Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 is an upcoming video game console developed by Nintendo. Like the original Nintendo Switch, released in 2017, the Switch 2 is a hybrid console that can be used as a handheld, a tablet-like device, or docked when connected to an external display, using detachable Joy-Con controllers to switch between modes.
The Switch 2 entered development in 2019, with focus on backwards compatibility with Switch games. It features a larger liquid-crystal display, more internal storage, longer battery life and updated Joy-Con controllers. It allows for 1080p resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate in handheld or tabletop mode and 4K resolution at 60 frames per second while docked. Select Switch games can use the improved Switch 2 performance through either free or paid updates.
Games will be available through physical game cards and Nintendo's digital eShop. The Switch 2 continues to use the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service required for some multiplayer games, and to provide access to the Nintendo Classics library of emulated games from older consoles, with new support for Nintendo GameCube games. The new GameChat features allows players to chat remotely, share their screens, and include footage from a webcam accessory.
Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 on January 16, 2025, followed by its full specifications and release date in a Nintendo Direct on April 2, 2025. It is scheduled for release in most territories on June 5, 2025.
Nintendo released the original Nintendo Switch in March 2017, which was developed in the wake of the commercial failure of the Wii U. The Switch was promoted as a hybrid console with handheld, tabletop, and docked configurations, with Joy-Con controllers that could be separated from the main unit for these configurations. Compared to the other consoles on the market at the time, including the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the Switch used less powerful computational hardware to keep the unit's price low, but sufficient to power the type of games Nintendo typically publishes; part of the company's long-term blue ocean strategy to differentiate themselves from the other console manufacturers. The Nintendo Switch became Nintendo's best-selling home console, and by 2023, the third best-selling gaming console overall, following the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. At the time of the Switch 2's announcement in January 2025, the Nintendo Switch had sold over 146 million units worldwide.
Internally at Nintendo, pre-production of their next console started shortly after the Switch's release, with a team reviewing the performance limitations of the Switch and identifying what hardware changes could be made to address those. This also gave them enough time to plan out the hardware as to be able to ship software development kits (SDKs) to their game development partners. Formal development of the Switch 2 started in 2019, led by producer Kouichi Kawamoto, hardware director Takuhiro Dohta, and technical director Tetsuya Sasaki. While past Nintendo consoles have generally featured a new type of hardware experience, such as the hybrid mode of the original Switch, the Switch 2 team found that developers had adapted to writing their games towards the Switch modes and felt it would not be helpful to introduce significant hardware changes, and instead focus on computation performance improvements to give developers more tools. Hardware components were selected to balance performance and battery life alongside with expanding the console's memory to support newer games.
As Nintendo prioritized improving the hardware, backwards compatibility was more complex to implement than it had been for consoles such as Nintendo DS or Wii U, which used similar hardware to their predecessors. The Switch 2 uses a hybrid of software and hardware emulation to avoid a more taxing software-only solution. The name was partially influenced by the backwards compatibility. Nintendo also considered "Super Nintendo Switch", similar to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System following the Nintendo Entertainment System, but they felt this would diminish the compatibility feature.
The new Joy-Con controllers were also redesigned from the ground up. With the larger screen on the console, simply scaling the older Joy-Con to match size was not sufficient as their longer size would make it more difficult to hold and trigger the shoulder buttons, so they included more rounding-off of the corners and extended the shoulder buttons further towards the side of the controller. The HD Rumble feature was improved and bypassing the limits of the original Joy-Con, heightening its intensity to levels that are comparable to those on Nintendo GameCube controllers. Rather than the rail system used on the original Switch, the new Joy-Con are connected using magnetic connections. Nintendo had originally explored magnetic connections for the first Switch model but the connection was determined to be too wobbly, and they altered the design to the rail approach. With the Joy-Con 2, they refined the magnetic approach, making the connection stronger and easily removed with a mechanical release system. With this new system, the Joy-Con now audibly snap when the magnetic connection is made, which Dohta said helped to symbolize the Switch branding. The capability of the Joy-Con to be used as computer mice was an idea introduced by Kawamoto who also played games on personal computers, as mouse control would not only allow the Joy-Con help for replacement the screen's touch controls when the console is docked, but also could be used to introduce new forms of gameplay. Kawamoto said this idea represented Gunpei Yokoi's concept of "lateral thinking of withered technology" that has been part of Nintendo's approach for several decades. The Pro controller was also similarly redesigned for the Switch 2, smoothing out the motions of the joysticks, and adding an audio jack and two programmable buttons in the grips that the player can customize.
