Nintendo unveiled its next-generation console, the Switch 2, set to debut on 5 June with a $449.99 price point, marking a significant jump from the original Switch’s $299 launch cost.
The announcement, made during a high-energy Nintendo Direct showcase, highlights upgraded hardware, innovative social features, and a lineup of exclusive games, including Mario Kart World.
Next-Gen features: bigger screen, 4K support, social gaming
The Switch 2 boasts a 7.9-inch LCD screen with 1080p resolution, up from the original’s 6.2-inch display, and supports 4K output when docked. A redesigned Joy-Con controller introduces a new “C” button, enabling GameChat, a subscription-based feature allowing voice communication and live screen-sharing via Nintendo Switch Online.
The Joy-Cons also gain mouse-like functionality, demonstrated through precision controls in a golf simulator.
The console’s flagship title, Mario Kart World, introduces a knockout battle mode and skateboard-inspired rail-grinding mechanics. Other exclusives include Project 007, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kirby Air Riders
Third-party highlights include Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (a Zelda prequel) and FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods, a Gothic multiplayer title slated for 2026. Switch Online subscribers will also access GameCube classics like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.
Backward compatibility, storage hurdles
While the Switch 2 supports original Switch games–both physical and digital–users must purchase a microSD Express card for storage, as standard microSD cards are incompatible. Data transfers from older consoles are permitted, but the added cost has sparked frustration.
Gaming economist Joost van Dreunen attributed console’s rising cost to tariffs on Chinese-made electronics imposed by Trump, dubbing the hike a “Trump tax.”
At the beginning of a new hardware cycle, all of a sudden we’re looking at this price hike. 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.
Nintendo will host Switch 2 Experience events in London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles this month, offering demos of Mario Kart World and other titles. Pre-orders open globally on 10 May.
