This is the Nintendo Switch 2, but is it enough?

And so it begins: today, during one of the most highly-anticipated Nintendo Direct presentations ever, the company shared most of the details consumers need to know about its new hybrid games console. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be out on June 5th, 2025 costing $449 (or $499 accompanied by a copy of launch title Mario Kart World). It’s a more capable, notably improved version of the current Nintendo Switch which is already in the hands of almost 150 million consumers worldwide. This is arguably the most important gaming product of this year in terms of hardware, despite not bringing anything terribly original to the table as some expected.

Since the Nintendo Switch 2 is rightly viewed as an upgraded version of an existing entertainment system rather than a groundbreaking, truly new one, it’s pretty difficult not to compare the two in various ways. It’s also pretty difficult to not feel somewhat underwhelmed by what Nintendo seems to be going for in 2025 terms. Here’s what consumers need to know about all the ways the new Switch is a better system than its predecessor… and all the ways it seems ill-equipped to have an 8-year run as successful as the original Switch had.

Considerably improved hardware but no unique features

Let’s get the easy part out of the way first: specs. The Nintendo Switch 2 is essentially an improved, more capable version of the current model. The company did not share extensive technical details about the product’s hardware – like its processor, system memory and bandwidth, graphics subsystem etc. – but it did confirm what most people are interested in. Its 8-inch screen, for instance, is now sharper at 1080p, brighter and faster too at 120 Hz (also supporting VRR). This obviously makes for a bigger device but it is as thin as the original Switch and almost just as light. The new Switch supports displays of 4K resolutions at up to 120 Hz when docked, presumably by leveraging nVidia’s DLSS technology for upscaling (it’s not clear whether frame generation is also supported).

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of storage as standard, expandable up to additional 2TB with the help of microSD Express memory cards (these are much faster than standard SD ones). As confirmed back in January, the new Switch is able to use the physical game cards of the original Switch and it sports two USB-C ports, one at the bottom and one at the top, allowing for charging of the device while peripherals are also in use. The first of those peripherals is a specially-designed camera (available at launch) which can capture live video of the player and incorporate it in various apps, such as Nintendo’s own GameChat.

The new Switch is improved in several other areas too: it incorporates faster wireless connectivity, it offers a built-in microphone, the JoyCon2 controllers are magnetically attached and confirmed to sport mouse-like functionality. Rumors regarding the much-discussed “C” button were also true: this works as a shortcut for the in-game chat app and it could prove useful in other ways too.

All of these new features have been implemented in other handheld devices before, granted, but Nintendo has been working on those for some time – so it stands to reason that the company has more than a few ideas on how they can be put to creative use in modern games.

Whether the JoyCon “mouse mode” or the in-game video communication between players are novel enough or interesting enough to actually make a difference in the eyes of consumers is anybody’s guess right now: that will ultimately depend on how developers implement them. Here’s hope, though, that these (along with all the other quality-of-life improvements) do add to the overall entertainment experience, because the improved screen and extra horsepower of the Switch 2 are not enough to warrant a true generational leap all on their own.

But what about, you know, the games?

The Switch 2 is a noteworthy but not spectacular hardware upgrade over the original model but, then again, Nintendo has always been about the software, not the hardware. So what will the new system be offering when it comes to the games themselves, especially those first-party titles Nintendo is known and loved for? They are the actual reason why most people would choose a Switch 2 over other available options… and that’s where it gets complicated, as there’s good news and bad news depending on what each of us expected of Nintendo.

The good news: the Switch 2 will be a much more diverse, well-rounded gaming platform that its predecessor ever was, as third-party publishers will be bringing many more of their games to the new model. This being a more capable system obviously helps, as does the huge success of the first model (which practically guarantees that the Switch 2 will build a decent customer base fast). But Nintendo also seems more willing than before to bring games for a mature audience to the new Switch, which is a good thing for everyone involved. Depending on how accomplished these ports from other systems are, this could prove to be a major change long-term.

During this Nintendo Direct there were tons of third-party games Switch 2 highlighted, including Elden Ring, Hades 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza Zero: Director’s Cut, NBA 2K, Civilization VII, Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, Borderlands 4, and Hitman World of Assassination. They all looked quite promising in the context of a handheld system. Early information indicates that there will be way more third-party games coming – from major publishers and indies alike – over the next months and years, helping the new Switch become a more attractive platform than just one people are buying to play the latest Nintendo games on.

