Nintendo has finally officially announced the Nintendo Switch 2, the highly-anticipated successor to the original Nintendo Switch.
Yes, it's actually here! Today, Nintendo has revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 console; the gaming giant's first new piece of hardware since the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017. Reports from as early as last week had suggested that a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal today was likely, with industry insiders and leakers doubling down this week – and it turns out that these leaks were correct.
Nintendo showed off the new Switch 2 console in a fancy trailer that showcased the device officially for the first time. While it stopped short of confirming a release date, it did confirm the console will launch in 2025, with a Direct event planned for April 2, 2025.
The Nintendo Switch 2 looks to have upgraded magnetic Joy-Cons, which also seem to be able to be used in a mouse-like fashion, with one side being light blue and the other peach-like in colour. It also has a new kickstand at the rear, visibly larger triggers, and a new unknown button on the face, resulting in a familiar yet new design, albeit with the device looking slightly larger than the Nintendo Switch overall.
The trailer also confirmed that the new console will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch games and will use the exact same game cartridges. However, a short line added to the video stated, "Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2," so it looks like that might have some limitations, potentially for older titles, but we'll have to wait and see!
And it wasn't just new hardware that we got a first glimpse of because we also got a few seconds of a brand-new Mario Kart game, showing off familiar characters like Mario, Luigi, Bowser and the rest of the clan, in what seems to be the unannounced successor to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Nintendo stopped short of confirming the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 in the trailer, but that's likely to be confirmed in the Direct, which is scheduled for April. The original Nintendo Switch was priced at £279.99 / $299.99 / AU$469.95 when it launched in 2017. However, considering inflation and assuming the Switch 2 hardware has been significantly upgraded compared to the original, it's likely to cost a bit more than its predecessor when it launches later this year. Although, we can dream!