Nintendo Switch 2 Preview: Everything You Need to Know – Decrypt

The Swap is Nintendo’s best-selling house console of all time, and extensively beloved for its wealthy library of video games—a dramatic flip from the middling Wii U earlier than it. But it surely’s been eight years because the Swap launched, and followers are getting antsy for Nintendo’s subsequent huge factor.

Fortunately, it is coming. Following years of leaks and rumors, and even a pair official acknowledgments that the next-gen mannequin was coming, Nintendo formally revealed the Swap 2 console in January 2025.

From what we all know formally and what’s been extensively reported, the Swap successor will pack in additional energy than the unique whereas sustaining its profitable mix of house console and handheld performance. This is every part you might want to know.

What’s the Nintendo Swap 2?

It is official: Nintendo is making a successor to its wildly in style Swap console. Granted, that is no shock to anybody that is adopted the online game business for greater than a minute. However now we have seen what’s coming.

Nintendo shared the primary official teaser video under on January 16, 2025, sharing many key particulars for the Swap 2 whereas nonetheless taking part in coy on others. We have discovered quite a bit from this video, little doubt, however there’s nonetheless a lot we wish to know.

However this is not the primary time that Nintendo has formally commented. On Could 7, 2024, Nintendo’s official company account tweeted the next assertion:

“That is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We’ll make an announcement in regards to the successor to Nintendo Swap inside this fiscal yr. It can have been over 9 years since we introduced the existence of Nintendo Swap again in March 2015. We will likely be holding a Nintendo Direct this June concerning the Nintendo Swap software program lineup for the latter half of 2024, however please remember that there will likely be no point out of the Nintendo Swap successor throughout that presentation.”

Even forward of the Could 2024 announcement, Nintendo was clearly planning for what’s subsequent. In response to a fan query in June 2023, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated, “As for the transition from Nintendo Swap to the next-generation machine, we wish to do as a lot as attainable in an effort to easily transition our prospects, whereas using the Nintendo Account.”

When will the Nintendo Swap 2 come out?

Stories had lengthy pointed to a late 2024 launch goal, however that did not occur. Now, with the official trailer launch, all we have now is a “2025” launch window.

We will make some educated guesses right here, nevertheless. Nintendo will maintain a Direct livestream on April 2, 2025 at 9am ET to presumably share rather more in regards to the console, after which maintain hands-on occasions in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas all through the remainder of the month, with the final introduced occasion ending on April 27.

So we doubt the Swap 2 will likely be accessible to personal earlier than then. Maybe a Could or June drop is smart, then, however we in all probability will not know for positive till that Direct livestream in April.

Any in-demand console launch is inevitably tormented by shortages, however Nintendo’s president says the corporate is already pondering forward to find out how to reduce the impression the subsequent time round.

In an investor-centric Q&A from June 2024 translated from Japanese by IGN, Shuntaro Furukawa stated that Nintendo is pondering forward to produce points and looking out into how native legal guidelines and rules may assist stymie the resale market that many consoles get snapped up and bought into at inflated costs. Moreover, the agency does not anticipate major factor shortages that would sluggish console manufacturing.

“Though we had been unable to provide adequate portions of Nintendo Swap {hardware} final yr and the yr earlier than resulting from a scarcity of semiconductor parts, this example has now been resolved,” he stated. “Right now, we don’t consider that the scarcity of parts may have a major impression on the manufacturing of the successor mannequin.”

In February 2025, throughout the agency’s newest earnings name, Furukawa reiterated that the corporate is aiming to discourage scalpers from shopping for up accessible inventory for the resale market.

“We’ll take all attainable measures primarily based on the expertise we have now gathered so far (concerning scalpers and the like). We’re making preparations,” he stated, per Nikkei (by way of VGC).

How a lot will the Nintendo Swap 2 price?

Formally, we do not know but: Nintendo hasn’t stated something on this entrance. However there’s been loads of hypothesis.

The unique Swap launched for $300 in 2017, with the purely handheld Swap Lite rolling out for $200 in 2019. With some premium enhancements (together with a bigger, bolder display), the Nintendo Swap OLED mannequin shipped for $350 in 2021.

In October 2023, a leaker—who WCCF Tech stated has beforehand shared dependable data—claimed that the worth level for the Swap 2 will likely be $449 for the bottom mannequin and $400 for a model that’s absolutely digital with out cartridge help. The official Swap 2 trailer didn’t showcase or level to any absolutely digital mannequin, nevertheless, so that won’t really be within the works.

The Swap 2 will launch into an more and more aggressive handheld panorama that features many PC gaming gadgets. Valve’s in style Steam Deck, for instance, begins at $399 for the bottom mannequin with an LCD display, whereas extra sturdy fashions with OLED panels begin at $549.

What is going to the Nintendo Swap 2 appear like?

After a complete ton of hypothesis, a lot of which was proper on-target, we are able to lastly say: The Swap 2 seems like a much bigger Swap, largely.

