Nintendo has officially announced the launch of its highly anticipated gaming console, the Switch 2, set to hit the market on June 5, 2025. This new console promises to enhance the gaming experience with interactive chat and screenshare functions, making it easier for players to connect with friends and family while gaming.
During a 60-minute Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2, 2025, the company showcased several exciting features of the Switch 2, including a more vibrant display and a larger screen. The standout addition is a new "C" button on the Joy-Con controller, which will launch the innovative "GameChat" feature. This feature allows players to communicate while playing and even share their game screens with others. To access GameChat, players will need a subscription to Nintendo's Switch online service.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes, a video game industry expert from Tech Advisor, commented on the significance of the new feature: "When you think about some of the biggest titles on (the Nintendo Switch), it's like Mario Kart, Super Mario Jamboree, even though that's quite a new title, has cracked the top 10 of most-played games on the console. So, it does make a lot of sense that the sort of headline feature is geared primarily towards that sort of use." This highlights how Nintendo is focusing on enhancing social interaction among gamers.
Another intriguing function of the Switch 2 is the ability to use Joy-Con controllers as a computer mouse. The developers demonstrated various applications of this feature in games, such as angling a club in a golf game. The new console will feature a 7.9-inch LCD screen capable of displaying games in 1080p, and when docked, it will support 4K resolution for compatible titles.
The presentation opened with an exciting look at the launch bundle game, "Mario Kart World," which promises to add flair to the beloved racing series with new in-game tricks and moves, including tailwhips and rail grinds. Additionally, Nintendo unveiled a new James Bond game titled "Project 007," which aims to revive a classic Nintendo 64 hit that many first-person shooter fans hold dear.
In addition to "Mario Kart World," Nintendo announced two more Switch 2 exclusives. "Donkey Kong Bananza," a 3D adventure game featuring the iconic ape, is set to release on July 17, 2025, while "Kirby Air Riders," a racing game directed by the creator of the "Super Smash Bros." series, is expected to arrive later in the year. Third-party exclusives generating buzz include Koei-Tecmo's "Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment," a hack-and-slash prequel to "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," slated for winter release, and From Software's "The Duskbloods," a multiplayer title from the creators of "Elden Ring," scheduled for 2026.
For those nostalgic for the GameCube era, Nintendo announced that Switch Online subscribers will have access to a limited selection of GameCube titles, including fan favorites like "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker" and "F-Zero GX." The Switch 2 will also be backwards compatible, allowing it to play both physical and digital Switch games. However, users will need to purchase a microSD express memory card, as normal SD cards will not be compatible with the new system. Fortunately, data from the original Switch can be transferred to the new console using a transfer feature.
The original Switch, released in 2017, is regarded as one of the most popular game consoles ever, partly due to its unique design resembling a tablet, which allows users to detach pieces on either side for gameplay. It also introduced the groundbreaking feature of continuing play on a television screen when docked. However, as Scott Stein, editor-at-large at CNET, noted, the original console has aged, leading to heightened excitement for the new version. "There's a lot of stuff it does well, but there's a lot of stuff that people I think want it to do better for playing games they can play elsewhere," he said.
How much can gamers expect to pay for the Switch 2? The console will retail for $449.99 at launch, significantly higher than the original Switch's $299 price tag. A separate bundle that includes the new "Mario Kart World" game will be available for $499.99. Gene Park, a reporter for the Washington Post covering video games, remarked, "It's a little pricey, but it is a more powerful system," while noting that the "Mario Kart World" game itself is priced at $80. This marks a notable increase, as Park pointed out, stating, "It's really the first Nintendo game to broach $80, and there's a lot of talk about video games becoming $100 right now."
The current landscape of the video game console industry is fragile, according to Joost van Dreunen, author of "One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games." He explained that the recent price hike comes at the beginning of a new hardware cycle. "I had originally predicted that the Switch 2 would be $400. Now it's announced that it's $450. That $50 difference is a Trump tax," he noted, referring to tariffs that impact gaming hardware manufactured and shipped from China. He added that early hardware life cycles typically operate at low margins, often resulting in losses for manufacturers, and the increased tariffs exacerbate these challenges.
In response to the excitement surrounding the Switch 2, Nintendo plans to host "Switch 2 Experience" events in various cities, including Los Angeles, New York, London, and Paris, starting this month. These events will allow gamers to get hands-on experience with the new system and its features.
As the gaming community eagerly anticipates the launch of the Switch 2 and its exciting lineup of games, it remains to be seen how the console will perform in an increasingly competitive market. With innovative features and a focus on social interaction, Nintendo aims to capture the hearts of gamers once again.
