Today, Nintendo finally revealed the Nintendo Switch 2, the long-awaited successor to the company’s 2017 hybrid console.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, the company gave us our first brief look at their new console and confirmed that it will be released in 2025, but stopped short of giving an exact release date or price. Nintendo also didn’t divulge any information about its technical specifications or what games will be part of its launch lineup (aside from a tease of what appeared to be a new Mario Kart). That said, we did get confirmation about some of the changes coming to the Switch 2.
As recent leaks and rumors implied, the Switch 2 is essentially a bigger, version of the current Switch, with many of its buttons and functionality being unchanged, but it does feature some notable changes. For one, the console sports a larger screen that appears to match the size of the Switch OLED’s 7-inch screen. It’s not clear as of yet whether or not the Switch 2 will also have an OLED screen. Looking at the back of the system, the kickstand has also been changed and now lets the console lay almost entirely flat. The system’s dock also has a slightly larger form factor than the dock for the original Switch.
Joy-Cons remain the same detachable controllers as before, but they’ve also grown in size and connect to the console via magnets instead of sliding into place. The right Joy-Con also features a new button below the Home button, though its purpose remains a mystery. The Joy-Cons themselves are completely black now, with the only hints of color being on their inner connectors and at the base of their analog sticks.
While we didn’t receive any information about new games, Nintendo did confirm that the system will be backward compatible with current Switch games. Nintendo says that certain games might not be supported or fully compatible though, with more information coming at a later date.
Nintendo has announced that a special Nintendo Switch 2 Direct will be happening on April 2, so we can expect to learn a lot more about the new console then. The company will also be holding Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events in select cities around the world starting on April 4 where the public will be able to go hands-on with the device.
North America:
- New York, April 4-6, 2025
- Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
- Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
- Toronto, April 25-27, 2025
Europe:
- Paris, April 4-6, 2025
- London, April 11-13, 2025
- Milan, April 25-27, 2025
- Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
- Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
- Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025
Oceania:
- Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025
Asia:
- Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
- Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
- Hong Kong, To be announced
- Taipei, To be announced
Registration for the event will begin at some point in the near future, and a Nintendo account will be necessary to register for the event.
Some may be disappointed that Nintendo is staying relatively safe with the design of the Switch 2, but I’m okay with it. With a system as great as the original Switch, it’s better to refine what worked than change things entirely or introduce new gimmicks just for the sake of change. Of course, there could be more to the system than meets the eye, but we’ll have to wait until April 2 to find out.
TheComfySpot 