After months of leaks at the hands of peripheral manufacturers, Nintendo has officially revealed the Switch 2. Whether Nintendo’s hand was forced due to said leaks isn’t clear—a second, more in-depth look at the console is planned for Wednesday, 2nd April, during a Nintendo Direct.
As speculated, the Switch 2 isn’t a complete revolution. It’s simply a redesign with a bevvy of improvements, a more curvaceous design, and a larger screen. The Joy-Cons appear to clip on more easily while featuring an additional button and what appears to be mouse-like scrolling when placed on a flat surface. It sports a muted pale blue and pink colour motive around the Joy-Con’s analogue sticks and interior. A 2025 release is planned.
The Switch 2 will be backwards compatible with physical and digital Switch titles, although Nintendo notes that “certain games may be not supported or fully compatible.”
The reveal trailer has notched up 4.5m views in just a few hours:
While Nintendo hasn’t revealed tech specs or launch period titles, we did get a glimpse of a new Mario Kart, presumed to be titled Mario Kart 9. Eagle-eyed gamers have spotted that the starting grid features 24 positions, suggesting 24-player online matches. Donkey Kong also has a refreshed appearance which may be to coincide with an upcoming DK movie.
Although hardware details are scant, Nintendo has announced plans for a Switch 2 tour in the following cities. You’ll need a Nintendo account to participate.
North America:
- New York, April 4-6, 2025
- Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
- Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
- Toronto, April 25-27, 2025
Europe:
- Paris, April 4-6, 2025
- London, April 11-13, 2025
- Milan, April 25-27, 2025
- Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
- Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
- Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025
Oceania:
- Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025
Asia:
- Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
- Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
- Hong Kong, To be announced
- Taipei, To be announced
More information is available here.
Word has it Nintendo has turned to Konami and Square-Enix to bring major IP to the Switch 2, meaning we may see Metal Gear Solid: Delta, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and possibly Final Fantasy 16 on the console. Rumours of either GTA V or RDR2 from Rockstar also persist. But let’s face it – the Switch 2 is bound to receive many, many, big-name conversions during its lifespan. Speculation is pretty pointless considering not a great deal is off the table in this current climate.