Nintendo Switch 2 has been officially announced with a tentative 2025 release date. More details about the company’s next console will follow at an event in April.
Nintendo Switch 2 refines the design of the original Switch, which debuted in 2017, with a few tweaks and changes. You’ll find a new USB-C port at the top next to the headphone jack. The Joy-Con controller now attaches to the side via what appear to be magnets, if Nintendo’s promotional video embedded below is anything to go by.
The controller itself is mostly black and has smart-looking colored accents. Nintendo might offer other color finishes, given that the original Switch was black for years until the Lite and OLED versions dropped. The updated Joy-Con has a new button below the home button that appears to detach the controller from the console.
It’s also got bigger SL and SR buttons. The new Joy-Cons will support a standalone controller grip, like the original version. Here’s hoping they won’t suffer from the Joy-Con drift. Both the new console and the refreshed controllers are larger than the originals.
Nintendo has also announced that Mario Kart will finally get a sequel for Switch 2, eight years after the game debuted. If you’ve amassed a bunch of Switch games over the years, don’t sweat; they’ll continue working on Switch 2. Nintendo said earlier that the new console will be compatible with existing Switch games, both digital downloads and cartridges.
That includes system sellers that helped turn the original Switch into such a huge hit, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Metroid Prime Remastered. Switch 2 is also compatible with Nintendo’s paid Switch Online service. However, some Switch games “may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”
Nintendo didn’t hint further at what games might not work on Switch 2, but we’ll soon learn more details about the console and launch lineup at a dedicated Direct event on April 2, 2025. Nintendo fans in the United States will be able to get their hands on the console and try some of the upcoming games at dedicated events called the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in April.
So far, Nintendo has confirmed events in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Similar events will be held in Europe, Australia, and Asia, with a complete list on Nintendo’s website. You can register for the events with your Nintendo account on the official website beginning January 17 at 3 pm ET, with tickets available via “a free-to-enter, randomly selected drawing.”
Source: Nintendo