With Nintendo's April 2 Direct showcase over and done, we now know more about the Switch 2 than ever before, including its release date (June 5) and price ($450!).
Thanks to Nintendo's January 16 teaser trailer, we've long known what the Switch 2 will look like, and that it will arrive in 2025 — over eight years after its predecessor. The Nintendo Switch 2 looks very similar to the original system, albeit with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker design. The company also reaffirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
Looking to catch up on everything we know about the Switch 2? Read on.
What are the key new features of the Nintendo Switch 2?
Display and dock
The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 1080p 7.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh and HDR compatibility. It also supports up to 4K output at 120Hz (with variable refresh rates) when docked.
Joy-Con and Pro Controller
The new Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch 2 attaches magnetically with a button to release them. They have larger SL and SR buttons (the ones hidden when the Joy-Con are attached) to make playing multiplayer games on one Joy-Con more feasible. The analog sticks are no longer tiny nubs, and are closer in size to the ones you might find on a PS5 or Xbox controller. They have what Nintendo is calling “HD Rumble 2” built in, which seems to be a refinement of the original (and still very good) vibration function. Finally, each Joy-Con has an optical sensor that allows you to use it as a mouse, and a C button, which we’ll get to in a minute.
The new Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch 2 comes with everything you’d expect based on the refreshed Joy-Con: Namely HD Rumble 2 and the C button. There are also remappable GL/GR buttons around the back and a standard audio jack for connecting a headset.
Both options come with Amiibo support built in. The Switch 2 comes with two Joy-Con as you’d expect, and additional pairs are priced at $90. The Pro Controller will cost $80.
The C button stands for “chat”
The new C button is a dedicated way to enter a chat session with friends. As well as the standard features you’d expect from voice chat, Nintendo has built a Discord-like video-sharing feature, which lets you show your gameplay to others and see other people’s screens while you’re playing.
The chat function works with a mic built into the console, though headsets are also supported. Nintendo will also sell a $50 camera that plugs into the USB-C port on the top of the console, which will allow you to stream your face along with your game.
GameCube support
The Switch 2 will work with GameCube games via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. The three titles available at launch will be F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Soul Calibur II.
Improved specs
Perhaps the biggest feature, though, is one you can’t see: The Switch 2 has an all-new processor and GPU and significantly more storage (256GB vs 64GB in the Switch OLED), along with support for faster and more capacious microSD cards. This will obviously lead to better first-party games and upgraded Switch experiences, but more importantly it will mean multi-platform games that had to skip the original, underpowered Switch will be able to be ported over. With games like Cyberpunk 2077 coming to the Switch 2 at launch, it seems like far more ports will be feasible than on the original console.
Another major improvement comes in the form of networking — the Switch 2 supports WiFi 6, which will improve the original's often glacial download speeds. Similarly, the new dock sports an ethernet port for a rock-solid connection.
How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for $450 standalone, or for $500 with a bundled digital copy of the new Mario Kart game, Mario Kart World. That’s significantly more expensive than the original Switch, which launched at $300, and has remained at that price ever since. It’s also more expensive than the entry-level current-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
The comparison looks a little better up against Valve’s Steam Deck, which costs $400 for the LCD model or $550 for the basic OLED model. The Steam Deck is more affordable than most PC handhelds.
When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?
June 5, 2025.
When do pre-orders open for Nintendo Switch 2?
Pre-orders begin on April 9, from a variety of retailers and Nintendo itself.
How long will the Switch 2's battery last?
Nintendo says that the Switch 2 will last between 2 and 6.5 hours. This is similar to the original Switch, which was rated for 2.5-6.5 hours, though later revisions upped that figure significantly. The company cautions that "this time is an estimate … battery life will depend on the games you play and usage conditions."
When can I try the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo is planning a worldwide roadshow to let gamers go hands-on with the console. These events start in New York and Paris on April 4-6, with others taking place throughout the following two months.
Ticket registration for many of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events has closed, but waitlists are available. However, given that Nintendo is taking a first come, first served approach, your chances of attending the roadshow if you don't already have a ticket (or unless you signed up for the waitlist immediately) seem very small at this point.
