NINTENDO SWITCH 2 Launches June 5th with New In-Game Features

All Together, Anytime, Anywhere. With new ways to play and new ways to connect players, Nintendo Switch 2 arrives on June 5^th 2025. Discover reimagined Joy-Con 2 controllers, each of which can now be used as a mouse in compatible games and that snap to the console with magnetic connectors. Experience the console’s powerful processing speeds delivering visuals via a bigger screen showcasing vibrant colour and clarity. From Nintendo Switch 2 games to compatible games in existing Nintendo Switch libraries – connect and play with friends and family in surprising new ways!

“Nintendo Switch 2 is the next step in at-home gaming that can be taken on the go based on eight years of play and discovery that began with Nintendo Switch,” said Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa. “With its new features that expand the possibilities of gaming experiences, I truly believe that Nintendo Switch 2 is a leap forward in our journey of putting smiles on the faces of everyone that Nintendo touches.”

Nintendo Switch 2 comes with the following:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console
• Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)
• Joy-Con 2 Grip
• Joy-Con 2 Straps
• Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
• Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
• Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter
• USB-C Charging Cable

 Race into Nintendo Switch 2 with the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle*¹, which includes a console and a download code for Mario Kart World, available from Nintendo Switch 2 launch day on June 5^th.

Today’s Nintendo Direct presentation featured a broad variety of hardware details, system features, and games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 both from Nintendo and its publishing partners. To view the Nintendo Direct presentation in its entirety, visit https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/nintendodirect.

GameChat Enables New Ways to Play Socially, All Together 

With the new online feature GameChat*², people can play games and talk like everyone is in the same room, even if they are miles apart. Whether sharing a victory or just waving hello, GameChat makes it feel like online friends around the world are on the same couch. Once GameChat is up, players can start a chat with friends anytime by pressing the C Button on the right Joy-Con 2 controller. The console’s built-in mic can be used to voice chat while playing games with up to 12 people in different locations. Up to four friends can share their screen, and if they connect a compatible USB-C camera, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 camera (sold separately), they can also video chat, seeing each other’s faces as they cheer, shout, or laugh while playing. Additional friends can join the chat via audio only. Until the end of March 2026, GameChat can be used without the need to have a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Afterwards, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required.

When initiating a GameChat session, the user invites people from their friend list. Safety features are in place to help players have a safe and secure chat experience, such as the ability to report a person while in a chat session. In addition, Nintendo recognises the important role parents and guardians play in their children’s online experiences, so children under the age of 16 will need their parent or guardian to approve their use of GameChat with an updated version of the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls App.

A Multitude of New Features and Experiences

Nintendo Switch 2 has a large 7.9-inch built-in LCD screen that displays in full HD at 1080p while maintaining the same thickness of Nintendo Switch. Even while on the go, Nintendo Switch 2 offers vivid, detailed game experiences, as well as smooth graphics showcasing character movements and their rich facial expressions.

Joy-Con 2, the newly designed Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, magnetically attach to the Nintendo Switch 2 console. In addition, either Joy-Con 2 controller can be operated like a mouse by sliding it on a surface like a table or on a pair of trousers. They can be used in multiple ways, including for games that require aiming.

The angle of the new stable stand on the back of the Nintendo Switch 2 console can be adjusted freely so that players can find their preferred viewing angle. While Nintendo Switch has one USB-C port on the bottom of the console, Nintendo Switch 2 has a port on the top as well, which makes it possible for players to use the included AC adapter to charge the console while playing in tabletop mode. It is also possible to connect a compatible USB-C camera, like the Nintendo Switch 2 camera, to enjoy video chat on GameChat.

Nintendo Switch 2 has significantly improved CPU and GPU performance over Nintendo Switch, resulting in faster processing speed and enabling new visually advanced gameplay. It also makes it possible to achieve more detailed graphics and faster loading times.

On Nintendo Switch 2, the sound quality is more natural and clearer with an even more balanced sound range. When playing in handheld mode or tabletop mode, players will be able to experience games with even more immersive, three-dimensional sound.

The internal storage of Nintendo Switch 2, where digital games and save data are stored, is 256 GB, which is 8 times the storage capacity of Nintendo Switch. For additional storage, Nintendo Switch 2 only uses microSD Express cards, which have faster data reading speeds than previous microSD models.

In addition to Nintendo Switch 2 games, Nintendo Switch 2 can play compatible physical and digital games released on Nintendo Switch. Some Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers and peripherals, such as the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, will also be usable on Nintendo Switch 2 by connecting them wirelessly to the console. For more information on the compatibility with Nintendo Switch games and accessories, please visit the Nintendo website.

By connecting the Nintendo Switch 2 dock to a TV, users can output video at up to 4K resolution and play games at up to 120 fps via compatible games and TVs.

With GameShare, a new Nintendo Switch 2 feature, players can share and play the same game with others who do not have the game. If one person has a Nintendo Switch 2 console and a game compatible with GameShare, that person can invite others to temporarily play the same game together via local play with their Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch console. Between Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, GameShare can also be used along with GameChat for online play, so that players can chat with others while all of them play the same game.

With virtual game cards, players can easily manage all their purchased digital games, play games on two different consoles, or even lend or borrow games. The virtual game card menu shows all the digital games purchased with a user’s Nintendo Account, making it easy to access the games and load them on the console. Once a virtual game card is loaded onto a console, it can be played even if the console is not connected to the Internet, and other users who are on that console can also play the game. Additionally, digital games can be lent and borrowed among members of the same Nintendo Account family group in the form of virtual game cards via local wireless communication.

Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online^*2 will be available on Nintendo Switch 2. On Nintendo Switch 2, players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be able to use features like GameChat along with existing online features. For a limited time, all Nintendo Switch 2 owners can access GameChat without a Nintendo Switch Online membership through the GameChat Welcome Offer period, which lasts until March 31^st, 2026.  After that time, a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be required to use GameChat. In addition, for Nintendo Switch 2 owners, Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics will be released right at the console’s launch. Players with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and a Nintendo Switch 2 console will be able to access a growing collection of Nintendo GameCube games with clearer image quality and higher resolution than the original releases. The classic game lineup available at release will be F-ZERO GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakerand SOULCALIBUR II. Along with the classic games, a dedicated wireless controller designed after the original Nintendo GameCube controller will be available for purchase*³ by paid Nintendo Switch Online members.

In addition to existing accessibility features on Nintendo Switch, to support players’ wide range of gameplay styles, Nintendo Switch 2 offers a variety of new accessibility options including the ability to adjust font size, enable screen reader, and speech-to-text features within GameChat.

With the Nintendo Switch Parental Control app, parents can easily support their children’s gameplay by using their smart device to check what kind of games their children play or set limits on how long the console can be used daily. As for GameChat, children under the age of 16 will need the parent’s or guardian’s approval on the Nintendo Switch Parental Control app to start a chat, which makes it possible for parents and guardians to manage their children’s chat experience securely.

New Games for a New Console

Nintendo Switch 2 will launch with games that highlight its new capabilities while bringing everyone along for the ride. From brand new titles and console exclusives, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, to exhilarating experiences like EA SPORTS Madden NFL and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, to upgraded versions of Nintendo Switch games like Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV and Sid Meier’s Civilization® VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, there is much to share and play.

In Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, you can enjoy your adventure in Lumiose City on Nintendo Switch 2 with enhanced resolution and frame rates, coming late 2025.

Kirby Air Riders, a brand-new title originated from the Nintendo GameCube classic racing-action game Kirby Air Ride, and Masahiro Sakurai, the director of the Super Smash Bros. series, was announced for release this year. The trailer revealed a dramatic introduction of Kirby on his Warp Star machine and other Kirby air riders on a variety of unique machines, as they joined together on a racetrack. Kirby Air Riders will glide onto Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.

While it’s understandable that players will want to hit the ground running (or racing) with Nintendo Switch 2, they can also explore a variety of features and details the new console has to offer. Players can enter a virtual exhibition with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour and gain insights into what makes Nintendo Switch 2 such a unique gaming experience. Through tech demos, minigames and other interactions, players will get to know the new console inside and out in ways they may never have known about otherwise. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will be available to buy from Nintendo eShop from Nintendo Switch 2 launch day, June 5^th.

More adventure awaits in new and updated titles including…

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Two legendary Activision games return with new skaters, gnarlier tricks, a sicker soundtrack, and, for the first time in over a decade – new parks! Drop into cross-platform online multiplayer*⁶ and relive the classic fun. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches on Nintendo Switch 2 this summer.
• ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition: With over 28 million copies sold worldwide, ELDEN RING is an award-winning, action RPG set in an authentic dark fantasy world. Explore treacherous dungeons and face epic boss battles. Including the base game, the SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE expansion, and new weapons, armour, a new Torrent appearance customisation, and more, ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.
• Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut: Discover the decadence and danger of 1988 Japan in Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut. The definitive edition of the acclaimed origin story is coming first to Nintendo Switch 2. Players will have to fight through Tokyo and Osaka’s entertainment districts as Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in an epic crime drama. With the Director’s Cut, players will find deeper insights into character backstories and incidents with never-before-seen cutscenes, plus the new Red Light Raid online multiplayer mode. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on launch day.
• Fortnite: Whether you want to be the last player standing in Battle Royale, Zero Build, Reload, and Fortnite OG, or you want to explore LEGO Fortnite experiences, blast to the finish with Rocket Racing or headline a concert with Fortnite Festival – the choice is yours. Find it all in Fortnite on Nintendo Switch 2 on launch day.
• Enter the Gungeon 2: Experience the reloaded sequel to the iconic bullet dungeon crawler with Enter the Gungeon 2. Featuring a new 3D art style, weapons, and new gameplay tricks, players can load in on Nintendo Switch 2 next year.
• HITMAN World of Assassination – Signature Edition: Enter the world of the ultimate assassin in HITMAN World of Assassination – Signature Edition. Explore intricate environments as you use disguises and stealth to execute missions. Experience the best of HITMAN, HITMAN 2 and HITMAN 3 including the main campaign, contracts mode, escalations, and more. HITMAN World of Assassination – Signature Edition releases the same day as Nintendo Switch 2.
• Project 007: Step into the shoes of James Bond, and earn your 00 status. Featuring a wholly original Bond story, Project 007 will come to Nintendo Switch 2.

And that’s not all, as Nintendo Switch 2 welcomes STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, DELTARUNE, Survival Kids, Star Wars Outlaws, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and more!

For more information on Nintendo Switch 2, please visit the Nintendo website at Nintendo.com. Also, look for continuing Nintendo Switch 2 content in the free Nintendo Today! smart device app*⁷ for iOS and Android.