- Nintendo hosted the Switch 2 Direct live event on April 2nd at 6 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET, 2 p.m. BST).
- The video game company hinted at the Switch 2 in January, giving the industry a peek at what it looked like.
- Nintendo also revealed a new version of its legendary Mario Kart game, called ‘Mario Kart World’, which features race tracks worldwide, including off-grid.
During the one-hour ‘Direct’ live event on April 2nd, Nintendo officially announced that the Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025, starting at 6 a.m. PT (9 a.m. ET, 2 p.m. BST).
Nintendo showed off some exciting upgrades the Switch 2 has over its predecessor, such as a larger 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display, 256GB of internal storage, and new Joy-Con controllers that magnetically attach to the console. Mario Kart World was also revealed as an exclusive launch title for the Switch 2.
The video game company hinted at the Switch 2 in January, giving the industry a peek at what it looked like but nothing about what was under the hood — leaving gamers in the dark about what the mysterious console was capable of. Wednesday’s live event officially kicked off with reveals about the eagerly awaited Switch 2.
Nintendo Direct reveals details of the upcoming Switch 2 launch
Some Nintendo Switch 2 details not explained in the Direct:
– Mario Kart World is $80
– Enchanced Games are "free" with NSO
– Pre-Orders Start April 9th
– $449 or $499 with Mario Kart
– Some Game Cards will just be "KEYS" to proxy downloadsWhat else have you seen or heard?
— Wood Hawker (@BeatemupsWood) April 2, 2025
The Direct live event presentation highlighted new games and more coming to the Switch system in 2025 and beyond. The reveals included a new smart-device app called Nintendo Today, which will deliver a variety of content, including news and videos of games and characters from select franchises.
Also featured were a range of titles launching on Switch, such as the newly announced Rhythm Heaven Groove and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream games, plus fresh looks at Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Many Switch games from Nintendo’s global publishing and development partners were also showcased during the presentation, including Tamagotchi Plaza, launching June 27; Marvel Cosmic Invasion, launching this winter; Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, launching Aug. 27; Patapon 1+2 Replay, launching July 11; and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake launching this year.
The Japanese video game giant also announced Wednesday that its new Switch console would be available on June 5, starting the countdown for one of the most hotly awaited gaming launches in years.
Millions of fans around the world were glued to an hour-long presentation from the Kyoto-based company about the Switch 2–an update to the 2017 original model that has sold around 150 million units.
The new console retains many of the features of its predecessor, including its detachable ‘Joy-Con’ controllers, but features a larger, higher resolution screen and quicker processing speeds. Nintendo revealed that the base model will cost $450, and pre-orders will be available next week, on April 9.
The virtual game cards feature was also announced, which simplifies digital game management and enables players to lend or borrow games between multiple Nintendo account family group members.
Nintendo clears up mystery about the Switch 2 ‘C’ button
Nintendo also cleared up the mysteries about the system’s “C” button with details about new GameChat features and a camera accessory and confirmed that GameCube games are coming to Switch Online, along with a dedicated controller.
The button on the right Joy-Con directly below the home button is square and marked with a “C.” The mysterious new button was shown briefly in the video debuting the Switch back in February and was present in every mock-up and leak of the console.
In the Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo finally revealed the purpose of the button, a new feature called GameChat. As its name implies, GameChat enables Switch 2 players to communicate using the console’s built-in microphone.
The video game noted how the Switch 2’s microphone will feature background noise filtering to ensure that GameChat calls come through clearly. In addition to giving people a way to talk directly to one another, GameChat also features screen sharing functionality that will allow you to broadcast your gaming to friends on group calls. Notably, people within a call will be able to play and screen-share different titles simultaneously.
In a press release, the Kyoto-based video game firm said parents looking to monitor their children’s use of GameChat will be able to enable or disable the feature through the Nintendo Switch Parental Control smartphone app.
The GameChat feature represents a major step forward in Nintendo’s social gaming offerings. The video game company was the only one of the three major manufacturers with no way for players to communicate with their friends via the console.
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Collins J. Okoth
Collins Okoth is a journalist and markets analyst with 8 years of experience covering crypto and technology. He is a is a Certified Financial Analyst and holds a degree in Actuarial Mathematics. Collins has previously worked with Geek Computer and CoinRabbit as a writer and editor.