Nintendo fortunately is not ditching the Swap’s smash-success hybrid design, delivering a handheld that may simply be docked for TV use. At its core, the Swap 2 does not change an excessive amount of. However there are some notable tweaks and upgrades we’re seeing from the trailer and official imagery to date.

First off, the display and Pleasure-Con attachment controllers are positively bigger. If we needed to guess on display measurement, we would estimate someplace round 7-8 inches, in comparison with 6.2 inches on the conventional Swap. However Nintendo has but to launch official specs.

The mannequin proven within the first trailer ditches the daring crimson and blue Pleasure-Con designs of the unique launch mannequin, as an alternative going for a modern black or maybe darkish grey scheme with crimson and blue accents beneath the analog sticks and within the connective tissue between the console (display) unit and controllers.

As a substitute of getting these Pleasure-Con controllers slide into place, they will plug in by way of an adapter port and be held in place with what seem like magnets. There had been important hypothesis that the Swap 2 will use electromagnets to maintain the controllers in place. We will additionally see from the trailer that there is a new launch button on the again of every Pleasure-Con that triggers a small plunger to disconnect them from the unit.

Moreover, there seems to be a brand new sensor on the Swap 2 Pleasure-cons that lets them be used like a pc mouse on a flat floor, as soon as plugged into the wrist strap attachments. This seems to substantiate hypothesis concerning mouse-like performance, enabling extra superior management schemes for video games like shooters, technique sims, and possibly even inventive apps.

Nintendo even has the Pleasure-Cons scurrying round like little techie mice within the trailer. However the precise Pleasure-Con seems to ditch the infrared digicam discovered on the unique mannequin, which was barely utilized by many video games anyway.

Different attention-grabbing particulars from the trailer: The brand new kickstand is far bigger and hopefully sturdier than that of the unique Swap, permitting for extra freestanding positions. Additionally, there at the moment are two USB-C ports—one on prime and one on the underside. Is the additional one meant to allow probably new equipment?

And we all know that the Swap 2 will proceed to make use of the identical bodily cartridges from the Swap—sure, enabling backwards compatability—together with downloadable video games.

How highly effective will the Nintendo Swap 2 be?

Nintendo hasn’t shared official specs but, and the one sport from the trailer did not give an amazing sense of a visible improve. However we definitely count on a notable step up from what the unique Swap may deal with.

Stories counsel that Nintendo won’t attempt to compete with the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Sequence X because the standard-bearers for house consoles and as an alternative ship a gaming expertise with a bit much less constancy. That is been the usual Nintendo method for a number of generations now. Even so, it seems like a major enchancment over the Swap.

In September 2023, leaked paperwork from main sport writer Activision confirmed that the corporate had evaluated the {hardware} in late 2022, finally surmising that the Swap successor may have related energy to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One {hardware}.

Whereas these are 10-year-old house consoles, it nonetheless can be a notable step up from what the unique Swap can deal with. The Swap’s hybrid home-plus-handheld mannequin additionally signifies that Nintendo has to remember a slim type issue and battery life expectations, so it’s unlikely that we’d even see a Swap-like gadget with top-end internals at an affordable value.

Eurogamer reported that Nintendo confirmed off non-public tech demos for the Swap 2 to builders on the Gamescom convention in August 2023, and that it used an upgraded model of 2017’s hit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as an indication of the brand new {hardware}’s capabilities.

VGC supported that report and added that Nintendo additionally used Epic Video games’ The Matrix Awakens tech demo for Unreal Engine 5, with capabilities like ray tracing (real looking lighting results) and AI-driven visible upscaling methods enabled. One other rumor factors to using “ray reconstruction,” a much less hardware-intensive method of delivering ray tracing results with the assistance of AI, by way of Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5 tech.

All advised, this may increasingly level to {hardware} that’s really extra succesful than the PS4 or Xbox One, even when it doesn’t fairly match the benchmarks of the current-gen PlayStation 5 or Xbox Sequence X. It might be comparatively nicely geared up when it comes to RAM, nevertheless, with famous leaker Felipe Lima suggesting that the gadget with have 12GB onboard—that is greater than the Xbox Sequence S console at 10GB.

A February 2024 report from Reuters cites a supply claiming that the Swap 2 will use a customized Nvidia chip, very similar to the unique Swap {hardware} did.

In response to a January 2024 report from Bloomberg, Omdia analyst Hiroshi Hayase says that Nintendo has picked a large 8-inch show for the Swap 2, and the show will use LCD tech as different studies have beforehand famous. Nintendo declined remark. The present Swap OLED mannequin has a 7-inch display, so this could be bigger than any authentic Swap gadget.

Mobapad additionally factors to an 8-inch show, which it says or not it’s upgraded from 720p HD decision on the unique Swap to 1080p Full HD decision on the successor.

What video games will the Nintendo Swap 2 have?

