Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is Nintendo’s successor to the Nintendo Switch, released worldwide on June 5, 2025. It is a home console and handheld system, continuing the hybrid design of its predecessor. Nintendo first formally revealed the hardware on January 16, 2025, then detailed it in a Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2, 2025. The machine launched alongside Mario Kart World, an open-road Mario Kart entry built specifically for the new hardware, and Nintendo also made Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour available at launch. Its stated name distinguishes it from the original Switch rather than identifying a single game or story. Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch LCD display with 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution, HDR support, and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz in supported software. When docked, it can output video at up to 4K resolution to compatible televisions. The system includes 256 GB of internal storage, an increase over the original Switch model’s 32 GB, and it uses microSD Express cards for expandable storage. Standard microSD cards can transfer saved screenshots and videos but cannot store or run Switch 2 software. Nintendo included a redesigned dock with a built-in fan intended to help cool the console while it is docked. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers attach magnetically to the console, replacing the slide-rail connection used by earlier Switch Joy-Con controllers. Each Joy-Con 2 can be used as a mouse in compatible games, a feature Nintendo demonstrated with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and other software. The right controller has a C Button for GameChat, Nintendo’s voice and screen-sharing feature for communicating with friends. GameChat supports video chat when an optional compatible USB-C camera is connected. The console has a built-in microphone and uses noise-cancellation processing to help make voices easier to hear during chat. Nintendo Account access is required for GameChat. Nintendo states that Switch 2 is backward compatible with many Nintendo Switch physical and digital games, though some titles may not be fully supported or may need original Joy-Con features. Nintendo Switch Online membership is required for some online functions, while GameShare lets compatible multiplayer games be shared locally with other Switch 2 systems and, for supported games, with original Switch systems. Nintendo announced that paid upgrades would be offered for selected existing Switch games, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. These Switch 2 Edition releases add resolution, frame rates, and faster loading.