Nintendo Switch 2: all the latest news following the reveal trailer

It’s official, the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming this year. After what feels like months of leaks, speculation, and rumors, the Japanese gaming giant has finally given us a proper look at the design of the successor console in an exciting reveal trailer.

While details surrounding the exact Nintendo Switch 2 release date, launch titles, and specs might still be a bit thin on the ground, we’ve got all the information from the trailer below, as well as some speculation surrounding what we still don’t know. If you can’t wait around for a new handheld, check out our picks for the best Steam Deck alternatives and the best portable gaming consoles to find something you can pick up today.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2:

When is the Nintendo Switch 2 release date window?

The Nintendo Switch 2’s release date window is officially set for 2025. We don’t have an exact date yet, but the reveal trailer teased a Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2 and Experience events running until the beginning of May, so we can assume it won’t be before then. Considering the original Switch arrived six months after its big reveal, our best guess at the time of writing is a Summer 2025 launch, but that’s purely speculation.

We’re hoping that Nintendo is planning on sharing the Nintendo Switch 2 release date during the next Nintendo Direct in April, but if the build-up to the console’s release continues the way it has been, it could well leak before then. Either way, we’ll be tuning into the presentation when it takes place to update this guide with all the latest details.

Nintendo Switch 2 design

While the Nintendo Switch 2 boasts a similar design to the original, there are a few noticeable differences. For a start, the Switch 2 clearly has a bigger display, but we don’t have the exact dimensions at the time of writing. Then there’s the new Joy-Cons, which feature baby blue and orange highlights, rather than the block colors of the original. The Switch 2 Joy-Cons also don’t slide onto the console like they do with the Switch, so it seems the rumors about magnetic attachment were true after all.

Outside of the display and Joy-Con development, the Switch 2 trailer revealed a second USB-C input on the top of the console, which should make it easier to charge and play simultaneously than using the port on the bottom. There also appears to be an extra button on the right-hand Joy-Con underneath the Home button, but the trailer didn’t allude to what it might be, and there’s no icon to give us any indication.

Another upgrade for the Switch 2 is the improved kickstand, which looks much more robust than that of the original and offers much more flexibility for your viewing angle. In terms of the console’s dock and controller, the only noticeable differences we noticed in the trailer are the new Nintendo Switch 2 logo and the dock’s newly rounded corners, but with such a quick glimpse, there could still be some surprises left in store.

Speaking of surprises, much of what we learned during the Switch 2 reveal trailer didn’t come as a shock, given that what turned out to be almost spot-on renders and dummy models leaked more than a week in advance of the trailer. What we were really hoping for was a Switch 2 release date reveal, but we’ll take knowing that we’ll have our hands on the hotly anticipated console before the year is out.

Are the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons different?

The change to the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Cons was one of the most poorly kept secrets in the build-up to the big reveal, but as we’ve already mentioned, the trailer appears to confirm that the controllers attach to the display magnetically. Sadly, this means your collection of original Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons likely won’t be compatible with the Switch 2, but there could be hidden benefits to the new Joy-Con design that Nintendo hasn’t shared with us yet.

As well as the attachment redesign for the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons, the controllers are now also larger, to fit the console’s bigger display, and feature colorful flourishes to the attachment and underneath the joystick. The left-hand Joy-Con has baby blue highlights, while the right-hand is a subtle orange.

In terms of Joy-Con functionality, the trailer seems to allude to using the controllers in the same way you would a PC’s mouse, a feature that leakers had suggested we could expect in the build-up to the reveal. It’s not exactly confirmed, as we’re basing this assumption on a few seconds from the just over two-minute-long clip and previous reports, but given how accurate a lot of the Switch 2 leaks turned out to be, it seems likely.

The big question now is whether the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Cons will suffer from the same issues with stick drift as the original. Honestly, we’ve no way of telling from the short reveal trailer, but there is an instance in the clip that shows the Joy-Cons’ sticks rotating in place. If you’re reading between the lines, this could point to Nintendo suggesting that it’s solved the stick drift issue, but this is entirely speculation.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?