The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 Experience dates is as follows:
North America:
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New York, April 4-6, 2025
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Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
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Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
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Toronto, April 25-27, 2025
Europe:
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Paris, April 4-6, 2025
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London, April 11-13, 2025
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Milan, April 25-27, 2025
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Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
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Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
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Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025
Oceania:
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Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025
Asia:
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Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
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Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
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Hong Kong, To be announced
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Taipei, To be announced
Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?
Nintendo confirmed in November 2024 that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible. It will also feature access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old retro titles.
In the initial Nintendo Switch 2 press release, Nintendo reiterated that physical and digital Switch games will work on the new system. However, it noted that "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2." We now have more information on which games are working thanks to a guide Nintendo put together.
As of April 1, the vast majority of Switch 2 games are marked as compatible, but many popular games are said to have some issues. Nintendo has marked most of these as “under investigation,” suggesting a fix may be on the way in time for launch. Nintendo says it is manually testing every Switch game for compatibility.
Only one title is marked as incompatible: Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. This was part of Nintendo’s Labo range of games that worked with Cardboard accessories, and is incompatible as the Switch 2 doesn’t physically fit in the VR headset.
Will old games be enhanced in any way?
The original Switch has, to put it mildly, struggled to run some of the late-generation software that's come down the pike. Could these games be enhanced to take advantage of the increased horsepower of the Switch 2? That’s unclear. In an “Ask the Developer” page on its site, Nintendo says that old games are working through a real-time translation system, which sounds similar to how Rosetta allows modern Macs to run old software. With that said, the new and old Switch are much closer in hardware than that.
In the same developer interview, it’s said that in its testing of old games for compatibility, there were some occasions “where loading times became faster, or game performance became more stable,” but we don’t have any detail beyond that.
As well as backward compatibility, Nintendo is also offering up premium ‘Switch 2 Edition” upgrades for a select few games, which have improved resolutions and frame rates, and (in some titles) some bonus features and content. What exactly that means will vary, but Nintendo did confirm that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have 4K/60 and 1080p/120 options on the Switch 2.
In the case of the two mainline Zelda games, those will be free to Switch Online Expansion Pack members, while others will be paid upgrades. Games confirmed to have a Switch 2 Edition to date include:
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Super Mario Party Jamboree
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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Kirby and the Forgotten Land
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A
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Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Nintendo has not said how much the paid upgrades will cost.
What will the cartridges taste like?
You may remember that the original Switch cartridges taste absolutely awful. This was on purpose, to discourage folks from putting the games in their mouth. Will the successor follow suit and continue to dip cartridges in a foul-tasting bitter coating? Only time will tell.
What are the launch games?
We expect this list to change substantially over the coming weeks and months, but the titles currently confirmed to be available on day one follow:
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Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer
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Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
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Cyberpunk 2077
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Deltarune
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Fast Fusion
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Fortnite
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Hitman: World of Assassination
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Hogwarts Legacy
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Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
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Mario Kart World
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Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
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Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
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Split Fiction
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Street Fighter 6
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Survival Kids
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Yakuza 0: Director's Cut
That's everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2 today. We'll update this article with any information we can gather directly from sources. Any changes made to the article after its initial publishing will be listed below.
Update, January 24, 2025, 12:36 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about price, potential game enhancements and the taste of cartridges.
Update, February 5, 2025, 9:30AM ET: This story has been updated to note the time when the April 2 Nintendo Direct starts.
Update, February 24, 2025, 12:30 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about storage and information about the new microSD Express standard.
Update, March 6, 2025, 2:30PM ET: This story has been updated to note recent FCC filings to indicate the presence of Wi-Fi 6 and NFC support.
Update, March 14, 2025, 12:15PM ET: This story has been updated to include pricing and sales speculation from analysts.
Update, March 20, 2025, 12:45PM ET: Updated to include a note about the Seattle Mariners new jersey patches featuring Nintendo and the Switch 2.
Update, March 27, 2025, 3:50PM ET: Updated to add details about the C button, Nintendo Today! and Virtual Game Cards.
Update, April 1, 2025, 10:16AM ET: Updated to add link to livestream and details on its length.
Update, April 2, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added details from the April 2 Nintendo Direct event, including specifications, price, release date and launch titles.
Jeff Dunn contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-everything-we-know-after-the-direct-announcement-195136505.html?src=rss