The GameChat feature, which allows players to chat, share video from a webcam, and share screens, was a result of Nintendo developer's own frustration with existing tools they had to use in game development during the 2020's COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Existing software solutions allowed them to chat and see each other but could only share one screen at a time, and they found a makeshift solution by having their webcams pointed at their screens so that all screens were visible at all times. Kawamoto said that felt "like we were all in the same place, each bringing our own console to play the game together, which was a lot of fun", and leading to the development of the GameChat feature. The GameChat feature was developed to minimize the use of system resources that would take away from game performance, and uses the same streaming technology that was developed for the Wii U and Wii U GamePad.
Prior to Nintendo's official announcement, industry rumors began as early as 2019 of a high-end model of the Switch, often nicknamed the "Nintendo Switch Pro" in the media, though many of these were later confirmed to be incorporated into the OLED Switch model released in 2021. Nintendo affirmed it was working on its next gaming system to its investors in October 2020. Digital Foundry said that Nintendo may have been working on a pro model for the Switch, but by December 2022, the company appeared to have fully transitioned all development work towards the Nintendo Switch successor console.
In a June 2023 shareholder question-and-answer session, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated the company sought to make the transition between the Nintendo Switch and its successor smooth for consumers, and was planning to retain the console's Nintendo Account system. Backwards compatibility was a key part of the design of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company saying as part of the console's announcement, "Nintendo Switch is played by many consumers, and we decided that the best direction to take would be for consumers to be able to play their already purchased Nintendo Switch software on the successor to Nintendo Switch."
Video Games Chronicle reported in July 2023 that Nintendo had sent out SDKs for its next console to development partners and that Nintendo wanted to avoid the shortages that the ninth generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, had suffered at launch. Nintendo showcased the console in a private presentation during Gamescom in August; among the tech demos were a version of the Switch game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), running at a higher frame rate and resolution, and the Unreal Engine 5 demo The Matrix Awakens (2021).
On May 7, 2024, Furukawa officially acknowledged the development of the Switch's successor, stating that more information would be revealed later that fiscal year. Rumors of a new console persisted through 2024, and at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in early January, several third-party accessory vendors highlighted gear slated for the successor, leading Nintendo to issue a statement that none of the mock-ups used at the show were official.
On September 18, 2024, supposed images of the system leaked on Reddit, with details that matched previous reports. In October 2024, Pokémon developer Game Freak became the target of a significant data breach which exposed various development materials associated with the franchise. Among them included references to the tenth generation Pokémon games, and a reference to the Nintendo Switch's successor, codenamed "Ounce".
On January 16, 2025, the Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed via Nintendo's official channels, introducing its new design and magnetic Joy-Con controllers, as well as a brief footage of a new Mario Kart game, which was later announced as Mario Kart World (2025). A one-hour Nintendo Direct presentation centered around the console premiered on April 2, 2025, with Nintendo Treehouse presentations on Switch 2 games airing in the following 2 days. Nintendo is currently hosting a series of worldwide events from April through June 2025 to allow players to try out the console before release. Furukawa stated that the company was making preparations for the Switch 2's release to prevent excessive sales to resellers and scalpers, which had been an issue with previous Nintendo hardware releases.
The console was initially expected to launch in late 2024; however, in February, Bloomberg News reported that Nintendo had informed publishers it was delaying the release into early 2025. The Nikkei, corroborating Bloomberg, reported the delay was to prevent shortages and scalping. Nintendo's shares fell by nearly six percent following the reported delay. In August 2024, GamesIndustry.biz and Eurogamer reported that the console would not launch before April 2025. Game publisher and accessory maker Nacon anticipated that the console would be released within the first half of Nintendo's fiscal year beginning in April, and ending September 30, 2025.
As part of the promotion for the Switch 2, Nintendo partnered with Major League Baseball and the Seattle Mariners to have the Nintendo and Switch 2 logos be featured on the Mariners' team jerseys for the 2025 season. During the March 2025 installment of Nintendo Direct, the company simultaneously announced and launched the Nintendo Today! application for iOS and Android devices, intended to act as the primary news and calendar hub for delivering information on various Nintendo platforms, including daily updates related to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, software, services and forthcoming events following the Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct.
