Nintendo Switch 2
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Nintendo Switch 2
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| Developer | Nintendo |
| Type | Hybrid video game console |
| Generation | Ninth generation |
| Release date | June 5, 2025 |
| Launch price | US$449.99 (standalone) US$499.99 (Mario Kart World bundle) |
| Units sold | 19.86 million worldwide (as of March 31, 2026) |
| Processor | Custom NVIDIA chip (8-core ARM CPU) |
| Display | 7.9-inch LCD, 1920×1080, up to 120 Hz |
| Storage | 256 GB (expandable via microSD Express) |
| Controllers | Joy-Con 2 |
| Predecessor | Nintendo Switch |
| Website | nintendo.com |
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The Nintendo Switch 2 is a hybrid video game console made by Nintendo. It is the follow-up to the original Nintendo Switch from 2017, and like its predecessor it can be played in three ways: docked to a television, set up on a table, or held in the hands as a portable system. The console was released worldwide on June 5, 2025.
The Switch 2 keeps the same overall idea as the first Switch but upgrades nearly every part. It has a bigger and sharper screen, a faster processor, more storage, and redesigned controllers that snap on with magnets. It also adds new ways to play and chat with friends. At launch, the Switch 2 sold faster than any Nintendo system before it, with more than 3.5 million units sold around the world in just four days.
1 Hardware✎
The Nintendo Switch 2 was rebuilt from the ground up while keeping the familiar tablet-and-controllers shape of the original.
1.1 Display✎
The console has a 7.9-inch LCD touchscreen, a noticeable jump from the 6.2-inch screen on the first Switch. It shows games at full 1080p high definition and supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, which allows for very smooth motion of up to 120 frames per second in games that support it. The screen also supports HDR10 for a wider range of brightness and color. When the console is connected to a compatible television through its dock, it can output images at up to 4K resolution.
1.2 Processor and storage✎
Powering the system is a custom chip made by NVIDIA in close partnership with Nintendo. It uses an 8-core ARM processor, a major step up from the 4-core chip in the original Switch, allowing for better graphics and faster gameplay. The console comes with 256 GB of built-in storage, eight times the 32 GB of the launch Switch, and this can be expanded using microSD Express memory cards.
1.3 Joy-Con 2 controllers✎
The Switch 2 introduces redesigned controllers called Joy-Con 2. Instead of sliding onto a rail like the originals, they attach to the sides of the console with strong magnets and pop off with a release button. The controllers are mostly black, using red and blue only as accents. They have larger control sticks and bigger side buttons that make them easier to hold sideways.
The biggest new feature is that each Joy-Con 2 can be used as a mouse. By sliding a controller across a flat surface, players can point and move in games that support this mode, opening up new styles of play. The controllers also include a dedicated "C" button that instantly opens the GameChat feature.
2 Features✎
2.1 GameChat✎
GameChat is a built-in way for players to talk and play together online. With a press of the C button, players can voice chat, share their game screens with friends, and even video chat using a compatible USB-C camera sold separately. The console has a built-in microphone with noise-cancelling technology so players do not need a headset. The goal of GameChat is to make online play feel more like sitting in the same room with friends and family.
2.2 Backward compatibility✎
The Switch 2 can play most games from the original Nintendo Switch library, so players can keep enjoying their existing collections on the new hardware.
3 Launch and reception✎
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025 at a suggested price of US$449.99, with a bundle including Mario Kart World available for US$499.99. It launched alongside Mario Kart World, a racing game featuring a connected open world and races of up to 24 players, the most in the series' history.
The console set sales records right away. Nintendo reported that more than 3.5 million units sold worldwide in the first four days, making it the fastest-selling Nintendo system ever. In the United States, it sold over 1.1 million units in its first week, breaking the previous launch-week record. Most U.S. buyers also picked up Mario Kart World alongside the console. By the end of September 2025, roughly four months after launch, the Switch 2 had sold more than 10 million units worldwide.
A 3D platforming game starring Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Bananza, followed shortly after launch on July 17, 2025.