Here it is: The Nintendo Switch 2 is now official!
When will the Nintendo Switch 2 go on sale?
For now, reports suggest we’re looking at a date in June, based mostly on the fact that Nintendo will be holding fan events around the world from April 4 to early June.
Exact locations are to be confirmed, but host cities in North America will include New York from April 4 to 6, Los Angeles from April 11 to 13, Dallas from April 25 to 27, and Toronto from April 25 to 27.
European cities will be Paris from April 4 to 6 (I might take a sleeper train from Berlin…), London from April 11 to 13, Milan from April 25 to 27, Berlin from April 25 to 27, Madrid from May 9 to May 11, and Amsterdam from May 9 to 11.
Oceania and Asia is up next, with Melbourne hosting from May 10 to 11, Tokyo from April 26 to 27, Seoul from May 31 to June 1, followed by unspecified dates in Hong Kong and Taipei.
Feels like a lifetime, but we’ll get through this.
This first video is a fairly short glimpse at the Switch 2, but it reveals a lot. Here are some things that stand out – most of which were already revealed in earlier leaks!
The default in-the-box Joy-Con controllers are now black, but the ‘traditional’ blue and pink of the first-gen Joy-Cons still have a place around the joysticks and along the connector edge. Of course, there are bound to be other, more colourful options available!
The new Joy-Cons connect magnetically, with a release button pushing the controller away from the console.
The right Joy-Con also has a mysterious new square button beneath the traditional home button. For now, we don’t know what this is for, although it might be a touchpad or perhaps even a programmable button. Maybe it’s related to a new group voice chat feature?
🔼 The Switch 2’s Joy-Con controller was rumoured to include a mouse-like capability – and there’s a scene in the video above that shows the Joy-Con sliding along a surface when the add-on bumper is attached!
There’s now a USB-C port not only on the bottom but also on top, with that new port potentially available for accessories and pass-through charging. Maybe it’ll even let you connect the Switch 2 to a display other than your TV, without the need for that display to also provide power?
The Switch 2 is backwards compatible, although a final screen of the video says that certain games won’t be. We’ll have to wait and see why, and which games they’ll be.
There’s a new Mario Kart game coming, with a number of scenes visible in the video above. See the gallery below. Hopefully it’ll be playable at the fan events!
It’s a lot bigger than before! Again, Nintendo hasn’t given official figures, but according to case maker DBrand, the Switch 2 will have an 8-inch screen – a full inch larger than the display on the Switch OLED. But, according to reliable leaker OnLeaks, the screen will be even bigger, at 8.4 inches. oof!
🔼 That said… I’ve done my best to match the scale of the Switch and Switch 2, using the side-by-side shot in the video above, and I get a 7.8-inch screen. I’m terrible at maths, though, so holler below if I’ve made an error!
Watch for more details to come at Nintendo Direct on April 2.
Gallery: Nintendo Switch 2 official
Gallery: New Mario Kart for Nintendo Switch 2!
How much of the earlier leaked details were correct? Quite a lot! Keep reading my earlier piece below.
Earlier: January 13 reports
Cancel all your appointments: Nintendo will reportedly announce and reveal the Switch 2 this week!
This is the week when Nintendo will unveil the long-awaited Switch 2, according to podcast Nate the Hate – which Video Games Chronicle claims is a reliable source.
Personally I’ve never heard of Nate the Hate and I don’t think I’ve ever visited Video Games Chronicle, so I’m a few degrees away from certainty on this one – but I’m excited enough to take it as given.
On the podcast, at 17m35s, host Nate said (quotes shortened by VGC) – “I can share with you that Nintendo Switch 2 will be revealed in the coming week…I have been told the Switch 2 will be revealed on Thursday, January 16th.”
“I’ve heard that the reveal itself is going to focus almost exclusively on the console itself. There is not going to be any presence of games. There could be a game shown running on the screen, depending on how the trailer is put together, but software is not going to be a focus.”
As for the launch date itself, the on-sale date, the window is unchanged from what was previously reported: Sometime late in the first quarter of the Japanese financial year, likely around May or June.
What else is known about the Switch 2?
This is the first time I’ve posted about the Switch 2 on Realcool, so I’ll bring the site up to speed. You might already know all of this, of course!
A lot of the below comes the Nate the Hate podcast episode mentioned above, so be sure to give them a like over on Youtube.
Will the Switch 2 be able to play existing Switch games?
Yes, the Switch 2 will be backwards compatible, and Nintendo Switch Online will continue with new games added. This much has been confirmed by Nintendo directly, on Twitter.
What new features will the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers have?
The Switch 2’s Joy-Con controller is rumored to include a mouse feature for accurate aiming in first-person shooters, simulating a mouse and keyboard setup.
The new controllers are also expected to connect magnetically, with a release button pushing the controller away from the console.
What major third-party support can we expect for Switch 2?
EA is expected to bring a full slate of games including Madden, FIFA, Battlefield, and Titanfall 2, while Ubisoft has 12+ games in development, including late ports of popular titles.
Will the original Switch still receive games after Switch 2 launch?
Yes, the original Nintendo Switch will remain a viable platform in 2025 with third-party, indie, and Nintendo games like Metroid Prime 4, Pokémon, and Kirby Planet Robobot.
What potential first-party titles might be announced for the original Switch?
Possible announcements include Metroid Prime 2, Fire Emblem, Donkey Kong 64, Diddy Kong Racing, and a Fire Emblem 4 Remake.
How big will the Switch 2 be?
According to case maker DBrand, the Switch OLED will haave an 8-inch screen – a full inch larger than the display on the Switch OLED. But, according to reliable leaker OnLeaks, the screen will be even bigger, at 8.4 inches. oof!
How powerful will the Switch 2 be?
Mystery! An alleged photo of the Switch 2’s motherboard was posted on Reddit a little while ago. It doesn’t tell us anything about its capabilities, but it does again hint at just how much bigger the Switch 2 will be. (If the photo is real.)
Whatever the case, don’t expect the Switch 2 to be a match for the PS5 or latest XBOX (whatever it’s called), because that’s never been Nintendo’s thing.
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