Months before the console's release, Nintendo stockpiled "hundreds of thousands" of units in the United States to avoid potential increased tariffs enacted by the Trump administration and reduce the likelihood of shortages. Nintendo also shifted production and sourcing of parts away from China and towards Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, to avoid tariffs levied specifically against China. To avoid reselling issues in Japan, a region-lock Switch 2 will be sold at retail in the country at a reduced cost, with a region lock-free version to be released via Nintendo's online store only. In other regions, while pre-orders will be available through retailers, Nintendo established a pre-order wait list to purchase directly from Nintendo, but requiring users to have a Nintendo Account and established playtime, among other requirements.
Bloomberg analysts predicted that the Switch 2 would launch at a starting price of US$400 or higher, pending the impact of the imposed tariffs on American goods that took effect in February 2025, yet affirmed that the console was projected to have a strong launch aided by exclusive software and backwards compatibility with the Switch library. The Switch 2's price would ultimately be revealed as US$449.99; which is 50% higher than what the original Switch retailed for at launch, and drew criticism for being seen as too expensive. Select Switch 2 games were announced to be retailing at US$80, which drew additional criticism. The price point makes the Switch 2 Nintendo's most expensive ever console, and its most expensive console in over 30 years when adjusted for inflation.
Several publications suggested that the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on April 2, 2025, could have indirectly impacted the price of the console; industry researcher Joost van Dreunen estimated that the tariffs had increased the price of the console by $50. Shortly after the tariffs were announced, Nintendo delayed preorders in the US "to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."
However, other analysts have suggested that the US tariffs may have not been a major factor in the reason for the Switch 2's price, citing the already rising prices of video game consoles and the fact that Canada and countries in Europe also have similar price points, among other factors. Writing in Aftermath, games journalist Luke Plunkett opined that the post-pandemic inflation surge and consequent cost-of-living crisis was likely to impact the console's sales. Some fans have campaigned for Nintendo to lower the price of the Switch 2 and its games via social media platforms and in the audience text chats during Nintendo's livestreams.
Like its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a hybrid console, which can be used as both a handheld console, or placed into a dock connected to a television or monitor to be played like a home console. The unit maintains a similar form factor as the Nintendo Switch, and consists of the main body that includes the screen and primary hardware, and two Joy-Con devices that can be attached to the main unit's sides in handheld mode, or can communicate wirelessly to the main unit when docked.
Along with the existing ports from the Nintendo Switch's design, which includes a USB-C port on the bottom which also serves as its power source and connector within a dock, a headphone jack, and a cartridge slot, the Nintendo Switch 2 includes a second USB-C port on the top of the unit, as well as an internal microphone with noise cancellation.
The Switch 2 uses a 7.9 in (20 cm) LCD touchscreen with 1080p resolution and HDR, which supports a variable refresh rate up to 120 Hz. When docked, the console can output up to 1440p at 120 Hz or 4K resolution at 60 Hz with HDR. The original Switch included an OLED revision, and while Nintendo had considered using OLED for the Switch 2, hardware design lead Tetsua Sasaki said they opted to use LCD due to the advancements in LCD technology including support for HDR. Unlike the first-generation model, the dock also contains a built-in ethernet connector and a cooling fan.
The system on a chip, the Nvidia Tegra T239 (codenamed "Drake"), features an octa-core ARM Cortex-A78C CPU, a 12 SM Ampere GPU, and a 128-bit LPDDR5 memory interface. The Switch 2 supports Nvidia's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology and ray tracing, and supports variable refresh rate through Nvidia G-Sync in handheld mode through tensor and RT cores. It will also support Wi-Fi 6.
The Switch 2 includes 256 GB of internal storage, an increase from the 32 GB of the first-generation Switch. Storage can be expanded using microSD Express cards of up to 2 TB, allowing higher read and write speeds than the microSDHC and microSDXC cards used in the first-generation model. Switch 2 will only support loading games from microSD Express cards; while it still supports accessing microSDHC and microSDXC cards, they can only be used for viewing screenshots and videos.
The Switch 2 is primarily powered in handheld mode by an internal, non-removable 5,220 mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Nintendo estimates the battery life to be between approximately 2 and 6.5 hours, though noting that these are rough estimates and the actual duration will depend on the specific software being used. The battery can be charged via either USB-C port. The estimated recharge time is approximately 3 hours, when the system is in Sleep mode.