Having said that, there’s little doubt that the first wave of Switch 2 owners will be some of the company’s most loyal fans, expecting at least a few of those world-famous franchises to make an appearance at launch exclusively developed for that system. Well, here’s the bad news: there will be just one (1) such title available on June 5th, Mario Kart World. That’s it. Another one, Donkey Kong Bananza, will follow on July 17th and two more, Kirby Air Rides and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, will arrive “in 2025”. Incredibly enough, From Software will be offering its own Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, in 2026… but these seem to be the only games specifically developed for Nintendo’s latest platform for the next 12-18 months or ever longer.

Are these enough? No, yours truly feels, because people tend to buy new gaming consoles in order to enjoy new games on them. Sure, many Switch games will perform better on the Switch 2 due to the latter’s more capable hardware. Yes, there will be paid technical upgrades to beloved Switch titles such as Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There will even be some cross-gen titles, such as Metroid Prime 4, coming out for the Switch and the Switch 2 at the same time. There will be no shortage of last-gen games to play on the Nintendo Switch 2.

But – just as it was the case with the latest PlayStation and Xbox – there’s little point in purchasing a new system to play old games on it or new games that can be played on one’s current system. New system, new games… and just one such game at launch is kind of embarrassing for any platform making its debut.

Judging by what media outlets have published on the Switch 2 so far, one would think that the greatest challenge Nintendo’s new system will be facing is its considerably higher price point or the increased price of its first-party games. These are valid concerns, but – just as is the case with even pricier gaming systems – overall value is always more important than retail pricing or cost of ownership… and the Nintendo Switch 2 does not seem capable of delivering much value in June when it comes to the games themselves.

There’s no question in anyone’s mind that the potential for some truly high-quality titles during the second or third year of this new system’s shelf life is clearly there. But early owners of the Switch 2 need to understand that will have precious few new AAA exclusive titles to play on it in 2025 and lots, lots of ports or enhanced editions of existing games. Some people will be OK with that, others won’t.

First thoughts: is playing it safe a good idea for Nintendo?

Given the obvious fact that the Switch 2 (a product Nintendo itself considered naming Super Nintendo Switch at one point) is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary system, it’s clear that the company is consciously making a risky choice here. The hybrid nature of the original Switch worked as a competitive advantage at a time when there was no other true alternative available. Things are different in 2025: not only are handheld PCs a viable option that will only improve over time, but even a better one already. Microsoft and Sony are working on their own such portable systems, too, making things even harder for Nintendo in the future.

What the Japanese company is doing, then – delivering just an improved Switch sporting not a single unique selling point of its own – is essentially accepting this risk and hoping that special, exclusive Nintendo software will balance things out in the eyes of both its diehard fans and mainstream consumers. This may or may not come to pass, since it’s obviously too early to tell. Having said that, this particular Nintendo Direct did not inspire confidence in that regard: all we got was glimpses of Nintendo games we’ve played before, just prettier.

The irony here is not lost on anyone paying attention to what’s been happening in the gaming industry. The latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles failed to deliver the kind of generational jump expected of them because all they have offered so far was just prettier versions of games we’ve all played before – a fair assessment. At the same time, everyone’s been praising Nintendo for following a different path, not focusing on the audiovisual quality of its titles but rather on their high-quality gameplay and overall fun factor. Watching Nintendo now following Sony’s and Microsoft’s approach (but not going all the way in terms of tech specs) is just… disappointing.

Summing things up makes the reasons why yours truly is concerned about the Nintendo Switch 2 clear. Here’s a new gaming system that’s already underpowered compared to a number of others widely available, that looks and works too much like its predecessor, that has no truly unique selling points, that offers many of the same titles already found on other entertainment systems, that practically depends on its future exclusive games in order to make its case. Of those highly desirable games, though, we’ve seen very little so far – and what was shown was not original enough or different enough or impressive enough in 2025 terms. It was just OK… which is not what a new gaming platform should be contend with.

At the end of the day, it may be that many people feel underwhelmed by the Switch 2 because they have come to expect more from Nintendo. Or it may be that we’ve waited for this new system for so long that it could not possibly live up to the hype. But Nintendo is supposed to be the videogames company that views itself as a toy maker, the games publisher that strives to surprise and delight, the creative force that brings something unique and unexpected to the table compared to what others are doing. If that Nintendo now decided to play the “marginal upgrades” and “remakes and remasters” game others have been playing for a decade or more, then it’s a sad day for all of us.