During a Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, the company officially confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 would become available to consumers on June 5th, 2025, with pre-orders starting next Wednesday, April 9th, aligning with a report we shared at the end of last week.
The new Nintendo Switch 2 will carry a price tag of $449, which is a considerable price hike over its predecessor, the original Nintendo Switch. By comparison, the Nintendo Switch retailed for $199 for the Lite model, $299 for the original LCD display-equipped model, and $349 for the OLED display-equipped model.
What are gamers getting for that extra dime? While the specs of the Nintendo Switch 2 have remained largely under wraps since first being teased in January, we finally have details after today’s Nintendo Direct. Here’s what we know the console will offer:
- A built-in 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display with HDR10 & variable refresh rate up to 120Hz
- A custom CPU/GPU made by NVIDIA
- 256GB of internal flash storage
- 4K resolution at 60 fps in docked/TV mode or 1440p/1080p at 120 fps in docked/TV mode
- Dual USB-C ports, one for charging and the other for accessories
- Support for both Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2 game cards
- Support for microSD Express cards up to 2TB (regular microSD not supported)
- 5,220mAh internal lithium-ion battery that lasts 2-6.5 hours and charges in 3 hours
- Cooling fan integrated into Dock to keep system temperature lower
- Updated Joy-Con controllers will feature mouse-like controls
The updated Nintendo Switch joins a host of updated accessories, including a new Nintendo Switch 2 camera for use with GameChat and an updated Pro Controller with a headphone jack and a new C button for accessing chat menu controls – the same C button appears on the updated Joy-Con controllers.
For those wondering, games for the Nintendo Switch 2 will appear different from original Nintendo Switch games because the cards will be red instead of black, but it appears they will retain the same dimensions.
At launch, Nintendo will ship a bundle edition of the Nintendo Switch 2 that includes a copy of the new Mario Kart World game for $499 total, but it will also be possible to buy the game separately for $79.99, making the bundle a particularly compelling offer. In July, Donkey Kong Bonanza will also launch for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo plans to release Nintendo Switch 2 editions of popular existing Nintendo Switch titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime 4, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Pokémon Legends Z-A, and others. The updated titles will have features unique to the Nintendo Switch 2, whether that’s updated graphics, more in-game content, or support for the newer Joy-Con hardware.
You can watch the full Nintendo Direct below:
Yes, there’s certainly a lot to be excited about here, but we expect that more games will be announced for the Nintendo Switch 2 later in the year when developers have more time to test out and develop for the platform.
Are you planning to acquire a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, or will you pass on this generation? Let us know in the comments section down below.