Nintendo announces Switch 2: everything we know so far about the new console
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Nintendo has unveiled its new Switch 2 console with a larger screen. The hybrid device functions much like its predecessor, the seven-year-old Switch, slotting in and out of a TV-connected dock for gaming at home or on the go. Following the trend set by PlayStation and Xbox, Nintendo seems to be embracing a more refined, iterative approach with the new Switch instead of a wholesale redesign. After all, why tamper with a classic?.
Still, with the original Switch starting to show its age, Nintendo has made some upgrades where it counts. The console also comes with a pair of Joy-Con controllers that snap on to either side of its tablet-like touchscreen, ditching its predecessor’s slide rails. It looks like it will still play digital and physical games, thanks to the inclusion of a game card slot on the top right-hand side.
Rounding out the new features, there’s an extra USB-C port on the top and a slimmer stand on the rear that allows players to tilt the console further back when resting it on a desk or table. Rumours suggest it will also feature a custom Nvidia processor, 12GB of RAM and that display will be eight inches.
Nintendo revealed the device in a brief promotional video, but it stopped short of announcing its release date. It’s promising to share more in an upcoming Nintendo Direct on April 2, though leaks suggest the console could hit shelves in June. With its larger size and muted black shade (punctuated by the occasional splash of colour on the controllers), the Switch 2 leans closer to the design of the Steam Deck. Valve’s device was one of several handhelds that followed in the wake of the original Switch, a console that redefined and revitalised portable gaming.
