As the globe rotates, so do the console generations. The Nintendo Switch is like a Lear and it’s high time for a reinvention with the device being about seven years old now. Originally we only heard rumours about Nintendo Switch 2, but it looks like it is gradually coming back into the spotlight. The business formally introduced the sequel to its most popular home console ever in a small clip on January 16.
The Switch 2 appears functionally very similar to the previous device, although with a bigger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker appearance. The company also stated that the next system will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
While the unveiling did corroborate certain suspicions and contain a few fascinating elements for those who were paying close attention, Nintendo is still mostly keeping its cards close to its chest. We'll have to wait until a special Nintendo Direct on April 2 for all the delicious stuff. Annoyingly, the date is a Wednesday and not a Two-sday.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Was Revealed On January 16
The rumor mill had largely claimed that Nintendo will tear back the curtain on the Switch 2 on January 16, and that turned out to be the case.
The firm hasn't modified the primary form factor. It's a portable console with detachable Joy-Cons. The Switch 2 may be put in a dock for big-screen gaming. There are several important alterations from the original console, however.
The most noticeable one is that the next-gen Joy-Cons will no longer glide into position mechanically. Instead, they'll attach to the main unit magnetically. There is a little connector that's likely used to charge the controllers and potentially eliminating the requirement to link them via Bluetooth. It's unknown at this moment if Joy-Cons from the previous system will be compatible with the Switch 2.
One other huge (and very welcome) update is the inclusion of a second USB-C connector on the top of the device. That should make it much easier to plug in accessories when the Switch 2 is docked. It's fantastic to see that Nintendo has maintained the headphone jack as well. Let's only hope that Bluetooth headphone support is active from the beginning this time and Nintendo doesn't leave everyone waiting four years for that functionality.
The kickstand is receiving a makeover as well. As with the Switch OLED, it covers the length of the console. But, according to the clip, this one seems totally adjustable, so you can modify the viewing angle to one that works for you.
When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?
2025. That's all we know for sure at this moment.
It's quite improbable that Nintendo will ship the system before the special Direct on April 2, and not only because that's at the start of Nintendo's next financial year. However, accessory company Genki, which has been a key source of leaks in recent months, believes the console will be delivered in April.
In any event, we should get the release date at the April 2 Direct if we haven't already before then.
When can I try the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo is preparing a worldwide roadshow to enable players experience hands-on with the system. These activities commence in New York and Paris on April 3-6, with others taking place during the next two months. That adds credence to certain predictions that Nintendo may release the Switch 2 in June.
Ticket registration for the Switch 2 Experience events in the US (in New York, Los Angeles and Paris) opens on January 17 at 3PM ET and will stay open until January 26. A Nintendo Account is required to sign up. Nintendo will randomly pick the beneficiaries of the complimentary tickets.
Will the Nintendo Switch 2 contain any weirdness?
Everything we've seen and thus far about this console has been very, well, conventional. It looks like the first Switch, but better. That's fantastic, but will there be any of that unexpected Nintendo magic? Maybe! There are two strange additions that individuals can't make hide nor hair of.
Keen eyes will have seen a new button on the bottom of the right Joy-Con. It it not yet obvious what this works. Could it begin voice chat during gameplay? Could it calibrate the controllers? Could it generate a room-sized hologram of Bowser in your living room? We'll have to wait and see.
Now onto the upgraded Joy-Cons. There looks to be a new sensor on the connection side of each controller. It looks a whole lot like an optical sensor, which is what a computer mouse utilizes. This has led to rumors that gamers will be able to flip the Joy-Con over and use it like a mouse. Of note: the trailer shows the Joy-Cons running around a flat surface, connection side down and appearing strikingly like a mouse.
But why would anyone ever want this? I can think of three words. New Mario Paint.
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Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?
The business revealed in November 2024 that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible. It will also offer access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old vintage classics.
In the inaugural Nintendo Switch 2 press release, Nintendo emphasized both physical and digital Switch titles will operate on the new device. However, it highlighted that "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2." More specifics regarding which games those are will be disclosed later.
What about specs?
The reports surrounding specs are all over the place, so it’s tricky to nail down. We know one thing for sure: It’ll be more powerful than the outdated Switch hardware, which was already antiquated back in 2017. One analyst purportedly got a copy of a spec sheet from the Korean United Daily News that indicated the Switch 2 will sport an eight-core Cortex-A78AE CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal eMMC storage. This tracks for me, as these specs are approximately as weak in 2024 as the original Switch was in 2017. However, other sources do imply that the console will contain 12GB of RAM.
Another report indicates that the eight-core CPU will be placed within an NVIDIA-produced Tegra239 SoC (system on a chip). Given the current Switch operates on an NVIDIA processor, that makes a lot of sense. The CPU will be more powerful, but it's the Switch 2's new GPU that will be a key distinction. It's all-but-confirmed that the Switch 2 will support DLSS, NVIDIA's "deep learning supersampling" upscaling tech, which would allow the system to produce games at a low resolution internally while displaying a high-quality image. (Fun fact: We actually wrote about how great DLSS was for the Nintendo Switch 2 when the technology was launched alongside the RTX 20 series back in 2018.)
There are still doubts concerning the Switch 2 and DLSS: Will the system support updated DLSS capabilities like frame generation? Will existing games be automatically cleaned up by NVIDIA's algorithm? Regardless of the specific implementation, DLSS upscaling will be a tremendous jump beyond the primitive solutions accessible to Nintendo Switch developers.
As for the display, there are several contradictory rumors. Early claims from reputable sources stated the Switch 2 will sport an 8-inch panel LCD display. The Switch 2's display clearly seems larger than that of the first Switch in a side-by-side comparison in the announcement video.
Some experts have claimed this would be an OLED screen, while others have said it will be a Mini-LED display. A Mini-LED display is simply an LCD display that has a backlight comprised of (surprise!) mini-LEDs rather than edge lighting. This enables for local dimming, making the blacks more dark. I’m hedging my bets here. I suspect it’ll be a normal LCD, to minimize costs, with an OLED or Mini-LED device coming further down the road. However, Mini-LED panels are slightly cheaper than OLED displays, so that’s probably a possibility at launch.
As for resolution, current reports claims that the console will produce 1080p in portable and 4K when docked. That's considerably better than the OG Switch. Meanwhile, it's not yet known if the Switch 2 will bring performance or graphic updates to original Switch titles.
How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?
We don't have too much information on price but we do have enough of history to work with. The first Nintendo Switch released at $300, which is pretty much the "magic number" when it comes to Nintendo console launches in recent years. The Wii U also came in at $300.
However, there are lots of reports swirling that Nintendo might be boosting the asking price for the Switch 2. Numerous publications have suggested it'll be $400, or maybe much more pricey. However, the same analysts who think the console would be $400 were also very convinced it would be released by the end of 2024 and, well, that didn't happen.
Dipping back into history, there is some precedence for a price rise. The GameCube cost $200 and the Wii was $250. The Wii U and Switch climbed to $300 and, well, numbers tend to go up. A $400 price tag would make it nearly as pricey as a PS5 and Xbox Series X. That would also place it at the same price as the 256GB LCD Steam Deck.