Nintendo revealed The long-awaited Switch 2 console, the incredibly successful successor to the Nintendo Switch, will be released on June 5th, 2025, with its key launch game being Mario Kart World, the new open world entry in its beloved kart racing series.
Like the original, the Switch 2 remains a hybrid device, allowing you to play games on the go in the form of a handheld and connect to your home’s large screen TV. However, there are several important improvements that have been made over his predecessor.
After the first release, following a few months of leaks in January 2025, we found that the Switch 2 boasts a large 7.9-inch screen in handheld mode. Unfortunately, it’s a return to LCD display after the gorgeous OLED model of the original Switch, but it has a native resolution bump to 1080p, providing HDR for supported games. It also allows frame rates up to 120fps, but this is again gaming dependent.
The audio receives boost with improved speakers, 3D audio support (via headphones) (a system update is planned to support this via built-in speakers), and the microphone is built into the top of the console. Despite the screen size ridge and the addition of its microphone, the handheld is only 13.9 mm thick, but its weight is not mentioned.
The console itself has two USB-C ports. One is at the top and the other at the bottom. The latter can be used to charge the console using the top dock to connect handheld mode (a small but welcome improvement for those who are struggling to balance the charger coming out of the base) or peripherals, but to connect to the top dock.
The controllers have been revised as well, with a release button to connect the newly dubbed Joy-Con 2 controllers via “strong magnets” and disconnect them. Checking the rumors over the years, they can also be used as mouse controllers, but the SL/SR shoulder buttons built into them become bigger and easier to press when used as a single controller. The thumbstick is also bigger than before.
A “C” button has been added to the Joy-Con 2 on the right. It is used to nurture audio controls and allows users to access the new GameChat feature using the microphone. With GameChat, users can speak openly and noise cancels noise that cuts out background noise, but new camera peripherals will play groups on the screen.
The “C” button also appears in the new Switch 2 Pro controller, a “traditional” Joypad similar to an Xbox or PS5 controller. However, it is worth noting that these GameChat features require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Nintendo also introduces a dedicated wireless GameCube controller for use in classic console games that appear online on the Nintendo Switch (but we’ll go into detail soon).
The Switch 2 dock is not a major overhaul at a glance, but it increases the power of the Switch 2 when plugging into the TV. Nintendo says it allows for up to 4K output and retains HDR support, but doesn’t make it clear whether this is achieved through upscaling or whether it has some added Oomph built in. The dock also includes a built-in cooling fan to improve system performance.
Nintendo was Cage on more specific specifications. It has been confirmed that onboard storage will jump to 256GB (8x more than the original Switch model on the base), and that it will be “faster” to read and write data, but no mention of the Switch 2 processor, amount of RAM, or other hardware metrics. We’ll bring you more information about this as soon as we have it.
The only other important hardware spec was related to the two game carts on Switch 2 (“faster” than Switch 1’s and is now red”. The console only supports MicroSD Express format cards for storage expansion. This means that other MicroSD card formats cannot be replaced directly from the original switch to Switch 2. You will need to use a system transfer tool.
Although not mentioned during the stream, Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will now be selling for $450 in the US. We contacted Nintendo for more pricing information elsewhere.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.
