We’ve been waiting for a replacement for the now 8-year-old Nintendo Switch (for me, ever since I saw the Switch struggle to run Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity at a framerate higher than “slideshow”). Today, Nintendo finally revealed the Switch 2, so we know what it’s called, what it looks like, and when it’s coming out (sometime in 2025). The leak does not include details other than information about a promotional tour and the upcoming Nintendo Direct scheduled for April 2nd. So I analyzed the two-minute reveal trailer to uncover possible details about the Switch 2 that Nintendo didn’t explicitly state. Here’s what I found.
(Credit: Nintendo)
1. It’s the same form factor, just bigger
Nintendo isn’t radically redesigning the Switch 2, if the name wasn’t already an indication. Unlike the wild changes from GameCube to Wii to Wii U to Switch, Switch 2 uses the same handheld/console hybrid concept as the current Switch. It’s a tablet with removable Joy-Con controllers and a dock that lets you play on a TV.
However, it is bigger. In the video, the tablet portion of the Switch expands as it transforms into the Switch 2. The new size has not been confirmed, and the extrapolation of measurements from a computer animation is questionable. However, the larger tablet is in line with rumors that the Switch 2 would have an 8-inch OLED display (up from the 7-inch OLED Switch and the original Switch’s 6.2-inch display).
(Credit: Nintendo)
2. It has an improved support
Placing the original switch on a table to play with friends when you’re away from the TV is a great feature, but not the most durable. Its support is small and shifted to one side. As a result, Nintendo updated the kickstand when it released the Switch OLED, changing it to a panel that takes up half of the back of the console. The Switch 2’s key rest is a less obtrusive U-shaped holder that feels like it can be positioned at a wider range of angles than even the OLED key.
(Credit: Nintendo)
3. The Joy-Con looks magnetic
The leaked video shows the Joy-Con’s original click tracks replaced by a smoother cutout and a rectangular port in the middle. This means the controllers simply slot straight into the sides of the console instead of sliding up and locking into place with the Switch’s signature click sound. It also shows that the magnets hold the Joy-Con in place.
This may sound less secure than a mechanical lock, but I don’t think it is. The bar that slides into the system is long, taking up almost the entire side of the Joy-Con, and looks quite deep. Well-placed magnets combined with a fairly deep stretch should prevent movement, making the Joy-Con easy to remove.
It is a promising change. After three Switch systems and several pairs of Joy-Con, I can confirm that the original Switch locks are not particularly secure. Rails inevitably begin to loosen after prolonged use. The actual ports that physically plug into the Switch 2 mean that the Joy-Con will stay connected better.
(Credit: Nintendo)
4. Joy-Con can double as mice
The trailer shows that the Joy-Con can serve as a mouse and motion controller. The video shows them gliding along a flat surface while strapped into their wrist strap handles. The handles can have sliding plates that allow them to slide smoothly without touching the fasteners. The sliding animation might hint at Mario Kart gameplay with trailer spotlights, but the addition of gloves with wrist straps doesn’t fit that image. However, it summons literal rats.
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(Credit: Nintendo)
5. Mario Kart 9 could be a starter title
The Switch 2 debut video seems to have hinted at a new Mario Kart. The character and card designs are all slightly different, and the track is unfamiliar. The track also seems much wider than most Mario Kart races, possibly accommodating 24 drivers.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the most popular and best Switch games. There are 96 tracks and I don’t believe any of them feature a Yoshi’s Burger Hut in the middle of a vast desert. It was originally a Wii U game. Promoting a second remaster of a two-generation-old title as the first look at a new console makes little sense. I don’t think Sony would attempt this for a launch game either.
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What else is in the Switch 2’s future?
Nintendo will reveal almost everything about the Switch 2 during a Nintendo Direct on April 2nd. We may have more rumors before then, but we probably won’t see many other details confirmed.
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About Will Greenwald
Principal Analyst, Consumer Electronics
