Nintendo has announced the Switch 2, set for release on June 5th, with a starting price of $450 in the US, marking an increase from the original Switch’s $300. The announcement coincided with a 5.9% drop in Nintendo’s Tokyo shares, influenced by broader market concerns over potential tariffs impacting Asian exporters, including Nintendo’s Vietnamese and Cambodian assembly lines.
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During an hour-long livestream, Nintendo revealed key features of the Switch 2, including a new chat functionality and an optional video camera. Alongside the console’s launch, Nintendo will release Mario Kart World, a new installment in the popular racing series, featuring 24 racers and a free-roam exploration mode.
As Nintendo’s first entirely new platform in eight years, the Switch 2 aims to revitalize the gaming market after a period of sluggish industry sales. Nintendo is bolstering its lineup with third-party titles previously unavailable on the Switch, including classic franchises like Street Fighter and Final Fantasy.
Adopting an iterative approach, Nintendo retains the Switch’s core design, featuring a large screen and detachable controllers, while slightly increasing the console’s size. The Switch 2 maintains the hybrid functionality of its predecessor, supporting both handheld and TV gameplay via a docking station, and is backward compatible with most Switch games, while also accommodating Switch 2 exclusives.
New features include the ability to use the detachable controllers as a computer mouse for select games and a dedicated GameChat button for in-game voice communication and screen sharing. A separately sold camera will enable players to appear on-screen, similar to streaming platforms.
The Switch 2 supports local and online multiplayer across Switch 2 systems, even without game ownership. Additional features include dual USB-C ports, an adjustable stand, and 256GB of internal storage. The screen supports HDR, and the dock facilitates 4K output for TV play.
Despite remaining less graphically powerful than the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Switch 2’s performance boost has attracted third-party publishers. Bandai Namco Entertainment will release Elden Ring on the platform, alongside Capcom’s Street Fighter 6 and EA’s sports titles.
Nintendo will enhance select Switch titles for Switch 2, showcasing Super Mario Party Jamboree with camera and mouse control support, available as a paid upgrade for existing owners. Enhanced versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will feature improved graphics and “Zelda Notes” for supplementary features. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch with both Switch and Switch 2 versions.
Take-Two Interactive will release Switch 2 versions of Civilization VII, NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and Borderlands 4.
