This is the new Nintendo Switch 2. The Shortcut dives deep into today’s big reveal.
- 🎮 Nintendo Switch 2 became official today with tons of surprises
- 📐 It’s a larger hybrid console that appears to have an 8-inch screen
- 🧲 Magnetic Joy-Cons offer a new way attach/detach the controllers
- ⏪ It’s backward compatible with almost all existing Switch games
- 💰 No Nintendo Switch 2 price news, but we suspect it’ll be $399
- 📆 We’ll know more information on April 2, according to Nintendo
- 🙌 Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on demos begin on April 4 in 3 cities
- 🚨 Pre-order alerts: follow Matt Swider with notifications on
The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially announced today, eight years after the original Switch introduced us to the wonderful world of hybrid gaming. With the Switch, you could play at home on your big TV or on the go in handheld mode.
Nintendo has sold close to 150 million Switch consoles since 2017, so it’s no surprise that the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t look very different. It’s basically a bigger, more powerful and snappier sequel that wants you to forget about PC gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally X and, instead, focus on what really matters: beating your friends, family and online strangers at Mario Kart.
Nintendo isn’t revealing everything today. It’s saving an avalanche of games for an April 2 reveal, along with further information on some of the console’s new features. We still don’t know what the new mysterious ‘C’ button does, for example.
However, from the two-minute reveal trailer, we have a lot of details to pour over that finally confirm all of those Switch 2 leaks we’ve been covering on The Shortcut.
The Switch 2’s controllers snap on with magnets (Image Credit: Nintendo)
🧲 Magnetic Joy-Cons. The controllers attach magnetically to the sides of the screen instead of using a rail system. This will make it easier to attach and detach the controllers without fussing with the cumbersome press-then-slide mechanism.
🎮 Joy-Con grip returns. That gamepad-shaped piece of plastic that came with your Switch is present in Nintendo’s Switch 2 reveal video, offering a traditional controller look and feel. It also uses magnets to clip and unclip the Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo has always focused on making games fun, not outdoing its rivals with meaningless specs (Credit: Nintendo)
💪 Nintendo Switch 2 specs. The Switch 2 is expected to be more powerful than its eight-year-old predecessor by some margin. The Japanese company hasn’t shared the console’s specs yet, but recent rumors suggest performance similar to Sony’s PS4 Pro. Advances in technology like upscaling could give the Switch 2 a significant performance advantage, though. Just don’t expect the best graphics and frame rates. It’s typical of Nintendo to focus on fun games, not powerful specs.
Nintendo Switch had a 6.2-inch screen, while the OLED version had a 7-inch display. The Switch 2 appears to be 8 inches (Credit: Nintendo)
📺 8-inch screen upgrade. The display will be at least one inch larger than the 7-inch Nintendo Switch OLED. That’s a big change if you still have the original Nintendo Switch, which has a 6.2-inch display, or a Nintendo Switch Lite, which is even smaller at 5.5 inches. It means the Switch 2 will be bigger than the 7.4-inch Steam Deck OLED and match the new Lenovo Legion Go S we tested at CES 2025.
Nintendo Switch 2 may take us back in time with an LCD (Credit: Nintendo)
📺 LCD or OLED? Nintendo hasn’t answered this question. Going with OLED means that it would match the flagship Switch OLED, but going back to LCD offers Nintendo a chance to upgrade the Nintendo Switch 2 later on. Opting for a high-quality LCD panel also keeps costs down, which Nintendo will be keen to do.
Expect handheld and docked modes to sport different resolutions (Credit: Nintendo)
👀 4K, 1080p, or 720p? The Nintendo Switch could output at a maximum of 720p in handheld mode and 1080p in docked mode. Expect the Switch 2 to be capable of 4K when docked, thanks to technology similar to Nvidia’s DLSS (seen most recently on the Nvidia RTX 5070), which can upscale games to look sharper and clearer from lower internal resolutions. Handheld mode could output at 900p to prioritize battery life and keep temperatures down.
Get low! Get low! Get low! Get low! (Credit: Nintendo)
🗼 U get a new new kickstand. A new rear u-shaped kickstand can prop up the Switch 2 and position it so it’s almost completely flat. It seems just as durable as the Switch OLED metal kickstand and leagues better than the flimsy plastic kickstand on the original Nintendo Switch.
Thanks to a top USB-C port, you can charge the Switch 2, even when it’s propped up on a table (Credit: Nintendo)
🔌 USB-C x2. Nintendo’s official reveal trailer showed that the Switch 2 has a second USB-C port at the top of the console (the bottom USB-C port is still present). This means you’ll be able to charge while playing in tabletop mode. It could also open the possibility of attaching additional accessories.
