Nintendo saved a dying handheld console market back in 2017 when it launched the Nintendo Switch. The little hybrid console that could had a great run, playing host to some all-time classic games – but its time is now running short: the Nintendo Switch 2 is official, and coming very soon.
The firm officially confirmed the handheld’s existence with a two-minute YouTube trailer highlighting some of its new features – and teasing an all new Mario Kart game – following several high-profile leaks. It held plenty back for a full reveal due later this Spring, but until then we’ve got a much better idea of what’s heading down the warp pipe.
Nintendo Switch 2 name
Switch 2, Switch Pro, or no Switch at all… as far back as 2020 there were rumours about a new Nintendo console, with conflicting reports as to whether it would use brand-new hardware, or be mostly an upgrade. Digital Foundry reported that Nintendo did plan on releasing a mid-gen Switch at one point in time that everyone (including Stuff) called the Switch Pro. Those plans were reportedly scrapped by 2022, and the focus has been on a true successor ever since.
In all of Nintendo’s (admittedly limited) official communication until the initial hardware reveal, it referred to the upcoming console as “the successor to Nintendo Switch” – but now we know it will indeed be called Switch 2.
Only a few Nintendo home consoles have ever been direct continuations – the NES to the SNES and Wii to Wii U, for example – but its handhelds have largely stuck to similar naming conventions. Think Game Boy, Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance, or DS, 3DS and New 3DS. This basically continues that trend.
Nintendo Switch 2 launch date
Nintendo officially showed off the Switch 2 on January 16th 2025, while committing to a full reveal in a Nintendo Direct stream on the 2nd of April.
Those dates roughly line up with earlier leaks that came via a poster on the Famiboards forum, who had been on the money with Nintendo information in the past, and a similar post on the Chinese social network Weibo. It also matches Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa’s previous confirmation that the machine would be announced by the end of March 2025.
Furukawa’s self-imposed deadline was likely brought forward a little on account of the barrage of leaks that appeared in early January. Accessory maker Genki claimed to have created a dummy model of the then-unannounced handheld at the CES show, but then rowed back a little after Nintendo denied sharing anything official with the firm.
OG Switch sales won’t be done any favours by the announcement of a replacement, so Nintendo will probably be aiming to have units to ship as soon as possible after the final, full reveal.
Previously the closest we got to a reveal was through whispers at Gamecom 2023, held in Cologne, Germany, which suggested Nintendo had either discussed or shown off a new Switch “behind closed doors”. Developers had started working on games for the new hardware, too. When asked “which platform are you developing your current project for?” in the 2024 GDC State of the Game Industry survey, around around 8% of the 3,000 developers surveyed replied they were working on titles for the “Nintendo Switch successor”.
Nintendo Switch 2 hardware: Nvidia leaks and more
The initial reveal trailer didn’t talk specs, but still told us plenty about the Switch 2. It’s another hybrid handheld, with detachable joy-con controllers that sit either side of a screen, and a docking station that lets you play on a bigger TV. The screen is considerably larger than the OG Switch, but it’s unclear if Nintendo will be using OLED tech from the off. Going back to LCD will be a bitter pill for anyone used to the Switch OLED‘s stunning colours and contrast. Resolution and refresh rate are both unknown right now, too.
The joy-cons have grown to match the display, and have gained a new magnetic mechanism that should make them easier to attach and remove than the original console’s slide-on rails. The right joy-con has also gained a new C-button below the home button. They were shown in black in the trailer, with blue and red accents around the analogue sticks. One clip suggests they might even function as a mouse when used vertically on a flat surface.
There’s a redesigned kick stand at the back of the Switch 2, along with a second USB-C port up top next to the 3.5mm headset port – and the cartridge slot that will accept original Switch games. Physical and digital backwards compatibility is great news to Switch owners, although Nintendo says not every game will be supported. Expect word on which ones make the cut closer to launch. As for whether Switch 2 games will ship on the same cartridges? I’m doubtful, given how prominent piracy was on the original Switch; Nintendo will surely mix things up to prevent the same happening on the sequel, at least initially.
Expect a new version of the joy-con grip, and a redesigned dock with rounder corners to match the new console’s size and port layouts. There’s no word on whether it’ll add extra USB connections for wired accessories, or be able to output a 4K display signal.
Nintendo hasn’t said anything about the Switch 2’s internals yet. The firm has never made outright power a priority, but with the rest of the industry long having gone UHD, it’ll be interesting if the Switch 2 will be able to do the same – especially if it still has the silicon to run Switch 1 games natively.
Previous rumours suggested an Nvidia Tegra Xavier chip as a possible Switch 2 powerplant, but while that now seems to have been debunked, Nvidia is reportedly still on the cards to supply the silicon – along with a version of the Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) upscaling tech used by its PC gaming graphics cards. This basically means it’ll use AI to boost frame rates and resolutions beyond what the hardware could otherwise achieve natively.
Nintendo Switch 2 games: Mario and Master Chief?
While Nintendo will surely save its meatiest reveals for the April 2nd Nintendo Direct stream, the initial Switch 2 reveal did seem to show an all-new Mario Kart game.
A desert version of the familiar Mario Circuit, complete with twenty four grid slots (up from the series’ usual twelve) is definitely unlike anything available in Mario Kart 8 right now. The character models look slightly different, too, with Donkey Kong appearing more like the version seen in the Mario Bros Movie. The final shot shows the racers moving onto a highway that stretches into the distance, suggesting there may even be some open world elements.
The biggest rumour we have right now is that Microsoft will be porting the Master Chief Collection to Switch 2, making it the first time the Master Chief has appeared on Nintendo hardware.
Nintendo Switch 2 pricing: how much will it cost?
The first Nintendo Switch cost $300/£280 when it launched in 2017. The Switch Lite came in at $200/£200, while the Switch OLED will set you back $350/£310. As is the case with almost all things Nintendo, enduring popularity means these prices have stayed pretty consistent.
Pundits are expecting the Switch 2 to slot in around the same prices as the Switch OLED, if not slightly above. By what margin can only be a matter of guesswork until Nintendo makes things official. But with cost of living increases and higher component prices, a $399/£350 starting price might be the best case scenario.