After a brief tease, Nintendo is finally detailing the Nintendo Switch 2 in full. It will launch on June 5, priced at $449. You can also purchase a Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World for $499. Preorders commence on April 9 in North America from "participating retailers."
The Switch 2 is physically larger than the original Switch, with bigger Joy-Cons to accompany it, as well as a new dock. The kickstand has been redesigned, and the Switch 2 has a second USB Type-C port. The much-anticipated console/handheld hybrid will have big shoes to fill, as the original Nintendo Switch was Nintendo's best-selling console of all time, with over 150.86 million units sold.
The Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch screen and is 13.9 mm thick, the same depth as the Switch. That display is 1080p, up from 720p. The screen will go up to 120 frames per second with compatible games. It's an LCD screen with HDR support, but doesn't have OLED from the Switch OLED. The dock will allow some games to go up to 4K on a TV. It also has a built-in fan to keep the system extra cool while playing on a TV or monitor.
Nothing was mentioned during the stream about an SoC, though the original Switch famously ran on an Nvidia Tegra X1 — a 256 CUDA core Maxwell architecture GPU, with an 8-core Arm CPU that had four Cortex-A57 performance cores and four Cortex-A53 efficiency cores. It was manufactured on TSMC's 20nm process node, about a decade ago. The Switch 2 SoC specs aren't known, but there are some pretty solid rumors, so let's quickly talk about the CPU and GPU.
We know from Nintendo's spec page that Nvidia will be providing the custom chip. The best rumors indicate it will use an Ampere (RTX 30-series) GPU, potentially with 1536 CUDA cores enabled — six times the number in the Switch, and an architecture that's three generations newer. (Nvidia has since stated that the GPU is about 10X more powerful than in the original Switch.) It is possible it could also include some form of DLSS upscaling to help with performance. The CPU will supposedly be an 8-core Arm Cortex-A78, though it might not have all eight cores enabled.
The chip will be manufactured using Samsung's mature 8N process node, which at least means it doesn't need to compete too hard for wafers. In short, it's effectively the same processor that Nvidia puts into its Jetson Orin hardware, customized for Nintendo's specific use case.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically, which Nintendo says keeps them "firmly attached." Should you play with a single Joy-Con, there are bigger SL and SR buttons on the inside. The control sticks are larger, but nothing else was said about them (or about drift). Each controller can be used as a mouse for compatible games, like Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, giving it some PC-style controls.
Nintendo also highlighted a new game for mouse controls called Drag & Drive, which looks like Rocket League with basketball. The Direct showed the characters, which are robots with wheels that move like people rolling wheelchairs, being pushed by multiple strokes of the mouse. Both Joy-Con 2 controllers are used as mice at once in this game, which you don't usually see on PC.
Nintendo promises a 3D audio system, even if you don't have surround sound. Sony had touted this kind of tech for the PlayStation 5.
The system has a new kickstand that is larger and bends back quite far. It also features a second USB-C port on top for charging in tabletop mode or connecting a camera.
The Switch has 256GB of built-in storage, and reading and writing data is "faster." That's far bigger than the 32GB in the original Switch. The game card is the same shape as the original Switch's, but it's faster and is red to differentiate it from older games. The Switch 2 requires microSD Express cards for extra storage because of their faster speeds. The SD cards for the original Nintendo Switch won't work at all.
There will be three types of games for the Switch 2. Standard Switch 2 games, Nintendo Switch games with backward compatibility, and Switch 2 Edition versions of existing games with new features and improved graphics. In the Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, you'll see improved graphics and frame rates exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Metroid Prime 4 Beyond will be available in Switch and Switch 2 editions, where you can play in HDR at 60 fps or 120 fps. Pokemon Legends Z-A will launch in Switch and Switch 2 versions later this year. If you own a Switch game, you can upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition version with a paid upgrade pack.
The Joy-Con 2 controller features a new C button, which Nintendo promoted early as a flagship new feature. It allows for GameChat, letting you talk with friends while playing games. There's a built-in microphone in the Switch that will recognize your voice, and Nintendo didn't show it in use with a headset. In fact, Nintendo showed a person operating a blender in the background while a person was chatting with friends on the Switch 2, suggesting it would cancel noise. The chat menu will also have game screens to share with others in your party, though Nintendo's direct made it look a little choppy. Your chat can include players in different games, so you don't have to be playing together. It's nice to see this built-in, as the original Nintendo Switch required a smartphone app. There's also a new Switch 2 Pro controller with rear GR and GL buttons for remapping front buttons like some pro controllers and a C button like on the Switch. There's also an audio jack for headsets.
The Switch 2 will come with the following items in the box:
- Nintendo Switch 2 console
- Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)
- Joy-Con 2 Grip
- Joy-Con 2 Straps
- Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
- Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
- Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter
- USB-C Charging Cable
Another software feature is GameShare, which lets you share games with other consoles on local networks.
There's also a Nintendo Switch 2 camera that you can connect to the system to broadcast yourself on screen and video chat in front of your screen. The camera feed will also be incorporated into games, like some Mario Party-style mini games shown in the Direct.
Nintendo started the stream with Mario Kart World, showcasing what will surely be a powerhouse game that will sell throughout the Switch 2's lifetime. It will be a launch day release for the Switch 2. Beyond more detailed graphics, it showed wall-riding, the ability to take control of a truck, and more. The game will change with time of day and weather conditions. You can drive off the track, driving from race to race. The game will have 24 players in each race, the most in the series' history and a showcase of the Switch's increased compute power. Mario Kart World also has a free-roam mode, exploring an open world similar to Microsoft's Forza Horizon series.
A new Zelda title was shown off. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a prequel of the story leading into Tears of the Kingdom, in which you play as the titular princess. Koei Tecmo is developing the game with "support from Nintendo."
Nintendo also announced Kirby Air Riders, a sequel to the GameCube game that featured racing and open-world exploration.
Donkey Kong: Bananza is marking another major first-party release in a frolicking platformer that shows the hero punching his way through destructible environments. It will launch in July.
Nintendo will launch Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour as a paid digital game, guiding the player through the new console. It will explain the magnetic circuit that keeps the Joy-Cons attached and showcase rumble, mouse controls, and more in a series of mini-games. Those include painting, golf, playing maracas, and more.
Third-party titles announced on the stream include Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Hades 2, Street Fighter 6 (including Amiibo to support it), Daemon X Machina, Split Fiction, EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, Hogwarts Legacy (with mouse controls), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, Hitman: World of Assassination, an upcoming James Bond 007 game. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, Yakuza 0 Directors' Cut, Deltarune, Civilization VII, WWE 2K, NBA 2K, Borderlands 4, Survival Kids, Enter the Gungeon 2, Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, among others, many of which will release with the Switch 2 or later this year.
The last partner game Nintendo showed off was a new exclusive From Software game, The Duskbloods, which is sure to gain the system some hardcore credibility. The trailer showed a series of fearsome warriors, as well as some steampunk sensibilities and gothic undertones, all with a huge vampire twist.
Nintendo Switch Online will continue on Switch 2. An expansion pack for Switch 2 will bring GameCube games to the handheld. Launch titles include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soul Calibur II and F-Zero GX. The games will have higher resolution than the launches back in the early 2000's. This will launch the same day as the Switch 2 hardware. A GameCube controller will also be released for Switch Online members.
