Nintendo Switch 2 is finally official

The worst kept secret in gaming is finally official, as Nintendo took the wraps off of the Switch 2 console, coming to retail this year.

That’s it?

To say that the Switch 2‘s official reveal was lackluster would probably be an understatement. Fans knew for some time that the console was coming of course, especially with the leaks during CES 2025, but for the most part the official reveal managed to only confirm what we already knew. Nintendo took to social media for that earlier today, delivering confirmations aplenty, but scant new details.

The Switch 2 (we still would’ve preferred Super Nintendo Switch as a name) will be a bigger overall portable than the original, complete with a larger screen and what appears to be magnetic joy-cons. Fans can also look for it to offer an overall redesigned look, but still pretty closely resemble the original Switch. That includes both the system’s dock and that of the joy-con controllers as well.

It wasn’t all confirmations though, as fans also got their first look at what might be Mario Kart 9, and a bit of info about backwards compatibility. Apparently, while the Switch 2 will play its own exclusive titles (naturally), and both physical and digital games from the current Switch, it won’t be compatible with all of the latter.

Just what that means, and how much of the library won’t be supported, is just one of a few questions that we still have. Even so though, we’re excited to actually see the console confirmed, and be heading towards a launch here in 2025.

As you can see above, there’s no date for that launch just yet, only a date for the next Nintendo Direct, entitled “Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025”. Aside from the details yet to be unveiled, we’re hoping that April 2nd show will offer up a firm release date.

No hints to when that might be, but we’re going to go ahead and assume that it’ll be a little later than rumored.

Go hands-on, ahead of time

Scheduled for after the April 2nd presentation, but before the console drops, are a series of hands-on events. What games will be playable are unknown at present, but there’ll be a series of opportunities for fans to get some time with the console, starting in the same month as the Direct.

Here’s the schedule:

North America:

• New York, April 4-6, 2025
• Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
• Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
• Toronto, April 25-27, 2025

Europe:

• Paris, April 4-6, 2025
• London, April 11-13, 2025
• Milan, April 25-27, 2025
• Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
• Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
• Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025

Oceania:

• Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025

Asia:

• Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
• Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
• Hong Kong, To be announced
• Taipei, To be announced

You’ll need a ticket to attend any of the advance hands-on showings for Switch 2, and that’s not all. Nintendo adds that fans will have to have a Nintendo account as well. So if you’re a newbie to the ecosystem and planning to attend one of the above events, you’ll have to make an account. We presume that a free Nintendo account is all you’ll need.

For more info, and for tickets when they do go up for grabs, check out Nintendo’s official page here.