It's slightly strange to realize that, since the Switch's debut in 2017, Nintendo has introduced four different varieties of the device. From the original to the Switch Lite to the OLED and now the Switch 2, there has been a steady stream of models that fit plenty of use cases for gamers. Having owned the original model and the Switch 2, I've never needed the Lite model, which prioritizes handheld mode in a smaller size. However, after playing several multiplayer games with my niece lately, I can't help but think a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite should arrive sooner rather than later.
Originally arriving in September of 2019, two years after the original Switch's debut, the Switch Lite was Nintendo's way of offering its console at a cheaper price and in a smaller form factor for more casual gamers. It did away with offering a docked mode, as well as detachable Joy-Con controllers. Here, you had the condensed Switch experience locked in handheld mode with a smaller 5.5-inch display, and it made sense.
Granted, you could still connect external controllers to the handheld if needed, but this was something you could play anywhere. At the time of writing, you can still buy a Switch Lite, regardless of the Switch 2 breaking records worldwide. It's a great entry device for someone who may be new to Nintendo's ecosystem of the best Switch games, such as Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Combined with the Switch Online service, offering a bunch of retro games from Nintendo's past, the Switch Lite is a great all-in-one package.
However, as we reach the second half of 2025 and the Nintendo Switch 2 is in full swing, as well as a rumored Nintendo Direct that may announce even more games for the system for this year and beyond, we're now at a point where the Switch Lite is looking and feeling old.
This hit me when my 11-year-old niece came to visit. She owns a green Switch Lite, as it's perfect for her hands. But when I showed her my Switch 2 as we were about to play multiplayer matches of Mario Kart: World and Street Fighter 6, and she took one of the Joy-Con 2 controllers, it hit me how big that and the console looked in her hands. Despite her saying that using the Joy-Con 2 felt better compared to the previous model from my original Switch, that moment convinced me that a Switch 2 Lite should appear far sooner than the two years it took for the original Switch Lite to appear after the original Switch's release.
Let's see a new model that retains the same size as the Lite but features the same specs as the Switch 2. Although some commenters aren't keen on the display of the newest Switch model, I've found no issues with it during my time playing Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza with it in handheld mode. Bring the same 1080p, 120Hz screen to the Switch 2 Lite that makes games from the past and present shine. My niece will notice the advantages of the display compared to her Switch Lite model, and that's what will matter to the audience that she belongs to.
However, one difference that would be great to see is an integrated camera. Nintendo made a big fuss about how Gamechat, its feature for multiplayer sessions, could showcase players thanks to its new camera peripheral for docked devices. But the Switch Lite, made just for handheld mode, doesn't make sense to connect to an external camera. Let's see a front-facing camera that can offer the same function as Nintendo's peripheral, so you can still catch all those reactions when playing Mario Kart World matches on a Switch 2 Lite.
But let's not rush this idea of a Switch 2 Lite. It would be too soon to see this handheld arrive by Christmas this year. That launch window wouldn't make sense, as that would also overlap with it being the first major holiday for the Switch 2. Instead, let's see the Switch 2 Lite debut in June 2026. It'd be a perfect one-year moment for the Switch 2 ecosystem, enough time for the dust to settle for existing users who may have upgraded already, and we've likely seen many more games arrive that, at the time of writing, have yet to be announced.
Let's not forget the 40th anniversary of Mario's debut in September 2025. In the same way we saw the Nintendo icon's 35th anniversary being marked by a 3D All-Stars Collection in 2020 for the original Switch, we might see the Japanese gaming giant announce something similar for Switch 2 later this year.
Ultimately, my niece isn't a hardcore gamer. She's casual, someone who will play Tears of the Kingdom for the rest of 2025 by taking her time, not by measuring frame rate or ghosting on the display. Admittedly, I don't either. I play games for the fun of them, but a Switch 2 Lite can bring a lot of benefits to this particular audience. Seeing it debut in 2026 would be perfect timing and would only give existing Switch Lite owners, like my niece, the opportunity to upgrade to the newer, more powerful model.
It's the games that matter, but the devices that run them have to be comfortable to use. Switch 2 Lite can solve that for many, and it makes sense for it to appear sometime. I just want it to be soon. That way, my niece can try to beat me via Mario Kart World while checking out some of the upcoming Switch games on her own handheld all over again.
There you have it, my argument for the Nintendo Switch 2 Lite. For more hardware that's great for gaming on the go, be sure to check out our guides to the best handheld consoles and the best retro handhelds while you're here. Or, if you're looking for Switch 2 peripherals, see our long list of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.