Nintendo Finally Revealed the Switch 2: Here’s What You Need to Know

The gaming company’s surprise video confirms many early rumors about the device while still keeping plenty of other key details a mystery.

The left and right hand side of the Nintendo Switch 2 show at an angles overlapping each other against a dark grey background.

By Ben Bowers

Published January 16, 2025

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Updated January 17, 2025

Though many expected Nintendo to reveal official news about the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 sometime this week, the famed Japanese game maker still surprised the internet by dropping a longish first-look trailer along with an official date when Nintendo will presumably share everything about the system – April 2, 2025.

Here’s a rundown of the key takeaways you need to know about the Switch 2 based on the official confirmation and reveals so far.

This Probably Isn’t How Nintendo Originally Imagined Revealing the Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 shown against a grey a background. — Nintendo appears to have quickly rushed to drop a first-look video of its most anticipated product launch in years in response to a wide range of leaks concerning the Switch 2 that were already flooding the internet.

The original Nintendo Switch will go down as one of the most successful video game systems ever created.

It was clearly a runaway success right out of the starting gate in 2017. According to Statisa.com, the Nintendo’s US revenue also jumped by more than $5.5 billion in 2018 thanks to the Switch’s launch. The console then continued to fuel annual US revenue growth for the next three years, topping off at ~15.9 billion in 2021.

By 2023, the system had been crowned the best-selling console in the US for five years in a row. More than a year later, it became the second best-selling video game console of all time, lagging only by the Sony PlayStation 2 in total console sales/

It’s also easily Nintendo’s best-selling home console, although the handheld Nintendo DS has technically shipped more units.

Needless to say, it’s highly doubtful that Nintendo planned all along to officially reveal the Switch’s long-anticipated successor to the world via a 2:21 long first-look Youtube trailer, though in many ways, the move it does feel very 2025.

This is the first-look trailer Nintendo dropped on January 16, 2025, officially revealing the long-awaited Switch 2’s design to the world.

That said, Nintendo had always intended to introduce the console early this year. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa shared a statement in May of 2024 stating, “We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year,” which officially ends for Nintendo on March 31, 2025.

But it appears that in the face of an ever-increasing wave of leaks and teases about the console, Nintendo’s senior leadership felt compelled to set at least some of the record straight on an accelerated timeline.

We’ll never know what conversations Nintendo execs had about the Switch 2 leaks and the company’s ultimate strategic adjustments to them. Still, two Former Nintendo PR managers, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, offered insight in a video published on their Kit & Krysta YouTube Channel.

“I am 100% sure that they are really mad, to the most severe level,” Krysta Yang shared. Kit Ellis added, “Nintendo will have to reevaluate everything regarding how they handle information security and product security before these things get announced.”

The Switch 2 Looks Like One of the Safest Products Nintendo’s Ever Released

The Nintendo Switch 2 shown with both joy-cons detached. The system and controllers are shown positioned diagonally stretching from the left bottom corner to the button right corner. All of the components are shown against a dark grey background. — The Switch 2 appears to be what many suspected it would be: a bigger, faster, and more refined take on the original Switch hardware.

Nintendo made its mark on the world long ago, in large part by releasing bold and often whimsical gaming devices that deviated wildly from the industry design norms, both in terms of hardware aesthetics and gameplay mechanics (remember when Wii controllers smashing TVs was a legitimate risk?)

Amazingly, most of their big bets paid off. Occasionally though, their bold ideas flopped.

The original Switch, with its namesake switching display and “Joy-Con” controller functionality, was right in line with Nintendo’s innovative design track record. Though it clearly also drew inspiration from the Nintendo’s deep experience in portable gaming and even company’s previous console failure, the Wii U.

The back of the Nintendo Switch 2 shown floating at angle against a dark grey background. — The Switch 2 will feature prominent branding on the back of the device.

