Nintendo Switch 2 is finally getting its spotlight today at its first Nintendo Direct, and this article serves to compile all the major information. Details about the hardware, games, price, release date, and more are all expected to appear in the 60-minute live-stream. The first look trailer and 2025 release were previously revealed.

If you are here a bit early, make sure to tune in to the stream live, while you will be able to find the full recap here as things get announced.

First Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Information

The direct opened with the first look at Mario Kart World, which will launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. The game will also introduce ‘off track’ movements, letting players ‘drive virtually anywhere.’ The game will launch on the same day as the console. More information will be revealed at the Mario Kart World direct on April 17.

The direct then moved on the some new features for the console. The first one was a voice chat function, letting players speak to their teammates.

A Nintendo Switch 2 camera was also revealed, giving the players the option to also show their faces to their teammates. The camera will also be available for purchase at the same day as the console.

We then moved on the actual Nintendo Switch 2 itself. The new console has a bigger, 7.9 inches, screen, with approximately double the pixels of the original. The screen also supports HDR. The Joy-Con 2s are attached magnetically and feature larger control buttons. The joycons can also be used as a mouse, which will be an option for supported games.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has 256GB of storage, which is 8 times more than the 32GB the original console had.

Cross-console play was also officially confirmed, with Nintendo Switch 2 having the ability to play supported games from the first one.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour game was announced as a digital game, which will introduce the many features of the console in an interactive way.

Extra storage will be supported only with microSD Express Cards. Transferring storage from the Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2 will also be possible via the ‘System Transfer’ feature.

An audio jack was also added to the new console.

Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date

The Nintendo Switch 2 will officially launch on June 5, 2025.

New Game Updates

Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will get Nintendo Switch 2 editions, with enhanced resolution and frame rates and HDR (more vibrant visuals). Zelda Notes will also be available to support the adventures in Hyrule. A new Zelda game was also announced, titled Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.

Other games that will be available can be seen below.

Other games coming to the console include:

• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
• Hades 2
• Street Fighter 6
• Hogwarts Legacy
• James Bond 007
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
• Hyrule Warriors – Age of Imprisonment
• Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut

Another major announcement was The Duskbloodsa new title developed by FromSoftware. The studio is well known for titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ringwith the brand-new title arriving to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.

The original Nintendo Switch was officially released on March 3, 2017 as a hybrid gaming console that functions as both a home console and a portable device. It launched with several titles, with the most notable one being The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

As of September 30, 2024, the Nintendo Switch had achieved the following sales:

• Hardware Sales: 146.04 million units
• Software Sales: 1,306.10 million units

This placed the Switch as Nintendo’s best-selling home console and the third-best-selling game console of all time, behind the PS2 and Nintendo DS.

Nintendo Switch’s top-selling games (also as of September 30, 2024):

• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – 64.27 million units
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 46.45 million units
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 35.14 million units
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 32.29 million units
• Super Mario Odyssey – 28.50 million units

Source: Nintendo Official YouTube
©Nintendo