The back of the new Nintendo Switch 2 (Credit: Nintendo)
📆 What happens after April? The first Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on events will take place from April until June. Is that a sign we’ll be getting the console in April (all of the dates in the US and Japan are in April), or will it show up at a later date? We’re eager to hear about the Nintendo Switch 2 release date on April 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 may cost $399 (Credit: Nintendo)
💰How much will it cost? The Nintendo Switch 2 is predicted to cost at least $399. That would make it the most expensive console Nintendo has ever released, and $100 more expensive than the original Switch, which launched at $299 in 2017. At least it won’t be anything near the PS5 Pro at $700
You’ll be able to play almost all of your old Switch games on the Nintendo Switch 2 (Credit: Nintendo)
💿 Nearly 5,000 games at launch. You’ll be able to play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games on the new Switch 2, according to Nintendo. Of course, the company notes that Switch 2 games will be exclusive to the new console and won’t work on the previous system. Being able to play the best Nintendo Switch games on the Switch 2 is great news – there are nearly 5,000 games in total.
We anticipate pre-orders will start on April 2, 2025 (Credit: Nintendo)
🛍️ See ya, April 2? No foolin’, the day after April Fool’s Day may be a big shopping at retailers. That’s the date of the next Nintendo Direct presentation, where Nintendo will reveal games and other tidbits about the new console. We expect Best Buy and other stores to go live with pre-orders on that day.
Best Buy’s Nintendo Switch 2 page
Follow @mattswider for pre-order alerts
Live in one of these three US cities? Stay tuned for demos! (Credit: Nintendo)
🗺️ Nintendo 2 demos. You’ll be able to demo Nintendo Switch 2 in person – if you’re lucky. Nintendo is letting interested fans sign up to play test the new console at specific events and locations around the world.
Nintendo Switch 2 Experience locations and dates:
- NYC: April 4 to April 6
- Los Angeles: April 11 to April 13
- Dallas: April 25 to April 27
Please note: Tickets are required from this Nintendo page (scroll down and you’ll see it currently says “Coming Soon”). Registration for this free-to-enter drawing will open on January 17 (tomorrow) at 3pm ET / 12pm ET and close on January 26.
Enter to get tickets starting on Friday
I’m revved up for Mario Kart 9 (Credit: Nintendo)
🏎️ Get ready to race. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch, and it could be a launch title for the Switch 2. No other game in Nintendo’s library of prestigious IPs has as much global appeal as Mario Kart, so it would be huge if the Switch 2 launched alongside a brand-new take on the iconic racing game.
Broader shoulder buttons are a welcomed change (Credit: Nintendo)
📐 My, what big shoulder buttons you have! The Joy-Cons flank the larger 8-inch screen of the Nintendo Switch 2, meaning the controllers are bigger, too. The shape appears to be curvier, and the inside shoulder buttons (the SL and SR buttons when the Joy-Cons are detached for sharing) seem broader. That’s a big upgrade over the tiny nubs on current Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo may be hinting that the Joy-Con act as a mouse (Credit: Nintendo)
🐭 Did I just see a mouse?! Nintendo teased a new functionality for the Joy-Con, which suggests they could transform into mice when used on a hard surface. The Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con have optical sensors this time around, so it will be interesting to see what Nintendo does with this new input method.
The only new button we see on the Nintendo Switch 2 controllers
👁️ I spy a new button. What do you think, Chat? There’s a new button labeled ‘C’ that leaked ahead of the teaser trailer and is present in the final video. Speculation suggests it’s a hotkey for chat or voice calls, although Nintendo has kept its very family-friendly on lockdown to avoid unpleasant interactions.
The new dock has a sleeker design (Credit: Nintendo)
🥕 What’s up, dock? Nintendo rounded out the corners of its original dock, ditching the traditional square shape for a less pointy plastic docking station. There’s no word on whether an existing dock will work with the Nintendo Switch 2 (I dream of having a dock at every TV I own) or if other accessories, like the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, will be compatible with the new system.
🤔 ‘But, Matt, aren’t PC gaming handhelds more powerful?’ What does the new Nintendo Switch 2 have over Steam Deck? My answer: Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Mario Kart, Metroid, Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Mario Party, and, of course, Smash Bros. Nintendo doesn’t need the zippy AMD Z2 Extreme for its graphics. Just fun. Only Sony’s rumored PSP 2 handheld has the IP to compete with Nintendo.
We have many more questions about the Nintendo Switch 2 (Credit: Nintendo)
🤨 Hey! Listen! 🧚 We have more questions, Nintendo! April 2 can’t come soon enough. We should know the Nintendo Switch 2 resolution, if it has a microSD card slot, and if the dock has an Ethernet port (an addition that came to the Switch OLED). So far, we haven’t seen the back of the dock or its port.
Until then, we’re currently adding our own name to The Shortcut’s Donkey Kong Country Returns HD review round-up by downloading it from the eShop. The new game launched today on existing Nintendo Switch consoles and it shows that Nintendo has no plans on slowing down with its eight-year-old hardware.
- Up next: Nintendo Switch 2 vs Nintendo Switch: which one should you buy?
