After years of leaks and months of teasers, the Nintendo Change 2 is lastly right here. We have lengthy identified what the Change 2 will appear to be, and when it will arrive. We have instructed you ways tariffs have affected Nintendo’s launch plans, we have given you a step-by-step guide to pre-ordering and instructed you where to buy a Switch 2 on launch day. We gave you our first hands-on preview again in early April, instructed you how good of a first impression Mario Kart World makes and dug even deeper with our final preview earlier this week.
All that is left now’s our full evaluation, and opinions take time. Whereas we put Nintendo’s newest via its paces, you possibly can compensate for all the things you have to know in regards to the Change 2 under. If you wish to observe the Engadget workforce’s experiences with it on launch day, you possibly can take a look at our Nintendo Switch 2 launch day live blog.
What are the important thing new options of the Nintendo Change 2?
Show and dock
The Nintendo Change 2 has a 1080p 7.9-inch show with a 120Hz refresh and HDR compatibility. It additionally helps as much as 4K output at 120Hz (with variable refresh charges) when docked.
Pleasure-Con and Professional Controller
The brand new Pleasure-Con 2 for Nintendo Change 2 attaches magnetically with a button to launch them. They’ve bigger SL and SR buttons (those hidden when the Pleasure-Con are hooked up) to make enjoying multiplayer video games on particular person Pleasure-Cons extra possible. These buttons are additionally product of metal and fasten to the Change 2’s magnets.
The analog sticks are not tiny nubs, and are nearer in measurement to those you may discover on a PS5 or Xbox controller. Nevertheless, they do not have Hall effect sensors, the usage of which may reduce the chance of the “stick drift” situation that plagued the unique Pleasure-Cons.
The Pleasure-Con 2 have what Nintendo is looking “HD Rumble 2” in-built, which appears to be a refinement of the unique (and nonetheless superb) vibration perform. Lastly, each Joy-Con 2 has an optical sensor that allows you to use it as a mouse, and a C button, which we’ll get to in a minute.
The brand new Professional Controller for the Nintendo Change 2 comes with all the things you’d count on based mostly on the refreshed Pleasure-Con 2: Specifically HD Rumble 2 and the C button. There are additionally remappable GL/GR buttons across the again and a typical audio jack for connecting a headset.
Each choices include Amiibo help in-built. The Change 2 comes with two Pleasure-Con 2, as you’d count on, and extra pairs are priced at $95. The Professional Controller will value $85.
The C button stands for “chat”
The brand new C button is a devoted method to enter a chat session with buddies. In addition to the usual options you’d count on from voice chat, Nintendo has constructed a Discord-like video-sharing characteristic, which helps you to present your gameplay to others and see different folks’s screens whilst you’re enjoying.
The GameChat function works with a mic constructed into the console, although headsets are additionally supported. Nintendo may also promote a $55 digicam that plugs into the USB-C port on the highest of the console, which is able to help you stream your face alongside along with your recreation.
GameCube help
The Switch 2 will work with GameCube games through the Nintendo Change On-line Enlargement Pack. The three titles out there at launch will probably be F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Soul Calibur II.
Improved specs
Maybe the largest characteristic, although, is one you possibly can’t see: The Change 2 has an all-new processor and GPU and considerably extra storage (256GB vs 64GB within the Change OLED), together with help for quicker and extra capacious microSD playing cards. This may clearly result in higher first-party video games and upgraded Change experiences, however extra importantly it is going to imply multi-platform video games that needed to skip the unique, underpowered Change will be capable of be ported over. With games like Cyberpunk 2077 coming to the Switch 2 at launch, it looks like much more ports will probably be possible than on the unique console.
Digital Foundry has been in a position to affirm a bunch of the details of the Switch 2’s specs that Nintendo hasn’t defined publicly, however the highlights are the consoles customized chip and quicker storage. The Change 2 makes use of a NVIDIA chip with eight ARM Cortex A78C cores, six of which can be found to builders, and a GPU with the corporate’s Ampere structure. That is alongside 12GB of LPDDRX RAM and a customized FDE (file decompression engine) that decompresses recreation information with out drawing energy from the Change 2’s CPU.
One other main enchancment comes within the type of networking — the Change 2 helps Wi-Fi 6, which is able to enhance the unique’s usually glacial obtain speeds. Equally, the brand new dock sports activities an Ethernet port for a rock-solid connection.
Digital recreation playing cards
Digital Sport Playing cards are Nintendo’s approach of creating digital games replicate the experience of physical copies. They allow you to lend digital video games to family and friends, letting them benefit from the recreation on their system with out shopping for a separate copy.
After all, there are caveats. Very like a bodily cartridge, just one system can play every Digital Sport Card at a time. You possibly can solely mortgage video games to as much as eight folks, and every will must be on the identical Nintendo Household Account and native community. Lastly, you possibly can solely share one recreation at a time, and the lending interval lasts solely two weeks. Though that’s a wholesome checklist of limitations, the characteristic continues to be greater than different consoles have supplied — and, if we’re fortunate, it is going to be one thing Sony and Microsoft are pressured to undertake.
Maybe better of all, the characteristic isn’t unique to the Change 2. It’s already available for the first Switch.
Sport-Key playing cards
Game-Key cards are bodily Change 2 video games that solely include a portion of their recreation information. The primary time you fit one in, your Change 2 will obtain the remainder of the sport to your native storage and the Sport-Key card turns into the “key” you have to use anytime you wish to play it.
