Pre-orders start on April 9, and the gaming faithful will need to act fast—word is that there are 6-8 million units prepared, but demand is set to be overwhelming.
The new handheld-console hybrid is chunkier, boasting a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD (still no OLED), but it comes with double the pixel density and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It’ll dock up to 4K on your telly and now includes HDR and upgraded speakers.
Storage finally gets a proper bump to 256GB, but you’ll need a microSD Express card for expansion—regular SD cards are out. Battery life remains pants at just 2-6.5 hours.
Internals are hush-hush, but Nintendo claims “significantly improved CPU and GPU performance.” Meanwhile, Wi-Fi 6 joins the mix, and the new dock features a fan—likely useful for running Elden Ring.
Accessibility gets a boost with font scaling, speech-to-text, and a screen reader. A launch-day Welcome Tour title offers tech demos to help players become familiar with all the new features.
The new Joy-Con 2 controllers magnetically clip in, feature larger sticks and buttons, and include a mouse control feature tailored for strategy games. A Pro controller also arrives, featuring rear buttons, a headphone jack, and a mysterious new C button that ties into GameChat, Nintendo’s new 12-person voice and video chat service. GameChat is free until 31 March 2026—then it will be hidden behind the Nintendo Switch Online paywall.
Mario Kart World headlines the launch, followed by Donkey Kong Bananza on July 17 and Kirby Air Riders later in the year. Third-party big guns include Cyberpunk 2077 , Street Fighter 6 , Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade , Hitman World of Assassination , and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (yes, that name is both hilarious and fitting). The Duskbloods, a brand-new FromSoftware exclusive, is set to release in 2026 and bears a suspicious resemblance to Bloodborne’s long-lost cousin.
A beefed-up Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack for Switch 2 adds GameCube classics like F-Zero GX and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, with an updated GameCube controller in tow—now featuring the infamous C button too.
Old Switch titles will get visual upgrades for a fee, naturally. And yes, your old games and saves will transfer, plus GameShare lets multiple consoles run one game—sometimes.
It’s bigger, faster, and finally catching up on hardware—if you ignore the LCD. However, the Switch 2 appears ready to consume your summer and your wallet.