On January 1, 2025, alleged images of the system's motherboard appeared. A user on Famiboards then calculated, based on the physical dimensions, that the system on a chip was likely produced using a 5 nm process node. However, Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry concluded that, rather than porting the Ampere-based architecture to a smaller process node, it is more likely that the existing low-cost Samsung 8nm process node is being used. While such a process poses difficulties for performance and battery life, Leadbetter believes these can be relieved due to the nature of fixed hardware platforms, which allow for custom optimizations to be implemented.
Outside Japan, the Switch 2 does not use regional lockout. In Japan, Nintendo will sell the standard international multi-language model and a cheaper model that only works with Japanese Nintendo Accounts and cannot be set to other languages. This was interpreted as an effort to appeal to the Japanese market and combat the weak Japanese yen.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers have an updated design from the original Joy-Con. Besides being larger to match the larger console, they attach magnetically by snapping to the sides rather than using a rail system. They are removed using a small button on the Joy-Con 2 that causes a cylinder in the Joy-Con 2 to extend and push off from the main unit. Nintendo stated that their analog sticks would be larger, smoother, and more durable; reports indicated that they would use hall effect sensors, which would address the drift issues that the original models had due to dust collecting within the analog system. The SL and SR buttons on the side of the controllers have been enlarged, and a new "C" button is present on the right Joy-Con 2 to activate the new "GameChat" feature. The controllers are also able to be used like a computer mouse in supported games by sliding them on their side. Both Joy-Con 2 controllers have a 500mAh battery that is estimated to last 20 hours. The controllers are recharged when connected to the console or by using a third-party charging dock or grip. The infrared sensor from the first-generation Joy-Con have been removed.
As with its predecessor, games for Nintendo Switch 2 can be obtained in physical and digital formats, with physically distributed games being stored on proprietary Game Cards that share a similar form factor with those used on the first-generation Switch. Game Cards for Switch 2 games will be coloured in red to differentiate them from those released for the first-generation Switch (dark grey). The console is compatible with the majority of physical releases for the first-generation Switch.
Beginning on Switch 2, some games may ship with Game Cards that only contain a digital license and no game data ("Game-Key Card"); when inserted, the game's files will be downloaded to the console. Unlike digital purchases, the Game Card must still be inserted to launch the game. Game-Key Cards are an evolution of a similar practice that was used by some third-party Switch games, which only contained a portion of the game's data on their cards due to file size constraints, and similarly required downloading the remainder of the data.
Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch Online service would be retained on the Switch 2, although the "Game Voucher" service will not be available for Switch 2-exclusive games. As part of the existing legacy games service on Switch Online, a selection of games from the Nintendo GameCube are set to be distributed exclusively for Switch 2 under the rebranded "Nintendo Classics" moniker. The collection will launch in tandem with the console in June 2025, and will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II (both 2002), and F-Zero GX (2003). Other games, such as Luigi's Mansion (2001), Super Mario Sunshine (2002), Chibi-Robo! and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (both 2005) will be added procedurally at unspecified dates. Additional features applied across the Nintendo Classics catalogue will also be exclusively supported on Switch 2, such as button remapping, as well as CRT filters and a rewind function being added to existing Nintendo 64 games on the service. Nintendo will also release a new iteration of the GameCube controller alongside the platform's addition to Nintendo Classics, available exclusively to existing Switch Online subscribers.
A new VoIP service known as "GameChat" will be available, which will allow users to conduct voice chats and screen sharing with friends. GameChat will also support video calls using an optional webcam accessory. It is accessible via a "C" button on the right Joy-Con. However, chat will only work with an active paid Nintendo Online subscription.
Pokémon series developer Game Freak was targeted in a data breach by an unspecified third-party ransomware group in October 2024. Among the publicly available materials, project plans for the tenth generation Pokémon games revealed that they were being developed for a simultaneous launch on both Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch. The console's reveal trailer in January 2025 was accompanied by early footage of Mario Kart World, later announced to launch alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. First-party Nintendo Switch games for 2025 such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A will also be made simultaneously available on Switch 2 as "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" titles, boasting graphical and performance enhancements. A tour game for the console called Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour was revealed in the April 2 Direct, releasing as a digital exclusive alongside the console launch.