During the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer, Nintendo confirmed that the console supports both digital and physical original Nintendo Switch games. However, the company has specified that the Switch 2 might not support or be compatible with every game in the Nintendo Switch library, which is a little confusing. According to the trailer, we should get more details on how backwards compatibility works via the official Nintendo website before the Switch 2’s release date.

What is the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event?

To help launch the new console, Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events are taking place across the world, giving you a chance to get your hands on the hardware before it officially launches. If you want to take part and test the new console out yourself, we’ve put all the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event dates and locations in the table below.

It’s worth pointing out that you can only take part in the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience event if you have a Nintendo account, but it’s pretty easy to set one up online. We also don’t have a date for when ticket registrations begin, but you can check out the Switch 2 Experience page on the official Nintendo website for all the details we’ve got so far.

Nintendo Switch 2 launch title speculation

While the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer gave us an idea of what to expect from the console itself, we didn’t get any confirmation surrounding launch titles outside of the clip teasing a new Mario Kart game. A new entry for the Mario Kart series is likely a Switch 2 launch title, given both that it’s the only game Nintendo chose to tease during the short presentation and the roaring success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but we don’t know what it’s called or how it might differ from previous series games.

Outside of a new Mario Kart game, there’s plenty of speculation surrounding whether the upcoming Pokémon Legends game might be a launch title for the Switch 2, but we’ve not seen Pokémon leading the line like that before. There’s also a chance that Metroid Prime 4 could be a big launch for the early Switch 2 era, with Nintendo revealing a 2025 release date during the Nintendo Direct in June 2024.

Every Nintendo home console so far has arrived alongside a Mario or Zelda game. The NES launched with Super Mario Bros, the SNES with Super Mario World, and then the N64 had Super Mario 64. The GameCube was a little different and arrived with Luigi’s Mansion, then we got Zelda: Twilight Princess on Wii, before getting New Super Mario Bros. U on the Wii U. Finally, the Nintendo Switch launched with Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey.

Now, it would seem like a good guess that we may get a new Mario or Zelda, but Tears of the Kingdom only arrived just a couple of years ago, so a new quest with Link seems unlikely. Mario, however, hasn’t had a new 3D platformer since Mario Odyssey, so we think it’s fair to assume his next platforming adventure debuting on the Nintendo Switch 2 would make a lot of sense.

Nintendo Switch 2 price prediction

There’s still no news on how much the Nintendo Switch 2 will cost, but we can make an educated guess in advance of April’s Nintendo Direct presentation. Given that Nintendo tends to try and aim for a competitive price point, Pocket Tactics expects the Nintendo Switch 2 to cost around $300-$400. It could be more expensive than that, but we assume Nintendo wants to continue to retail at a lower price point than the high-end Sony and Xbox consoles, as well as handheld competition from the likes of the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally.

Nintendo Switch 2 specs rumors

Unfortunately, while the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal was very exciting, we didn’t get any real details in terms of what specs to expect from the console’s hardware. This means we still don’t know for certain how much RAM or storage space the console has or what internal hardware the console utilizes.

However, we have reported on previous leaks that suggested the console packs 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. While the improved storage capacity would be a nice touch, potentially saving you from having to pick up a micro SD card to download all your favorite games, more RAM could pivotally boost the Switch 2’s performance, load times, and graphics. Hopefully, we’ll get all the key spec details confirmed during the Nintendo Direct presentation in April.

Nintendo Switch 2 battery life speculation

The Nintendo Switch 2’s battery life is still a mystery, even after the big reveal trailer. We’ve seen some unsubstantiated rumors, with tipsters suggesting anything from 3-6 hours of battery life to 9-12, but these sources are questionable at best. We’re hoping for the latter, but that might require some compromises in terms of performance or graphics. As soon as we get more details from Nintendo, we’ll be sure to update this page with the latest information.

For more beyond the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our guide to the best Switch games and all the new Switch games to find something to play while we wait for the Switch 2 release date to come around. Or, if you’re looking for something new to play the best mobile games on, our guide to the best gaming phones has plenty of fantastic picks that cover a wide range of budgets.