Nintendo has finally revealed the release date and price of its forthcoming Switch 2 console.
The Switch 2 will be released on 5th June and cost £395.99. Pre-orders will open on 8th April, though will be on an invite-only basis with strict criteria.
Nintendo revealed the news at today’s Switch 2 Direct, alongside a look at the launch line-up – including the brand new Mario Kart World, which will be available as a bundle with the console for £429.99.
Showing off the new console, Nintendo finally gave us a look at the new C-button, which initiates Game Chat to communicate with others while playing. To assist, a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera is being released alongside the console.
Console game sharing has been included, so players can play together on separate consoles using just one copy of the game. This even works with Game Chat, though is only compatible with certain games.
So what’s new in Switch 2?
The LCD screen is 7.9 inches wide, with double the pixels of the original Switch. It’s 1080p and offers up to 120fps and HDR support.
The Joy-Con 2 attach magnetically and have larger control sticks. Mouse controls have been confirmed, usable across both controllers.
The console’s built-in speakers have been enhanced, while the console has a built-in microphone for voice chat – complete with noise-cancelling technology to filter out other sounds. 3D audio will be possible with headphones (in supported games) and with the built-in speaker via a later update.
The console also has two USB-C ports at the top and bottom, used for the new camera or for charging in tabletop mode.
Internal storage will be 256GB – that’s eight times more than the original Switch. Reading and writing data will be faster too.
The dock will offer 4K support and HDR support in TV mode. It also has a built-in fan to keep the console cool and performance stable.
The game cards look the same as Switch but are red and with faster speeds. The console will be compatible with microSD Express cards for high speed data transfer. Original Switch microSD cards will not be compatible.
Lastly, the new Pro Controller will include the C-button as well as new GL and GR buttons on the handles and an audio jack for headphones.
For those wishing to transfer data between Switch and Switch 2, this will be achievable with a Nintendo Online account to transfer save data, digital games, and more.
