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After years of leaks and speculation, we now know exactly what the Nintendo Switch 2 looks like, how much it will cost and when we can all get our mitts on one. And it’s sooner than you might think.
It was only back in January that we got our first look at the Nintendo Switch 2 but that felt less like a behind-the-curtain reveal and more of a breadcrumb, confirming the handheld console’s existence and design but divulging little else.
Nintendo Switch 2: Price and release date
The January reveal was, at least, tempered with a promise of more information to come in April and now we have it. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be arriving on shelves on 5 June 2025 – a hair over two months from now – with preorders starting from 8 April.
Preorders will initially only be available for selected members who register their interest via the My Nintendo Store and even that is no guarantee – you can read more about the selection criteria on Nintendo’s website.
We also got confirmation of the price and that part might not be quite as exciting. The Nintendo Switch 2 will retail in the UK for £395 by itself, or you can get a bundle with the new Mario Kart game – more on that in a sec – for £429.
So, as expected, the Switch 2 is Nintendo’s most expensive console to date, closing in on the prices of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. By comparison, the original Nintendo Switch retailed for £299 back in 2017, with the Nintendo Switch OLED following in 2021 at a slightly higher launch price of £310.
Nintendo Switch 2: What’s new?
Nintendo has at least paired the higher price with a handful of hardware upgrades. We already knew that the Switch 2 would have a larger display than its siblings but now we know exactly how big it is: the LCD screen measures 7.9in across the diagonal (compared to the Switch’s 6.2in and the Switch OLED’s 7in).
The display can now run games at 1080p resolution and supports HDR, VRR and gameplay up to 120fps. The new dock also now supports 4K resolution, though the framerate for that is capped to 60fps.
Next up we have the brand-new controllers, the Joy-Con 2. These now snap magnetically to the sides of the display, releasing with a simple press of a button, rather than sliding out like previous iterations. They also have a couple of added features, including the new C button on the right controller, which enables the GameChat voice chat feature, and you can now turn them on their sides to use them like a computer mouse in compatible games.
Joining GameChat in encouraging joint-play is the GameShare feature, which allows you to essentially invite a friend to play a game you own, either locally or online, even if they don’t have a copy themselves.
Perhaps my favourite change, however, is that the Switch 2 now features two USB-C ports, adding one on the top edge, alongside the standard bottom-edge port. This means that you can now fold out the kickstand and play in tabletop mode while charging the console – an omission that previously caused endless frustration for me with my Switch OLED.
Nintendo Switch 2: Games
As alluded to above, the flagship title that will be launching alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 is Mario Kart World, a brand-new entry into the fan-favourite racing series. If you fancy the game, you’ll want to try and snatch up one of those £429 bundles, because by itself, Mario Kart World is going to cost an eye-watering £75.
Also available from launch day will be Nintendo Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, with Super Mario Party: Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, joining the list later in 2025. July 2025 will also see the release of Donkey Kong: Bananza, a new platformer starring everyone’s favourite gorilla in a necktie.
Also revealed was an exciting list of third-party games that will be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in the next year or so, the most interesting of which is The Duskbloods – a Switch 2 exclusive from Dark Souls developer FromSoftware. The studio’s previous game, Elden Ring, will also be coming to the Switch 2 in 2025 as a new Tarnished Edition, alongside Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Split Fiction, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and many more.
So to wrap up, the Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on 5 June 2025 and it will cost £395 for the console by itself or £429 bundled with the new Mario Kart World game. Preorders open from 8 April, albeit only to select users. You can check if you’re eligible at the Nintendo store.
We’ll have more to say about the Nintendo Switch 2 as we get closer to that June release date, so keep an eye out for our full review to find out if we think it’s worth the upgrade after all these years of waiting.