A survey conducted at the 2024 Game Developers Conference in January 2024 inquired 3,000 independent and AAA developers on game creation and which platforms they were engaging, of which 250 individuals identified themselves as already producing games slated for Nintendo Switch 2, while a further 32% of those surveyed expressed interest in developing for the console. In May 2024, Nintendo announced their intentions to acquire Miami-based developer Shiver Entertainment from their prior parent company Embracer Group, with the company detailing in a statement that the merger enabled them to procure specialized in-house resources for the development and porting of software, while allowing the studio to continue their commitments to Nintendo Switch and other platforms. Bloomberg News later reported that the acquisition was for bolstering Nintendo's efforts in securing games from third-party developers on Nintendo Switch 2, with Shiver assisting external developers in the optimization of such games from competing platforms. In September 2024, developer Pathea Games announced My Time at Evershine, the spiritual successor to My Time at Portia (2019) and My Time at Sandrock (2023). In October 2024, Playtonic Games announced their upcoming remaster Yooka-Replaylee would be released on "Nintendo platforms." In March 2025, developer FuturLab announced PowerWash Simulator 2, initially confirming a launch on Switch 2 alongside other platforms to news outlets, before partially retracting their statements.
During the Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct in April 2025, multiple publishers pledged support for the console, including Square Enix, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, CD Projekt Red, Bandai Namco, Sega, Supergiant Games, Warner Bros. Games, Activision Blizzard and IO Interactive, among others. An initial lineup of 46 games from publishing partners was confirmed, with 17 slated to coincide with the console's launch in June. Notable third-party releases revealed during the stream included Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Hades II, Borderlands 4, Yakuza 0 Director's Cut, Elden Ring - Tarnished Edition, Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition, Hitman: World of Assassination, Split Fiction, Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion and Street Fighter 6. Both EA and Take-Two Interactive also formally committed to bringing their respective sports franchises, EA Sports FC, Madden NFL, WWE 2K and NBA 2K to the platform. Nintendo was also revealed to be collaborating with partner studios on exclusive games for the system, such as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment with Koei Tecmo, and The Duskbloods with FromSoftware.
Microsoft Gaming's Phil Spencer said that they will support the Switch 2 with ports of their Xbox games, as part of their multiplatform distribution strategy. Such games reportedly include ports of Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Microsoft had previously signed an agreement with Nintendo to bring future entries in the Call of Duty franchise to their platforms as part of their acquisition bid for Activision Blizzard, which became legally binding in February 2023.
Publisher Ubisoft commented that they were "in love" with the console following its reveal, and are rumored to be bringing Assassin's Creed Mirage and Assassin's Creed Shadows to the system during its launch window. Weicong Wu, producer of Marvel Rivals, expressed interest in bringing the game to the Switch 2, having stated that the team has already contacted Nintendo and possessed dev kits, however, has stated that it will only come to the Switch 2 if the game's performance is satisfactory.
The Switch 2 will be backward compatible with most Switch games, both physically and digitally. Some games are not directly compatible with the hardware changes in the Switch 2 and the new Joy-Con, but may still be playable using the Joy-Con from the original switch, such as games that require IR functionality. For most other Switch games, they will be playable using a type of emulation akin to a translation layer since the Switch 2 does not have the same hardware as the original Switch. Hardware director Takuhiro Dohta described the solution as "somewhere in between a software emulator and hardware compatibility" and Tetsuya Sasaki said that the method used is "performed on a real-time basis as the data is read". This method allows Switch games to have Switch 2 features added, such as GameChat support, when played on the Switch 2. As of April 2025, of the 122 Nintendo-developed games tested, all were found to be compatible except the Nintendo Labo VR Kit, due to the Switch 2's larger size being unable to fit inside the accessory. Nintendo also announced that 20% of over 15,000 third-party-developed games had no compatibility issues, with the remaining third-party games requiring more testing or had issues Nintendo was continuing to work on. At that time, close to 190 games had known issues.
Certain Switch games will have upgrades for the console sold separately or available via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass, with some adding new content to the games. At launch, these include Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Other Switch games, such as Super Mario Odyssey and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, will be simple performance updates for the Switch 2 offered for free, but without additional content.
To aid users in bringing their Switch games to the Switch 2, Nintendo will introduce Virtual Game Cards in April 2025, which can be used to virtually transfer digitally-purchased games for use on a second Switch or Switch 2 system, or loaned out to a family member's Switch system for up to two weeks.
In addition, existing Joy-Con and Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers will be forward compatible with the console.