Nintendo’s Switch 2, the Mario-and-Zelda company’s first new gaming console in eight years, will be released worldwide on Thursday.
How is it different? Have tariffs affected prices? What are its big games? And does it play Fortnite? Here is what we know right now:
What makes the Switch 2 different?
At a glance, the Switch 2 looks like its popular predecessor, which has sold more than 152 million units. And its sales pitch is similar: a system that has both a built-in screen and a TV dock so that players can “switch” between hand-held and couch gaming.
The biggest differentiator is underneath the hood, where more powerful chips support modern computing techniques like ray tracing (for more realistic lighting) and upscaling (draw fewer pixels, and then algorithmically fill in the rest). The larger built-in screen is rated for a crisper 1080p resolution, and the dock can reach up to 4K on compatible TVs.
The detachable Joy-Con controllers return with tweaks in size and functionality. A built-in optical sensor makes the controller act like a computer mouse when placed on a table or a lap, ideal for aiming weapons in popular games like Fortnite and Metroid.
Can I actually get my hands on one?
Expect long lines outside stores.
Demand is always greater than the supply of new video game consoles, as seen by Nintendo’s wildly popular Wii and Switch launches. So it is no surprise that the stock of Switch 2s seems to be low, thanks to near-instantaneous preorder sellouts in April. Fans of Nintendo franchises are flocking to the new console, which will be the exclusive “next-generation” home of major series like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Pokémon and Animal Crossing.
Select retailers have reserved some copies of the Switch 2 for in-person purchases on Thursday, including Costco and GameStop. Nintendo continues to operate a lottery-style sign-up for preorders, though its eligibility includes requirements like a prior subscription to the Nintendo Switch Online service.
Tariffs have affected some pricing.
Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2’s base price of $449 in the United States hours before President Trump announced a wave of tariffs on imported goods that included every nation the company relies on for manufacturing.
Instead of increasing the console’s price, Nintendo temporarily delayed preorders and later announced price increases on Switch 2 accessories like controllers and carrying cases.
What games can I buy?
Millions will start their engines.
By making Mario Kart World the premier launch title for the Switch 2, Nintendo is betting on past success. The previous game in the franchise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, has sold over 68 million copies for the original Switch.
The popular battle-racing series is being upgraded with an open-world concept where 24-player races will stretch across a larger-than-ever fantasy-style map. The franchise’s go-karts will sometimes transform into planes and watercraft.
As part of Nintendo’s variable pricing strategy, Mario Kart World will cost $80 when it does not come bundled with a Switch 2. Most games on the original Switch were $60, with Tears of the Kingdom costing $70.
The only other launch exclusive from Nintendo is Welcome Tour, a $10 minigame collection that explores the updated features of the new Joy-Con controllers. The third-party launch exclusives primarily target hard-core fans, with highlights including the sci-fi racing indie game Fast Fusion and a remaster of the 2012 role-playing game Bravely Default.
Several recent blockbusters will be available.
This week, the Switch 2 is also receiving a deluge of recent megaselling games — notably Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring — that are too technically demanding for the original Switch. Each offers graphics that were previously impossible on a portable Nintendo console.
Other critically acclaimed standouts that will be immediately available include Street Fighter 6, a frenetic one-on-one fighter by Capcom; Yakuza 0, the gritty-yet-hilarious crime-drama by Sega; and this year’s Split Fiction, an inventive and bombastic co-op game published by Electronic Arts. Most of these ports include updates and bonus content that were previously available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
More big games are on the way this year.
Only one other Nintendo game exclusive to the Switch 2 has an official release date: Donkey Kong Bananza, in which the titular ape will use his might to punch and smash through obstacles that his contemporary Mario might otherwise jump past, is set to be released on July 17 for $70. Kirby Air Riders has a general 2025 release date.
Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Legends: Z-A are among the anticipated Nintendo games scheduled to come out this year for both the Switch and the Switch 2.
What are the Switch 2’s features?
You can play most original Switch games.
If you have a physical game cartridge or a digitally purchased downloadable game for the original Switch, it is supposed to be playable on the Switch 2 as well. However, Nintendo does have a list of older games (more than 100 at this point) that may have issues working on the new console.
Some existing games will have optional “Switch 2 Edition” upgrades that promise improved visuals and performance. Upgrades to Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom can be bought for $10, while those for some other games will be $20; they can also be bought as a full-price stand-alone game.
It is unclear how many third-party games will get the same treatment, but Fortnite, one of the world’s biggest gaming franchises, is set to receive an immediate Switch 2 update.
GameChat will allow you to talk with friends.
GameChat is a new voice and video chat feature for the Switch 2 that will let players connect to up to three other friends. You will have the option to see what games they are playing, and if they connect a camera, you can see their faces as picture-in-picture boxes on the edge of your screen. With automatic noise cancellation and camera blurring, you can chat without putting on a headset or tidying your living room.
GameChat is designed by default to work only with approved friends, and parents can disable or limit this feature for child accounts. As a promotional offer, GameChat will be available without a paid subscription until March 2026; it will then require the purchase of Nintendo Switch Online for at least $20 a year.
GameCube titles are coming.
In addition to GameChat, the $20 tier of Nintendo Switch Online gives players access to dozens of classic games from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo and Game Boy consoles.
The $50 tier adds additional game libraries, including the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis and Game Boy Advance. New to the Switch 2 will be a selection of GameCube games, starting with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Super Mario Sunshine, Pokémon Colosseum and Luigi’s Mansion will eventually be available on the Switch 2.
The post What to Know About the Nintendo Switch 2 appeared first on New York Times.
