Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal Answers Some Questions But Raises Far More
Nintendo’s big announcement didn’t announce much.
At long last, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been officially revealed. After Nintendo’s January 16 announcement, we now know… well, not a whole lot more, honestly. Nintendo fans are still waiting to hear about the Switch 2’s technical capabilities, and more importantly, what games will be available, but our first look at the console does at least answer a few questions that grew out of the many leaks preceding it, while raising even more.
To get the biggest questions out of the way first: no, we don’t know the Switch 2 release date (though it is launching this year) or price tag. While the original Switch landed in stores in March 2017, there’s essentially no chance the Switch 2 will be available before June. Nintendo has announced a series of in-person events to show off the Switch 2 around the world, one of which runs until June 1, and two more that could come ever later.
The Nintendo Switch 2 looks much like its predecessor in its official reveal.
Here’s the full list of dates for those hands-on events:
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
Events in Hong Kong and Taipei have yet to have their dates announced. Anyone interested in attending the upcoming U.S. events will need to register for the chance to win a ticket. Registration starts January 17 and ends January 26 on Nintendo’s website.
As for the hardware itself, Nintendo didn’t share the technical specs of the Switch 2. As the console’s reveal trailer showed, the Switch 2 will be a bit bigger than the original Switch, which means a larger screen and Joy-Cons to match. It’s not clear how much bigger the console is getting, though. A side-by-side of the old and new Switch at the trailer’s end does make the new console look significantly beefier, somewhere around the size of a thinner Steam Deck. However, we don’t know if the image is to scale, so it’s hard to glean much from it.
Yep, that’s a bigger Switch alright.
The video does make clear that the Switch 2 has one USB-C port on top and one on the bottom. The bottom port will connect to the dock and presumably be used to charge the Switch 2, but it’s not yet known what the top port is for. Fortunately, the Switch 2 is not doing away with its headphone jack like so many other electronics have done in the past few years.
Nintendo also showed off a vastly improved kickstand for the Switch 2, which runs the entire length of the screen, and looks to be adjustable from a position that keeps the Switch 2 almost upright to one where it’s nearly lying flat. Compared to the kickstand on the original Switch, it looks like a big upgrade, and given the larger screen size, it could actually be worth it to detach the Joy-Cons and play with the console sitting on a table this time around.
The Joy-Cons themselves are a clean black this time, with only small blue and pink accents. As was rumored, Nintendo is also doing away with the rails that let you slide the Joy-Cons onto the console from above. Instead, the Joy-Cons plug directly into the side of the Switch, and are likely magnetic as was speculated. A new dock and Joy-Con controller were also revealed, both of which look just like a bigger version of their Switch equivalents. The right Joy-Con includes a new button near the bottom, and it’s anyone’s guess what it does. Most speculation seems to be that it will be used to access a system menu in-game without going back to the home screen.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons are slightly bigger than the originals, with a few functional changes.
One of the strangest rumors before the announcement was that the new Joy-Cons would include a sensor on their inside edge that would allow them to be turned sideways and used like a mouse. Given Nintendo’s history of bizarre controllers, it should come as little surprise that that rumor seems to be true. The reveal video shows the Joy-Cons zipping across a surface much in the way you’d use a mouse.
As for games, that’s where the biggest question mark still lies. The Switch 2 reveal showed off what is almost certainly the next Mario Kart game, which will likely be a launch title. It also revealed that physical and digital Switch games will be compatible with the Switch 2, though there may be exceptions. Nintendo says it will reveal which games aren’t compatible at a later date, but games with unique control schemes like Labo and Ring Fit Adventure seem to be the most likely candidates for the chopping block.
While details are sparse after the Switch 2 reveal, there’s at least a solid date for when we’ll be learning more. A Nintendo Direct will be held on April 2 sharing a more in-depth look at the Switch 2.