The Switch 2, however, is simply a refinement of the original Switch thesis. As was expected, the upcoming console is clearly still generally meant to play games in the same manner as the Switch and remains committed to offering owners the ability to play on the go or docked to a TV.

To a casual observer, it could easily be mistaken for an original Switch out in the wild, or even a bevy of other new portable gaming systems that have arrived in the original Switch’s wake, like Valve’s Steam Deck.

The Switch 2’s Biggest Changes Address the Original Switch’s Main Shortcomings

A Nintendo Switch 2 body shown next to original Switch red joy-con. The image helps illustrate how much bigger the Switch 2's body is compared to the original. — Note the difference in size between the red joy-con and the tablet body. The Nintendo Switch 2 teaser video includes a sequence where the original Switch slowly transforms into a Switch 2. This moment in the sequence helps illustrate how much bigger the Switch 2’s display is in size compared to the original Switch.

Based on the details revealed so far, Nintendo focused on addressing many, if not all, of the original Switch’s flaws with the Switch 2 and then called it a decade.

While we don’t know the exact dimensions yet, Nintendo’s video reveal shows that the Switch 2’s screen is noticeably bigger than the original Switch’s yet still designed to be portable.

It’s still unclear whether the first hardware iteration of the Switch 2 will feature an OLED or LCD display, though an OLED paneled version feels inevitable at some point.

A Nintendo Switch 2 left and right joy-con in grey shown against a grey background. the joy-con on the left is sized to match the original Switch joy-con size, while the version on the right shows the Switch 2 joy-con's actual size. — Nintendo’s Switch 2 first-look video shows a brief graphic that teases the difference in size between the joy-cons on the original Switch and Switch 2. The joy-con on the right is sized proportionally for the Switch 2. The joy-con on the left is sized proportionally to the original Switch.

The Switch 2’s joy-cons are also noticeably bigger to match the bigger screen. They’ve also been redesigned to connect magnetically to the console instead of sliding into attachment rails. While it’s not been confirmed, there’s a strong reason to believe the new design will also correct the original joy-con’s prominent drifting issue.

The back of the Nintendo Switch 2 showing the large new, u-shaped kickstand flexed out. — The kickstand on the Switch 2 is significantly larger than the kickstand on the original Switch.

The Switch 2’s integrated kickstand features a new U-shaped design that’s much bigger than the much-bemoaned plastic strip on the first Switch. Unlike the original kickstand, the Switch 2 reveal video highlights how the 2’s kickstand can adjust to position the console in a wide range of angles. It’s a feature that could tie into gameplay, but that’s just speculation for now.

Nintendo also confirmed in the video that the Switch 2 will play Switch 2 exclusive games while remaining backward compatible with all original Switch software, online services, and games. However, Nintendo has also confusingly stated that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”

The Switch 2’s new kickstand design also appears to allow the Switch 2 to sit a wide range of angles.

Nintendo

The Switch 2 will use the same existing Nintendo account system as the Switch too, which, though seemingly obvious, has been a significant problem for Nintendo in the past, not to mention a source of grief for gamers who heavily invested in Nintendo’s legacy online account systems. The new console will also feature a dedicated slot for physical game cards.

It appears the Switch 2 will ship with a seemingly more refined but familiar docking accessory and a separate joy-con controller grip, just like the first Switch.

Taken together, the Switch 2 looks like a bigger and more capable version of the original Switch. It can support newer and presumably more technically ambitious games while still giving owners access to all of the fun of the original Switch.

In other words, the Switch 2 seems like it’ll be an immediate smash hit – presuming its exclusive new game titles are compelling enough to convince current Switch owners to upgrade.

The Switch 2 Will Likely Have a Few Fresh Capabilities That Are Still Under Wraps

A close up image of the Switch 2 right side Joy-Con controller shown separated and own its own. The controller is black with pink details under the analog stick and along the back edge. The photo highlights a new mysterious button. — At least one joy-con on the Switch 2 feature a small new circular button that isn’t found on the original Switch’s controllers. What the button does is currently one of Switch 2’s most significant remaining mysteries.

