Nintendo has finally unveiled its next-gen console, set for release in 2025: the Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement comes after months of leaks, rumors, and rampant speculation online. The reveal took place on Thursday, January 16, with a short trailer designed to highlight a refreshed design.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will have a similar form factor to its predecessor, albeit with some improvements. There's a bigger screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, a wider kickstand, and some mysterious new buttons and ports. There's a Nintendo Direct scheduled for April which will provide more detail, and Nintendo has already scheduled worldwide Switch 2 Experience in-person events to allow some lucky players the opportunity to get their hands-on the new system ahead of its release.
Nintendo also confirmed that the Switch 2 will play original Switch games, although it stopped short of confirming any exceptions to its backwards compatibility plans. There's no word yet on whether upcoming Switch 2 games will include the likes of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends Z-A, although the reveal trailer did end with a few seconds of rather curious Mario Kart footage.
We'll learn more about the system and its launch lineup in April, and hopefully receive a firm release date and Switch 2 pre-order details. While we wait, however, let's get you up-to-speed on all of our coverage so far with this special Nintendo Switch 2 Spotlight.
Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will have backwards compatibility support, which means that many of the best Switch games will work on the new device. There are, however, some caveats that you may want to be aware of – that we've done our best to explain at this early stage of the game.
While the Switch 2 may look the same as its predecessor at a glance, there are actually some really interesting changes made once you really take it all in. The Joy-Cons have been practically overhauled, with new functionality, buttons, and connections.
Despite the fact the brand-new device looks to be a worthwhile upgrade, not everyone will want to jump at the chance to grab it from day one. Especially with that costly price point in tow. Both devices look fairly similar, so we're breaking down exactly what's new for this generation right here.
Given that the Nintendo Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, demand is going to be astronomical for its successor. Thankfully, analysts are already predicting that the company will be able to satisfy 20 million Switch 2 sales in the first 12 months. Will that be enough to stop the scalpers? Well, that's the question that will be on everybody's mind as we inch closer to release.
While we'll need to wait until the Switch 2 Direct in April for more details on the specifics of the console's design, the internet is already tearing the thing apart for more info. The appearance of a second USB-C port has certainly caught our attention, and right now we hope this means that we'll no longer need to waste a bunch of time fiddling around with multiple cables.
The Switch 2 trailer really lingers on the updated analog sticks on the refreshed Joy-Cons, right? Given that Nintendo has long-suffered with stick drift on the original Switch, the decision to highlight the new sticks does seem purposeful – and lines up with some of the leaks we heard on the road to reveal. There's more info on all of that after the jump.
Nintendo teases that the Switch 2 screen will be around 30% bigger than the screen that featured on the original system. But will it provide the clarity and depth of the Switch OLED? That's what we're trying to figure out based on the latest leaks.
