the video. It looks familiar, but does the settings displayed look new to the series and perhaps look like an open world? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe It is a bestselling game for the Switch, with an astounding 64 million copies on sale, making it a great way for the new Mario Kart to bang and kick off the Switch 2 ERA.
- New 3D Super Mario Game: There have been no entries in this series since 2017 Super Mario OdysseyTherefore, the follow-up time for Switch 2 launch year seems ripe.
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond: One of Nintendo’s final major in-house productions, scheduled for release in 2025, looks like the perfect candidate for a generational release. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildIt was released for Wii U and Switch.
- Pockémon Legends: Z-A: The latest Pokemon titles probably look like a generation title.
Additionally, many third-party titles are rumoured by leaking Nate hate and other sources. These are all unconfirmed, as they are all recent hits on other platforms, or multi-platform titles that have already been announced, but it’s not surprising that you start switching between two early in your life.
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake and reproduction
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage and shadow
- Metal Gear Solid Delta
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- Halo: Master Chief Collection
- Red Dead Redemption 2
Is Switch 2 backwards compatible?
Yes, Switch 2 is backward compatible! Before officially unveiling the Switch 2, Nintendo confirmed that the Switch software is “also playable by a successor to the Nintendo Switch.” He added that Nintendo Switch Online (an online multiplayer service that also includes a large catalog of retro games) will also be available on Switch 2. The news is a big relief as many users are hoping or fully expecting to bring their gaming library to Nintendo’s next console, as it has become the standard for the latest generation of consoles on Xbox and PlayStation.
In the video, Nintendo highlighted that Switch 2 will play its own exclusive games and both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games, but warned that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.” He said he will share details on the website at a later date.
Nintendo has yet to specify exactly how backward compatibility works, but it said that Nintendo’s account will be taken over to a new console, and players will have access to the Nintendo Switch software they currently own.
Nintendo did not mention backward compatibility of the hardware. However, previous reports sourced from surrounding manufacturers suggest that some switch accessories, including Pro controllers and Joy-Cons, and Switch 2 are backward compatible.
What new features do Switch 2 have?
As previously reported and now confirmed in Nintendo video, the Switch 2 features a removable Joy-Con controller like a switch. Reports and patents say joy is magnetically attached. The video didn’t check this exactly, but suggested it. It has been reported that the Joy-Cons also have a more reliable Hall Effect stick, but this has not been confirmed in the video.
I have a new square button on the Joy-Con on the right, but I’m not sure how to use this yet. The Joy-Cons also features a small optical sensor on the inner edge. Nintendo’s patent appears to confirm that this allows for mouse-like controls. The video appeared to suggest this with a sequence showing Joy-Cons sliding down to their side with additional foot-like attachments.
The console has a second USB-C port on top, like what’s on the bottom edge for charging and connecting to the dock. This will charge while in use in tabletop mode and support it by a new U-shaped stand. However, it may be used to connect new accessories, such as cameras and second screens.
The Switch 2 is bigger than its predecessor. Nintendo gave no dimensions, but the 8-inch screen was reported, which matches the video. (The original switch screen is 6.2 inches, and the switch OLED model is 7 inches.)
How powerful is Switch 2? What is the technical specifications?
Nintendo has not yet announced the technical specifications for the Switch 2. It looks like a capable device based on reports and leaks. It is located between the “final generation” PlayStation 4 or Xbox Series S and the current Xbox Series S. In short, if it’s been ported carefully, you should be able to run many current generation AAA games.
The leaks seen online with The Verge suggest that docking could make Switch 2 even stronger. The dock appears to have fan vents and higher power ratings than unblocked consoles, but graphics processors are said to be able to run at almost twice the clock speed when docked. In combination with Upscaler, this can create a 4K visual when connected to a TV.
Nintendo showed hardware targeting the specifications of the running console, according to a report by Eurogamer and VGC on Gamescom Demos for doors closed in August 2024 The Matrix wakes up“The Unreal Engine 5 Tech demo with Ray Tracing enabled and “visuals comparable to Sony and Microsoft’s current consoles.” Reports by Reuters and Digital Foundry suggest that the console will use custom NVIDIA chips that can both raytracing and DLSS.
The customs and shipping data analyzed by the fan appears to indicate that Switch 2 has substantial upgrades in both RAM (4 GB to 12 GB) and internal storage (32 GB to 256 GB). According to FCC filing, Wi-Fi will be upgraded to Wi-Fi 6 standard (from Wi-Fi 5 on the original switch).
However, Switch 2 has one technology downgrade. The console is reportedly equipped with an LCD screen, unlike the OLED screen seen in current top switch models as a measure of cost savings.
Can I pre-order Switch 2?
No, I can’t pre-order the Switch 2 yet! But you might be able to do it in April. The pre-order for the original Switch opened in January 2017 when Nintendo released the console and its game to the press and the public. If you follow the same playbook, pre-orders may open on April 2nd along with Nintendo’s direct.
When will Nintendo reveal more about Switch 2?
Nintendo has scheduled all Nintendo in-person for Switch 2 on April 2nd. This is probably about learning everything you want to know about the machine, including the game, price, release date and more.
Nintendo will also be holding Nintendo Switch 2 Experience Events around the world throughout April. There, ordinary members will be able to practice the machine. These events will take place in cities around North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
passthecontroller will continue to update this story as new details are developed.
