Nintendo Switch 2 is finally confirmed. After literal years of unverified rumors, dubious leaks and copious amounts of online speculation, Nintendo has lifted the lid on its next-generation console, and it’s the Switch sequel the majority expected (and many of us wanted).
As confirmed via a slick reveal video on January 16, Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch in 2025 and looks like an evolution of the current Nintendo Switch console rather than an attempt to reinvent the wheel (GameCube to Wii this is not). While this two-minute video gave us plenty to chew over, we still have many questions about the Nintendo Switch 2.
So, if you’re eager to know more about the Nintendo Switch 2, below you’ll find everything we know about the upcoming console/handheld hybrid and also the latest rumors surrounding the stuff we don’t such as the specifications and the all-important price…
Nintendo Switch 2 latest news (Updated Feb. 16)
- A newly published patent shows off a unique Joy-Con feature and an all-new controller
- An upcoming Nintendo Direct will give us a "closer look" at the Switch 2
- Nintendo is thinking about "affordability" with the Switch 2 price
- Now Switch 2 is official, attention turns to its launch lineup, here are our predictions based on the latest rumors
- Microsoft's Phil Spencer confirms Switch 2 will get Xbox games
- Costco Canada leaked what could be the price of the Switch 2.
- A Switch 2 purportedly went for sale on the black market for $40,000
Nintendo Switch 2 release date and price speculation
Nintendo is currently being a little coy with the Nintendo Switch 2 release date. In the initial reveal trailer, Nintendo confirmed the console will be “releasing in 2025,” but didn't give a date. The company will hold a Nintendo Direct livestream focused on the Switch 2 on Wednesday, April 2 so we’re expecting more details then.
We have even fewer concrete details regarding the Nintendo Switch 2’s price. Online speculation points towards a price tag between $399 and $499 (the latter would put it in line with the PS5 and Xbox Series X), but this is currently guesswork.
While we have yet to hear of a specific price, we have heard that Nintendo is considering affordability with the Switch 2's price. According to a Q&A investors meeting, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the company is "taking various points into consideration" for the launch price, including "the affordable prices that consumers expect from Nintendo products."
Recently, a new rumor has popped up from an Italian site (and spotted by Nintendo Life) that suggests the Switch 2 will retail for €364.99 (about $379), which would make the next-gen Switch only $30 more expensive than the current MSRP of the Nintendo Switch OLED. However, this certainly shouldn’t be taken as a confirmed price.
A leak popped up from an alleged Costco Canada employee saying the console would retail for CAD$499, which is about $349 in the U.S.
Nintendo Switch 2 design and new features
On the surface, the Nintendo Switch 2 looks largely identical to its predecessor, but there is one key difference: Switch 2 is bigger!
In the handheld world, bigger is increasingly meaning better, with chunky units like Steam Deck OLED ruling supreme, and Nintendo is following the trend. Prepare your pockets because the Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t a slim device.
In the reveal trailer, Nintendo cleverly showcased the Switch 2’s increased size by comparing it with the current Switch. It will sport a larger display size and thinner bezels. However, the final dimensions haven’t been confirmed. Internet sleuths have theorized the screen will be 7.5 inches (a big jump from the Switch’s 6.2-inch display).
Another noticeable design tweak is the new kickstand. It will cover the entire back of the console and is adjustable so you can view the display from multiple angles. It’s a huge leap from the regular Switch’s restrictive (and flimsy) kickstand but comparable with the kickstand added to the Nintendo Switch OLED model in 2021.
One of the more mysterious Switch 2 features is a strange new button on the right Joy-Con controller. Nintendo has even gone to the trouble of blanking it out in the reveal video. Pre-announcement renders had it labeled with a “C” but, for now, its purpose isn’t clear.
Speaking of Joy-Cons, a new patent hints that the Switch 2 controllers will have mouse-like functionality. This has been speculated since the first-look trailer showed off the Joy-Cons sliding along a surface, and now images from the patent indicate how this might work.
Both controllers appear to have this mouse feature, with the patents even suggesting a "mouse operation sensor." It also appears that while one Joy-Con is used as a mouse, the other can be used normally for more buttons, in a similar fashion to how PC games are played with the WASD keys on a keyboard. It's not unlike what the Lenovo Legion Go offered.
There are also images of a new type of controller, which resembles a more traditional-looking console controller, and it looks to have the same mouse functionality.
This could indicate that Nintendo is developing a new Switch 2 "Pro" controller, but as with all patents, these features and designs are still up in the air. We won't be certain what the new Joy-Cons will offer with the Switch 2 until it launches, but we could see a new way to play games on the upcoming console.
Nintendo Switch 2 specs and key upgrades
Nintendo Switch 2 raw specs remain shrouded in mystery. Naturally, we can safely say the Switch 2 will be more powerful than its predecessor and will sport an upgrade on the first-gen Switch’s dated Nivida Tegra XI CPU, but we can yet measure its increased power.
The gaming handheld market has changed a lot since 2017 when the Switch hit shelves. The Nintendo Switch 2 will face tough competition from the likes of Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally X.
However, Nintendo has rarely prioritized power (the OG Switch was significantly underpowered compared to rivals PS4 and Xbox One) so perhaps the Japanese gaming company will again focus on software over hardware. And as the Switch proved, that is what ultimately matters.
Perhaps the single biggest Switch 2 upgrade we know about at this stage is the improved Joy-Con controllers. At a glance, there might not appear to be much new, but Switch 2’s Joy-Cons won’t just be bigger in size, but they will also connect to the console in a new way.
The railing system is out and instead, a new connection method (believed to be magnetic) has been implemented. The Switch 2’s reveal video showcases this change and the way the Joy-Cons snap onto the Switch 2’s main console unit sure does look satisfying.
The Switch 2 also ships with a redesigned dock. The new dock features softer, rounded edges, and more of the display is visible when docked — whether this will be used for gameplay features remains to be seen. We haven’t seen the dock’s ports yet, but we hope the ethernet port added via the Switch OLED will be retained.
Nintendo Switch 2 outlook
Nintendo’s mantra with Switch 2 appears to have been "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." While the gaming titan is often praised (or lamented) for its habit of making unexpected decisions, with Switch 2 it’s stuck to its guns and appears to be iterating on what worked.
In my books, that’s a very good thing. The original Nintendo Switch is deservedly among the best-selling consoles of all time. It's an excellent hybrid machine that carved out an important place in the market. And has even held its own against more powerful rivals.
Nintendo Switch 2 is making improvements in all the right areas with a larger display, and (likely) significantly more powerful components. If Switch 2 launches alongside a strong lineup of exclusive games, it could well be a smash hit from day one. Of course, its final price will be a key factor, and that’s one of the puzzle pieces we’re still missing.
Nevertheless, at this early stage, Nintendo Switch 2 looks like it's on course to be another gaming success story. We’ll keep bringing you the latest updates on all things Switch 2 as we move closer to launch.
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