Price, Release Date, & Everything Else You Need To Know

At the beginning of 2025, Nintendo dropped a surprise announcement: the successor to the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch 2, is officially on the way. It took years of rumors and speculation, not to mention the occasional random alarm clock announcement, but it’s finally happening. Of course, after that initial teaser, Nintendo kept fans waiting another several months, but in a Nintendo Direct presentation this morning, it gave us all the details on the Nintendo Switch 2 that fans have been craving.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 will be launching this summer on June 5, 2025. The base package — including the console, two Joy-Con 2 controllers, the new Switch 2 dock, and the necessary cables and grips — will have an MSRP of $449.99 USD. There will also be a bundle including all of that, as well as a digital download code for the new “Mario Kart World,” available for $499.99 USD. Pre-orders for both packages will open on April 9, 2025.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is visibly larger than its predecessor, boasting a 7.9-inch LCD screen over the original’s 6.2-inch screen while maintaining the same level of thickness. This larger screen has double the pixel density, allowing it to display games in 1080p quality with support for light and dark-enhancing HDR. Compatible games will be able to run at framerates of up to 120 fps while in handheld mode. The console’s built-in speakers have been improved, providing clearer, more natural audio when playing in either handheld or tabletop modes. Support for 3D audio in compatible games will also be added via a system update.

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In terms of physical changes, the rear stand has been improved, with a larger and sturdier form that’s also able to sit firmly at multiple angles. There are now two USB-C ports for plugging in charging cables and peripherals — one on top, and one familiar port on the bottom. Under the hood, the console comes built with 256 GB of internal storage, eight times that of the original Switch. This, along with an improved CPU and GPU, leads to much faster read speeds and generally improved game performance — aided further by the updated Switch 2 game cartridges. 

You can still expand the console’s storage further with microSD cards, though the Switch 2 will only support microSD Express cards. If you were using a standard microSD card for your original Switch, you won’t be able to use that in a Switch 2.

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Besides the Switch 2 console itself, the main package also includes several major accessories. The first and most interesting are the Joy-Con 2 controllers: Unlike the original Joy-Cons, which slid and snapped into the console, the Joy-Con 2 are held in place by powerful magnets within the console, which grip onto the metallic SL and SR buttons. Release buttons on the back let the Joy-Con 2 detach. The controllers themselves — as well as their joysticks and SL and SR buttons — are all larger, making them more comfortable to hold.

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The most prominent new feature of the Joy-Con 2 is the new mouse control feature. By placing a Joy-Con 2 horizontally on a solid surface, you can control and manipulate cursors on screen like you would with a computer mouse, clicking with the shoulder buttons. Gyroscope controls, similar to the original Joy-Con, can also be used for various games and functions. If you prefer to play with a traditional controller, Nintendo will also be releasing a new iteration of the Pro Controller for the Switch 2, which includes an audio jack on the bottom for plugging in headsets and headphones.

In addition to Joy-Con 2, the Switch 2 comes with the new and improved TV dock. Like with the original, you can place your Switch 2 into the dock to charge it, as well as connect it to a TV for higher-resolution display. When docked, the Switch 2 is capable of up to 4K resolution for compatible games, though framerates will be limited to 60 fps while playing in this mode. As an added perk, the new dock also has a built-in ventilation fan to help keep the console cool while in use.

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In addition to upgrading and improving various features and accessories that were present on the original Switch, the Switch 2 has added an entirely new subset of social features. The console itself has a built-in noise-cancelling microphone, which can pick up your voice even across a room, as well as differentiate it from background noise. 

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Using the new “C” button present on the Joy-Con 2 and new Pro Controller, you can open an in-game chat menu to see who’s currently talking, mute or unmute yourself, or even share your current game screen. Unlike Nintendo’s previous attempts at voice chat, which required a smartphone app, all of these chat features are built into the Switch 2 — though using it will require an active Switch Online subscription. From the console’s launch in June until March 2026, all users, even those without Switch Online, will be able to use GameChat on a trial basis.

While the microphone is built into the Switch 2, if you want further social functionality, an optional Nintendo Switch 2 Camera will be launching alongside the console. By plugging this camera into your Switch 2, you’ll be able to show yourself to others in your chatroom, as well as see any other users using a camera. Any game can make use of these features on a base level, though some games like “Super Mario Party Jamboree” will have special functions that require the microphone and/or camera in-game.

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If you already own a Nintendo Switch, then you will be able to transfer all of your console’s particulars to a Switch 2 through the use of the System Transfer feature. All user profiles, games, save data, and other miscellany can be safely carried over to the Switch 2 and used as normal. Barring several exceptions that Nintendo has not clarified at the time of writing, nearly all of the Switch’s game library will be compatible with the Switch 2. 

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Through the GameShare feature, the Switch 2 can also temporarily share certain compatible games across multiple Switch 2 and Switch consoles locally — this allows players to join with other users who don’t own a particular game. This also works online, though only with Switch 2 consoles.

Some prominent games, like “Kirby & The Forgotten Land” and “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” will receive improved “Switch 2 Editions,” which boast better graphics and more gameplay features. All future games that release on both the Switch and Switch 2 will be released in this format. For those who already own a particular game and want the Switch 2 Edition, standalone upgrade packs will be available for purchase for a currently unannounced price.

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