To say people are hungry for news of the Nintendo Switch’s successor would be an understatement. We’ve reached such a fever point that Nintendo now needs to preface its Direct presentations with the disclaimer that, no, the new console won’t be launched tomorrow, so please stop asking.
This anticipation makes sense, though. The launch of the Switch was one of the most significant gaming events of the past decade. Since its release back in 2017, Nintendo has reportedly sold a combined 143.4 million units worldwide of the standard Switch, along with the variant Lite and OLED models. It’s one of the best-selling game consoles of all time, only outdone by the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation 2.
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Officially called the Nintendo Switch 2, this successor has a huge reputation to live up to. While Nintendo has been pretty withholding when it comes to information about the console, it recently offered a teasing first look at the upcoming console, confirming it will be released in 2025.
Here’s everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2, along with a few rumours and possible leaks.
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Key Details About The Nintendo Switch 2:
- When will it launch? The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in 2025. While a date is yet to be confirmed, it won’t be before April.
- How much will it cost? Pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 remains to be confirmed.
- What are the upgrades? Full specifications of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be confirmed in early April. From what we’ve seen so far, it will be larger than the original and feature a second USB-C port, kickstand, and different Joy-Cons, while other improvements may include a longer battery life, increased storage, and a better chip.
- What are the new games? While Nintendo is yet to officially confirm new games for the Nintendo Switch 2, in the teaser clip above we see footage of a new Mario Kart. The Nintendo Switch 2 will also have backwards compatibility with some physical and digital games from the original Switch.
When Will The Nintendo Switch 2 Be Released?
While we don’t know the exact release date for the Nintendo Switch 2, however, we do have a better idea following the recent announcements. Nintendo has confirmed that “details will be shared” during an online event called “Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025”, to take place on Wednesday the 2nd of April.
Additionally, it’s confirmed in-person Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events will be hosted around the world, where buyers can go hands-on with the device. The first of these events will take place on the 4th of April in New York, with the last confirmed event on the 1st of June (but possibly beyond this date).
We’d guess that the Nintendo Switch 2 will either be released during the online event on the 4th of April, or it will be launched following the conclusion of the hands-on events, possibly in July or beyond. So while that’s far from a confirmed date, we’re predicting it’ll either arrive in early April, or deeper into the second half of 2025.
For reference, the original Switch was announced in October 2016, before being released worldwide in March 2017. The OLED Model was revealed in July 2021, before launching later that year in October.
What Will The Nintendo Switch 2 Cost?
Again, we’re not too sure, but we can certainly speculate. The Nintendo Switch launched in Australia for $469.95, while the OLED Model was priced at $539. Looking at those figures and considering that the Switch 2 will most likely receive a hardware upgrade, we could potentially see its price pushing the $600 mark.
Nintendo is usually pretty competitive with Sony and Microsoft pricing, so it’d be fair to suggest that you won’t be paying PS5 prices.
What Can We Expect From The Nintendo Switch 2?
No surprises here, but Nintendo has been pretty tight-lipped about the new console’s capabilities. Most of what we know is based on the teaser trailer, leaks, and speculation, so take some of these with a grain of salt.
As far as upgrades go, the Switch 2’s hardware will be what makes or breaks the console. While The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is undoubtedly a fantastic game, it pushed against the console’s limits when it came to performance.
According to Eurogamer, Nintendo presented a tech demo for the new console to developers during Gamescom 2023, showing off its beefier specs. We probably shouldn’t expect hardware that’s on the level of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, but it’ll ideally be a leap from the current specs. If you’re hoping the new console will support GTA 6, keep dreaming.
One of the Switch’s biggest shortcomings is its internal storage, so hopefully we’ll see a considerable improvement there. It was all too easy to max out the original unit’s piddly 32GB of storage. While the OLED Model did bump up its storage capacity to 64GB, it was a pretty low-effort solution – like slapping a bandaid on a broken leg.
Some rumours have suggested a much larger storage capacity. CentroLeaks posted leaked manufacturing details to X (formerly Twitter), which included 256GB of storage. These details also included an alleged memory upgrade to 12GB that’ll be split over two 6GB 7500 MT/s LPDDR5 modules, which is a pretty big leap from the current Switch’s 4GB RAM.
While we don’t have detailed specs from the teaser trailer, the Nintendo Switch 2 will arrive with a larger screen, complete with a second USB-C port and a kickstand to hold itself upright. The Joy-Cons have also been upgraded, now featuring a more subtle pastel colour scheme and what appears to be a magnetic attachment to the screen.
Additionally, Nintendo has confirmed there will be limited backwards compatibility with physical and digital games from the original Switch. Specifically that:
“Nintendo Switch 2 plays Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games, as well as both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2”
Thankfully, it seems we won’t need to buy Mario Kart 8 for a third console.
