Finally the long wait is over. In a YouTube video with little fanfare, Nintendo officially introduced the long-awaited Switch 2. The first true next-gen follow-up to the original Switch includes backwards-compatibility for owners of the existing Switch games. We will learn more about the console during a Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2, 2025. However, there is still no specific release date.
Nintendo also plans to host first-look experience events in cities around the world starting in April, the first of which will take place in New York City and Paris from April 4 to April 6. More cities around North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia will follow.
This trailer and accompanying press release is really light on details. We can see how the Switch 2 has evolved from the original, with a larger screen and the inclusion of Joy-Con controllers that appear to attach via magnets and a small port on the side of the controller. That's it, though – no price, specs or any details on what games will be coming to the Switch 2.
It says, we made check out some shots of a Mario Kart game running on the Switch 2 — hence all the rumors surrounding a Mario Kart 9 launching alongside the Switch 2 got another shot in the arm today.
The Switch 2 announcement was long time coming Today's news ends months of speculation about when the company will unveil new hardware. Community interest in a Switch 2 was vocal enough that president Shuntaro Furukawa posted on X preceded by the June 2024 Nintendo Direct did not expect any new news on the console, although he did confirm that the Switch's successor will be introduced in March 2025.
Nintendo has given gamers a few minor upgrades over the years since the Switch first arrived on the scene in 2017. The Switch to Lite offers a more compact handheld ideal for gaming on the go, and the Switch to OLED delivered a premium screen. But even within the confines of a portable gaming device, the Switch lags far behind other consoles when it comes to power and performance. Of course, trying to compete with Sony and Microsoft's consoles on pure power hasn't been Nintendo's concern for decades at this point. Once we get our hands on the Switch 2, we'll know if it delivers enough oomph to feel worth the wait.
