Nintendo Switch 2 announced: Release date, backwards compatibility and all you need to know

The gaming giant has released a video showing the new console

Nintendo Switch 2, the successor to the Nintendo Switch, will be released this year. Photo: Business Wire

After years of speculation, Nintendo has officially announced the successor to the Switch gaming console. Called Switch 2, the new console is a larger, more advanced version of its predecessor.

The console was announced through a video released by the Japanese gaming giant. In it, a Switch gradually morphs into the Switch 2, showing every change made.

Here are some details about the new console, and what the next steps will be.

No changes, only improvements

The joycons on the Nintendo Switch 2 dock into the screen using a magnet. Photo: Nintendo

It was hard to imagine that Nintendo would veer away from the massive success of the Switch and create a new console that is wholly different from it. As many rightly speculated over the past two years, the Switch 2 is an improved version of the original, rather than a completely new design, both in its software and hardware.

Most notably, the screen is larger. This is particularly welcome news, as many have complained that other handheld consoles on the market such as the Steamdeck, had bigger screens, allowing for a more immersive experience.

Another big improvement is to the joycons, two detachable appendages that act as the console's primary controllers. Each joycon on the Switch could be removed to be used as a single controller, allowing for instant multiplayer fun. The issue with their design is that they had to be slid off the console, which over time would cause wear and tear. Luckily, Nintendo decided to do away with the sliding mechanism, instead making the joycons dock into the console using a magnet to ensure they stay in place.

The back of the original Switch’s screen had a flimsy stand that allowed it to be placed on a surface to play on. This is another thing that has been improved in the Switch 2, as the stand is much more robust and sturdier compared to the previous model.

Backwards compatibility

The Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible, allowing gameplay of Switch games. Photo: Nintendo

The news that the Switch 2 is backwards compatible will thrill many, who will now be able to use one device for both new and old games. This means that new console owners won’t have to wait till a library of new games is accumulated to use the device. This won’t be the case for every single game, as Nintendo noted in the announcement that there will be exceptions.

Release date

Nintendo also promised that a game will be released later this year, without giving an exact date. Additionally, there will be events taking place around the world that will allow fans to get a hands-on experience of the new console. These events will take place in the US, six countries in Europe, including France and the UK, Australia and four countries in Asia.

A full presentation of the Switch 2 will be streaming on April 2, during which more details will be announced, including new games and an exact release date.