We all know one for positive: a brand new Mario Kart, revealed within the Swap 2 trailer. We do not have an official identify but; Mario Kart 9 would make sense primarily based on the sequence’ mainline entries, although earlier rumors pointed to a reputation of Mario Kart X to account for the cellular sport Mario Kart Tour launching since Mario Kart 8 on Wii U (and later Swap).

Regardless of the last identify, the brand new Mario Kart seems very similar to what we have come to count on from the sequence, although the temporary tease seems to point out 24 beginning spots on the monitor—so there could also be far more racers than typical.

You possibly can wager that we’ll see Nintendo’s tried-and-true franchises like Tremendous Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and lots of others within the combine earlier than lengthy, although Nintendo hasn’t proven anything apart from Mario Kart simply but. Earlier rumors have pointed to video games like a brand new Donkey Kong or Ubisoft’s subsequent as-yet-unannounced Far Cry sequel, however these stay unconfirmed for now.

The long-delayed Metroid Prime 4: Past remains to be set to launch on the unique Swap in 2025, Nintendo confirmed in February—but it surely’s been extensively rumored to additionally launch on Swap 2.

Actually, many players have suspected that the sport’s trailer is definitely displaying Swap 2 footage, however that hasn’t been confirmed. However actually, why would not Nintendo launch it throughout each consoles? There’s precedent too: Nintendo launched The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the identical date throughout Swap and Wii U, and Zelda: Twilight Princess simply weeks aside throughout Wii and GameCube.

Digital Arts seems to be onboard with the Swap 2, and whereas which may sound apparent, EA hasn’t put a brand new Madden NFL sport on a Nintendo console since 2012. It is true: Madden by no means hit the Swap, and the corporate has been fairly selective with Nintendo video games prior to now.

“Any time a brand new console comes into {the marketplace}, that is of a profit to us,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated throughout an earnings name in February 2025, per GameSpot. “It provides us the power to entry and purchase new gamers. Sometimes, we have had franchises carry out very nicely on Nintendo platforms. Actually, our expectation is that merchandise like [EA Sports] FC and Madden and others may discover actual power on the platform as they’ve finished prior to now.”

Microsoft can be planning to help the Swap 2 with Xbox video games, as a part of the agency’s current growth to carry its owned franchises to different {hardware}. Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated in January 2025 that he is “actually trying ahead to supporting” Nintendo’s subsequent console with video games.

After Rockstar Video games’ official reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is at the moment introduced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Sequence X and S, it begs the query: Will it come to Swap 2, too? And maybe extra pressingly, will the Swap 2 be highly effective sufficient to run it?

There isn’t any official phrase for now, in fact, and there would not be till Nintendo really reveals its subsequent console. However within the meantime, the technical specialists at Digital Foundry are doubtful that the Swap 2 may have sufficient energy to deal with Rockstar’s subsequent huge sport—no less than primarily based on the leaks to date.

“I’d like to say it will occur. I don’t suppose it’s going to, realistically,” stated Digital Foundry founder Richard Leadbetter in a YouTube video (by way of IGN). “It’s a cellular chipset. We’ve seen a number of wonderful issues on the Swap 1. Swap 2 goes to be quite a bit higher, a correct generational leap, and forward-looking in some ways. However the stuff they appear to be rolling out for GTA 6 is probably past that.”

“It appears a step past,” he added, “and out of character with what we find out about Rockstar’s M.O.”

Will it play authentic Swap video games?

Sure! Nintendo tweeted on November 5, 2024 that the “successor to the Nintendo Swap” can even have the ability to play authentic Swap software program. This had been rumored and reported beforehand, however the gaming big cleared up any questions on Swap homeowners making a sleek transition to the brand new gadget. The Swap On-line service can even return on Swap 2.

Nintendo repeated the message within the January 2025 trailer, displaying that Swap cartridges will match into the Swap 2, and noting that digital video games can even be supported. A bodily copy of Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel was proven within the trailer. Nonetheless, there was a caveat: Some video games might not be supported or work in full.

What does that imply? Whereas we do not know for positive but, it is possible that some video games designed for the dimensions and form of the unique Pleasure-Cons—like health sport Ring Match Journey, which had gamers snap their controllers into an adjunct shell—merely will not work with the Swap 2 controllers. And the uncommon few video games that used the IR digicam on the unique proper Pleasure-Con, like 1-2 Swap, equally will lose performance on Swap 2 {hardware}.

The opposite lingering query about backwards compatibility is whether or not the Swap video games will merely run as-is, or if they’ll benefit from the Swap 2’s anticipated efficiency bump—whether or not that is an automated improve, or one which builders might must code and patch in.

A report from Eurogamer in February 2024 urged that Nintendo will let customers play their authentic Swap video games (each bodily and digital) within the Swap 2 {hardware} with enhancements. Builders will reportedly must replace their video games to unlock such upgrades, nevertheless, which implies not each sport will essentially benefit from the Swap 2’s improved energy.

Editor’s notice: This story was initially printed on September 19, 2023 and final up to date on February 5, 2025.