Based on quick cuts teased in the Switch 2 launch video, the Switch 2’s redesigned joy-cons might have a few new tricks up their brightly colored plastic sleeves.

There’s a mysterious new button on the right joy-con. A clip also shows a new joy-con snapping into another plastic piece when separated from the Switch 2 and then racing flat along a shiny, smooth surface in a way that looks a lot like using a computer mouse.

A Nintendo Switch 2 joy-con shown resting flat against a shiny black surface. — A brief image shown in the Switch 2 first look video shows a joy-con being used in a seemingly strange way. Some online speculate that it confirms the joy-con will function like a computer mouse.

The Switch 2 sports a second USB-C port too on the top of the device in addition to the original Switch’s port in the bottom center. It could be there to simply make charging the device while playing easier, but it could also tie into unannounced new accessories.

These curious details are the last few mysteries surrounding the Switch 2 that Nintendo will hopefully be able to reveal on its own terms.

There’s Good Reason to Think the Official Switch 2 Launch Will Be in June

Speaking of reveals, Nintendo also used the sudden Switch 2 video drop to clarify when the world will receive more official information on the console.

The company will first host a dedicated Nintendo Direct event on April 2nd, where it’s safe to presume that all lingering questions concerning the Switch 2 will be answered.

A close up view of the USB-C port on the Nintendo Switch 2 located next to the headphone jack. — There’s an additional USB-C port on the Nintendo Switch 2 located right next to the headphone jack.

In addition to the video, Nintendo also revealed that it’ll be conducting a series of multi-day “Nintendo Switch 2 experience events” in more than a dozen major cities worldwide.

The event with the furthest confirmed date for now will be in Seoul, Korea, from May 31 – June 1, 2025.

A Nintendo Switch 2 right side joy-con shown snapping into a large pink plastic piece laid flat against a surface. — Nintendos Switch 2 first-look trailer flashes an interesting scene showing a joy-con seemingly snapping into a larger color matching piece. It’s unclear what this piece does or what features it might unlock.

Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will go on sale this year but has withheld an exact date. Based on the event schedule already announced, it seems probable now that the Switch 2 won’t hit shelves until June 2025 at the earliest.

A New Mario Kart Title Will Be the the Switch 2’s First Flagship Game

The right hand side of the Nintendo Switch 2 with a screen shot of Mario Kart on the screen. — It appears fans of the racing series Mario Kart will finally get to the play a brand-new Mario Kart entry whenever the Switch 2 launches in 2025. .

The Switch 2 launch video teased several brief clips of new Mario Kart gameplay, strongly suggesting that Nintendo’s beloved racing franchise will be the Switch 2’s first exclusive premier game right out of the gate.

That makes perfect sense, considering it’s been over 10 years since Nintendo launched a completely brand new Mario Kart title. It’s also a game naturally suited to showcasing the Switch 2’s multiplayer and multi-modal capabilities, as well as the system’s unique family-friendly vibes.

Nintendo also knows that original Switch owners love Mario Kart.

That’s because Mario Kart 8 still holds the crown as the best-selling game title for the original Switch, reaching ~64 million copies sold. But that title was really originally launched on the Wii U, where it only sold ~8.5 million copies.

We wouldn’t be surprised if the Switch’s ability to extend and greatly expand upon the financial success of an older system title like Mario Kart 8 played at least some factor in Nintendo’s decision to iterate on the Switch vs. launch an entirely new gaming platform.

There are Still Plenty of Key Switch 2 Details That Remain a Mystery

The Nintendo Switch 2 in its dock on a grey background

Though Nintendo’s YouTube surprise mostly aligned with the bevy of rumors already circulated, it did little in terms of supplying new information, and there remains a massive laundry list of questions that are still unanswered. For brevity’s sake, here’s a bulleted list of obvious lingering questions concerning the Nintendo Switch 2.