After weeks of leaks and speculation, Nintendo has finally announced the Switch 2the long-awaited successor to its popular hybrid portable console. The video game manufacturer has today published a teaser two minutes with a first look at the console, a portable that looks very similar to the original Switch, but larger.
More details on April 2
Nintendo also announced Thursday that it will hold a Direct presentation to offer more details about the Switch on April 2. In the announcement video, Nintendo shows off a larger screen with a pair of black and pink, and black and blue Joy-Cons. The video also seems to hint at a new game of Mario Kart with images shown for just a few seconds.
The portable console will play both Switch 2 and Switch gamesNintendo announced in a press release, but added that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be compatible or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”
The original Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, at a time when Nintendo was still recovering from the poor sales of its previous console, the Wii U. However, where the Wii U failed to find an audience, the Switch took off. In 2023, it became the third console best selling of all time, behind the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation 2, a position it still maintains.
In 2024, however, it seemed that the console had peaked. Sales were plummeting and rumors were already spreading about a new generation. Almost a year ago, when Nintendo announced that Pokémon Legends: ZA would arrive on their “consoles” in 2025, fans speculated about the possibility of a new console.
In May of last year, the company promised that it would reveal a new console in April 2025. Last month they leaked details and alleged photos of the device from the manufacturers, and later on platforms such as Reddit and X.
Nintendo stalwarts, at least, have had fun with the leaks, whether using Tarot card readings to guess the announcement date, or making jokes about features like “imported Italian air” or screws. “It has 10 slots. So it’s revealed on January 10,” one Reddit user joked. Other built a “summoning circle” filled with old games and Mario and Luigi figurines.
The new generation of Switch will launch in a very different console ecosystem than its predecessor. In 2022, Steam launched its portable Steam Deck, allowing gamers to take more PC games with them on the go. During this year’s CES, Microsoft’s VP of “Next Generation,” Jason Ronald, hinted at The Verge that this year there would be updates to the Windows gaming experience. Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer has also alluded to the possibility of a portable Xbox device.
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