The Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct aired on April 2nd, 2025 at 6:00am PST / 9:00PM EST. They revealed the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition as well as Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness will be coming to Nintendo Switch Online for Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5th, 2025 for $449.99 USD, $629.99 CND, £395.99 in the UK, ¥49,980 in Japan and €469.99 in Europe for the system only version.

Free updates for select Nintendo Switch games

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are listed as getting free updates for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Free updates to improve playability on the Nintendo Switch™ 2 system will be released for select Nintendo Switch games. By connecting your Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet, you can download free updates that may improve performance or add support for features such as GameShare in select games. The contents of these free updates will differ depending on the game.

Source: https://www.nintendo.com/us/gaming-systems/switch-2/transfer-guide/games-with-free-updates/

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Enjoy your adventure in Lumiose City with enhanced resolution and frame rates when Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition launches later this year!

YouTube Clip - Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrTVeYm4iIM

Press Release - Nintendo Switch 2 Launches June 5 at $449.99, Bringing New Forms of Game Communication to Life

System Provides Powerful New Hardware, Reimagined Online Capabilities and a Broad Range of Games

REDMOND, Wash., April 2, 2025 – All Together, Anytime, Anywhere. With new ways to play and new ways to connect players, the Nintendo Switch 2 system arrives June 5 for a suggested retail price of $449.99 in the United States. Discover reimagined Joy-Con 2 controllers, each of which can now be used as a mouse in compatible games and that snap to the system with magnetic connectors. Experience the system’s powerful processing speeds delivering visuals via a bigger screen showcasing vibrant color 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* for a suggested retail price of $499.99 in the United States, which includes a system and a download code for the Mario Kart World game, available from Nintendo Switch 2 launch day on June 5.

Today’s Nintendo Direct presentation featured a broad variety of hardware details, system features, and games coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 system both from Nintendo and its publishing partners.

GameChat Enables New Ways to Play Socially, All Together

With the new online feature GameChat**, 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 system’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 recognizes the important role parents and guardians play in their children’s online experiences, so children under the age of sixteen 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

A large, vivid screen that allows smooth motion expression
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 controllers attach to the system with a “snap”
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 pants. They can be used in multiple ways, including for games that require aiming.

A new freely adjustable stand and a new USB-C port
The angle of the new stable stand on the back of the Nintendo Switch 2 system 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 system, Nintendo Switch 2 has a port on the top of the system as well, which makes it possible for players to use the included AC adapter to charge the system while playing in tabletop mode. It is also possible to connect a compatible USB-C camera, like the Nintendo Switch 2 camera accessory to enjoy video chat on GameChat.

Powerful processing speed and graphical performance
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.

Crisp audio quality and spatial 3D sound
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.

Internal storage of 256 GB
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.

Nintendo Switch games are also playable on Nintendo Switch 2
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 system. For more information on the compatibility with Nintendo Switch games and accessories, please visit the Nintendo website.

The new Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
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.

Multiple people can play one title with GameShare
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 system 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 system. Between Nintendo Switch 2 systems, 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.

Virtual game cards add benefits to digital games
With virtual game cards, players can easily manage all their purchased digital games, play games on two different systems, or even lend or borrow games. The virtual game card menu shows all of the digital games purchased with a user’s Nintendo Account, making it easy to access the games and load them on the system. Once a virtual game card is loaded onto a system, it can be played even if the system is not connected to the internet, and other users who are on that system 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** 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 Open-Access period, which lasts until the end of March 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 system’s launch. Players with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and a Nintendo Switch 2 system 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 Waker and SOULCALIBUR II. Along with the classic games, a dedicated wireless controller designed after the original GameCube controller will be available for purchase*** by paid Nintendo Switch Online members.

Variety of accessibility features
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.

Safe and secure game experience on Nintendo Switch 2
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 system 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.

Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for pre-order in North America from participating retailers beginning on April 9, 2025.

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.

Source: https://press.nintendo.com/