Switch 2 Nintendo Direct time announced as console exclusives teased

We might still be two months away from the Switch 2 Direct, but Nintendo has confirmed exactly when the presentation will happen. Nintendo’s Switch 2 reveal was peculiar in many ways, but one of the weirder notes was how long we have to wait for more news about the console. In the brief unveiling video, which showed off the revamped Joy-Cons and mouse-like functionality, Nintendo announced a Direct presentation dedicated to the Switch 2 for April 2, 2025, which is nearly three months after the initial console reveal.

In another peculiar move, Nintendo has now confirmed the time for the presentation… but absolutely nothing else. The Switch 2 presentation will air on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 2pm BST. This translates to 3pm CET in Europe, and 6am PT/9am ET in the US. Nintendo has not confirmed how long the presentation will be, or what exactly will be shown beyond ‘a closer look’ at the console itself – with no mention of anything to do with games.

While Nintendo is notoriously difficult to predict, the company is expected to announce the console’s price and launch date. It’s likely we’ll get another look at the next Mario Kart too, which was shown in the initial reveal, and possibly see other games which may be available at launch. Apart from showing footage of a new Mario Kart, Nintendo has not officially announced any games for the Nintendo Switch 2. The console is backwards compatible though, so any original Switch games will work on the system.

As for third party support, there have been rumours of Tekken 8, Red Dead Redemption 2, and ports of various Xbox games, but nothing has been confirmed. However, it seems clear that Nintendo has told third party publishers not to reveal their plans for the Switch 2 yet and so it’s very likely that they’re waiting for the Nintendo Direct to do so. In terms of Nintendo titles, as big question is whether Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends Z-A, which were already announced for the original Nintendo Switch, could become cross-gen titles with the Switch 2. This, however, may have been debunked by Nintendo recently in an earnings call.

When asked if new games will still be released for Nintendo Switch in light of the Switch 2 (as translated on ResetEra), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa reaffirmed that both Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Legends Z-A are still coming out on the system in 2025. ‘We will continue developing Nintendo Switch titles, but launching exclusive games for Nintendo Switch 2 is essential for its success,’ he added. ‘However, we aim to ensure a smooth transition between the two platforms.’.

While this doesn’t rule out either Metroid Prime 4 or Pokémon Legends Z-A being cross-gen titles, or having some kind of improvements on the Switch 2, it certainly sounds like Nintendo has some separate system exclusives up its sleeve to attract fans. As for the original Switch, another Direct presentation is rumoured to be taking place this month dedicated to the console – which might feature a Kirby: Planet Robobot port and a secret mystery game.

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