The Switch 2 is official. Nintendo has finally taken the wraps off its long-rumoured new console alongside a refreshed Mario Kart game.
The hybrid device looks like a larger version of its predecessor, the seven-year-old Switch. It features a bigger display, an extra USB-C port on the top, and a pair of Joy-Con controllers that snap on to the sides.
On the back of its tablet-like touchscreen is a slimmer stand that allows you to tilt the console further back when resting it on a table or desk. There’s also a larger dock that once again lets you connect it to a TV when you’re not playing in handheld mode.
Notably, the new gaming machine looks virtually identical to the leaked models that have trickled out over the past few weeks. The console is almost all-black apart from the blue and orange colour accents on the sides and thumbsticks of the Joy-Cons.
Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2 in a brief promotional video, which also included a glimpse at a new Mario Kart game. Worryingly, it did not commit to a concrete release date – just 2025.
That still leaves plenty of questions. Thankfully, a wave of leaks offer some answers, including key specs and a possible launch date. Here’s what we know so far about the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Switch 2 announcement video also contained a glimpse of a new Mario Kart game
Nintendo
So, when can you buy the new console? Well, in addition to the vague 2025 launch window, Nintendo may have inadvertently dropped a major hint about its release.
The gaming giant will be holding a series of global demo events, where the public will be able to go hands-on with the Switch 2. In a hint at the console’s potential release date, the last of these events takes place between May 31 and June 1 in Seoul, South Korea.
This aligns with the prediction made by gaming podcast Nate the Hate – which accurately flagged the reveal date.
The Switch 2 come with a larger dock for big-screen gaming and can also be played in handheld mode
Nintendo
When is the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct?
Fortunately, there’s not long to wait till we learn more. A Nintendo Direct presentation devoted to the Switch 2 is confirmed to be taking place on April 2. As usual, you’ll be able to watch the show live on Nintendo’s YouTube channel.
Switch 2 leaked design and features
Over the past few weeks, various computer-generated images and display models have laid bare the Switch 2’s design.
Created by separate Switch accessory makers, a pair of realistic mock-ups pointed to a larger handheld with a slightly thicker build, an eight-inch screen and magnetic controller attachments.
Canadian accessory maker Dbrand got the ball rolling last December with an in-motion render that it claimed was based on a 3D scan of the actual console. Based on its measurements, the Switch 2 will be 270mm wide, 116mm tall and 14mm thick, making it larger and taller than Nintendo’s Switch OLED and the base Switch.
A mock-up of the Nintendo Switch 2 inside a case that Dbrand says is based on a 3D scan of the actual console
Nintendo
The console’s screen will reportedly measure eight inches, with a subsequent render from Onleaks and 91 Mobiles suggesting it will be an OLED display, resulting in deeper blacks and far greater contrast.
Where are all these clones coming from? A high-profile leaker, who goes by the name of Kang online, claimed that the official console is being sold on the Chinese black market.
For its part, Nintendo downplayed the CES leak, dismissing it as “unofficial”.
In addition, gaming analyst James McWhirter from research firm Omdia told the Standard that the Switch 2’s larger screen could make it roughly the same height as the Steam Deck OLED, despite its eight-inch, 16:9 display.
Mr McWhirter told the Standard that the new controllers would probably come with improvements, such as increased durability and analogue triggers for enhanced sensitivity – potentially addressing issues including Joy-Con drift while adding precision for racers and platformers.
In the official Switch 2 announcement video, the gamepads were shown gliding across a surface. This indicates those rumours of the new Joy-Cons featuring optical sensors, similar to those found in computer mice, might be true. How this new function will be incorporated into games remains to be seen.
The larger size, combined with reports that it will almost certainly feature a custom Nvidia T239 chip, leads Mr McWhirter to believe the Switch 2 will require a bigger battery and heftier active cooling.
“There will be more grunt under the hood and we expect it will be more power-hungry,” he said of the new console.
Behind closed doors, Nintendo has reportedly demonstrated the new Switch running some impressive tech typically reserved for the latest consoles and PCs.
A leaked image of the Switch 2’s alleged motherboard containing its core hardware
According to VGC, the device packs Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. This allows it to boost a game’s visual resolution using AI, meaning it could upscale full HD to 4K quality. It is also said to have ray tracing enabled to produce incredibly realistic lighting effects.
The new processor will allow the Switch 2 to run more power-hungry games. In a secretive showcase last August, Nintendo reportedly fired up The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo – originally released to illustrate the power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2021.
Before you get too excited, that doesn’t mean the new Switch will rival those machines in terms of performance.
Nintendo reportedly showed developers an improved version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild made for its new console
Nintendo
Behind closed doors, Nintendo also allegedly showed the new console running an enhanced version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This could indicate that it will offer next-gen editions of existing games in the vein of the PS5.
Indeed, Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will run Switch games and support Switch Online. The latter is a subscription service that lets you play compatible games online and access a library of classic titles.
However, the only game that has been confirmed so far is a new Mario Kart, which was glimpsed in the official reveal.
The Switch 2 might not just be bigger – it could also come with a heftier price tag.
VGC’s sources said the console would use cartridges and digital downloads, potentially increasing the cost of Nintendo console games. Similar price hikes have already taken place on Xbox and PS5.
Speaking of which, analyst Serkan Toto anticipates the console will be a little more expensive than the current Switch, at $400, which may equate to UK pricing of £350 to £380.
In comparison, a Switch OLED currently costs £309.99 directly from Nintendo.