It’s Official! The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled and while the nice little trailer video (linked above) shows how this is definitely a different console, Nintendo is being tight-lipped about pretty much any details about the new machine, saving them for a Nintendo Direct event scheduled for 2 April, along with some in-person events that will be held around the world in the coming months. So after a second look at some rumors, some trailer analysis and some general guessing, here’s everything we know, everything we don’t and everything we think we know on the Nintendo Switch 2!

What we know

• Well, it’s definitely called the Switch 2

• It will have a larger screen (likely the same or a similar size to the switch OLED)

• It also has larger, redesigned Joy-Cons which have larger inner shoulder buttons as well as an additional face button. They also seem to be less susceptible to “Joy-Con Drift” as they each have a port in the center likely meant to lock them in place.

• The console now has 2 USB C ports as compared to the original’s 1 port, along with seemingly redesigned speakers as well.

• It will run most of the Original Nintendo Switch’s library, both the cartridge and digital games. The excluded games are likely based on using the original Switch’s infrared sensor or use accessories that connect to the only Joy-Cons shape, which has been changed due to the larger size of the new ones.

• It’s coming out this year

What we think we know

• A new Mario Kart game seems to be coming out with the system as a launch title (something it sorely needs more of if it wants to convince existing Switch players to buy it).

• The new Joy-Cons seem to have mouse functionality based on the trailer and some earlier rumors.

• The specs:

 Now specs don’t really tell much of a story if not explained so here’s the short version. The NVIDIA chip in this machine should put it in the ballpark of performance of the PS4, if not more powerful, something which may seem disappointing for some, but is right in line with Nintendo’s approach of using less powerful but capable hardware in their consoles.After all, the original Switch was somewhere in between the PS4 and PS3 when it came to performance. The good part of this power bump in the Switch 2 however, is it becomes instantly capable of playing a lot more games. In fact in theory, it can probably run every PS4/Xbox One generation game, which may lead to better third-party support as a lot of the world’s biggest games still run on those platforms like Call of Duty and Battlefield for example. Think about it this way, on a Switch you’ll be getting proper ports of FIFA/ EAFC rather than the “Legacy Editions” that you get now. There’s also the prospect of proper Unreal Engine 5 support, which powers popular new games like Marvel Rivals, while also opening the avenues for enhanced versions of games like Mortal Kombat 1 (which sucks on the original Switch’).

What we definitively don’t know

• The price: yes there’s a lot of talk about the console likely being $400

• The exact screen size

• An actual release date and list of launch titles (But that’s probably what the April 2 event is for).

But essentially, that’s the Switch 2. We’ll have to update you with more info as it comes along, but let us know if this brief teaser is enough to get you interested. 

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