Nintendo says you will need to have an web connection the primary time you boot up the sport, however afterwards the cardboard itself needs to be sufficient to allow you to play. You will additionally be capable of resell your Sport-Key card in the identical approach you’d a standard cartridge or disc.
This fusion of digital and bodily has change into pretty frequent on different consoles as the scale of video games has grown bigger, but it surely’s comparatively novel for Nintendo. For the reason that Change 2 goes to be working extra demanding, high-fidelity video games, although, it is a compromise that lets folks nonetheless benefit from the commonsense advantages of bodily recreation playing cards.
What’s it prefer to play?
Nintendo gave the press an opportunity to take a look at the Change 2 and some of the video games it highlighted. You possibly can learn our impressions of Mario Kart World in addition to extra normal ideas on how the Switch 2 feels in person. Proper off the bat, Mario Kart World seems like an excellent launch title, with extra depth and higher visuals than we have ever seen from a Mario Kart recreation. The core components is unbroken, however there are loads of new options and play types to dig into.
As for the Change 2 {hardware}, it seems like a serious step ahead from the unique Change — it has grown up lots and feels much more polished and refined. And whereas it might not have an OLED display, the 7.9-inch LED show Nintendo did use is excellent.
When did the Nintendo Change 2 come out?
Nintendo scheduled its launch for June 5, 2025. From a US perspective, the primary consoles reached avid gamers’ fingers on June 4, with Australians and New Zealanders sharing photographs on-line and a few streaming their experiences on Twitch and YouTube.
When did pre-orders open for Nintendo Change 2?
Switch 2 pre-orders had been initially set to start on April 9, however the next week, Nintendo said it was suspending pre-order plans within the US “indefinitely” in response to a slate of tariffs imposed by President Trump.
Lastly, when pre-orders opened on April 24, a scorching mess ensued. Those that stayed up late making an attempt to snag a Change 2 had been usually left empty-handed as Walmart, Greatest Purchase and Goal’s web sites weren’t absolutely outfitted for the demand. Many purchasers had been left with unmoving queues and error messages — a well-known course of for a lot of who’ve tried to pre-order a scorching gaming or tech product lately. (Of us who pre-ordered a PS5 during the pandemic caught the nastiest case of deja vu.)
No retailers are at present taking Change 2 pre-orders. Though there’s all the time the prospect one will drop an surprising inventory refresh, your only option proper now’s to register your interest with Nintendo. That won’t result in a launch-day console, as Nintendo has warned, but it surely gained’t doubtless be a loopy delay like these familiar to GPU buyers. And in case your Nintendo cred ticks the best packing containers (you’ve got been subscribed to Change On-line for no less than 12 months, have opted in to share gameplay information, and have no less than 50 complete gameplay hours), your odds will enhance.
Costco is a dark-horse candidate for day-one availability. The retailer doesn’t seem to have taken any Change 2 pre-orders, however a product listing claims it is going to have Mario Kart World console bundles in inventory on launch day.
In any case, Nintendo says the console’s June 5 launch date is unchanged.
In a considerably disappointing replace, Nintendo seems to be shipping “sold out” signs to retailers in order that they’ll rapidly let folks know the Change 2 is not in inventory. We are able to solely learn a lot into that, but it surely appears doubtless that if you cannot seize one on launch day from a retailer, you will be ready some time for them to return again in inventory.
How a lot does the Nintendo Change 2 value?
On April 2, Nintendo introduced that the Change 2 would value $450 standalone, or $500 with a bundled digital copy of the brand new Mario Kart recreation, Mario Kart World. That’s considerably dearer than the unique Change, which launched at $300, and has remained at that worth ever since. It’s additionally dearer than the entry-level current-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
The comparability appears to be like a bit of higher up towards Valve’s Steam Deck, which prices $400 for the LCD mannequin or $550 for the fundamental OLED mannequin. The Steam Deck is extra reasonably priced than most PC handhelds.
When Nintendo delayed the pre-orders from the unique date of April 9, it mentioned it was doing so “as a way to assess the potential affect of tariffs and evolving market situations.” With heavy US tariffs levied on Nintendo’s Asian production centers, the implication was that may have little alternative however to go no less than a few of these prices on to American shoppers. However Trump’s April 9 tariff pivot — reverting to 10 % throughout the board for 90 days for all nations besides China, which now will get a triple-digit hit — additional muddied the waters. That is as a result of it is unclear how a lot, if any, of the elements and meeting of US-bound Change 2 consoles will originate in China.
The administration exempted some electronics from reciprocal tariffs, however they will quickly be topic to new levies on semiconductors. Some analysts recommend that Nintendo will probably be promoting consoles at a loss within the US with even a 10 percent tariff.
Nonetheless, the corporate is maintaining the worth of the Change 2 at $450 and the Mario Kart World bundle at $500. Nevertheless, it famous that it needed to enhance the costs of Change 2 equipment “resulting from altering market situations” and added that different worth modifications could happen sooner or later for the same motive.
How a lot do the Nintendo Change 2 equipment value?
When Nintendo introduced the rescheduled Change 2 pre-order date for the US and Canada, it confirmed worth will increase for lots of the console’s equipment. The present US costs for the equipment are as follows:
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Nintendo Change 2 Professional Controller — $85
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Pleasure-Con 2 Pair — $95
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Pleasure-Con 2 Charging Grip — $40
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Pleasure-Con 2 Strap — $14
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Pleasure-Con 2 Wheel Set — $25
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Nintendo Change 2 Digicam — $55
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Nintendo Change 2 Dock Set — $120
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Nintendo Change 2 Carrying Case & Display Protector — $40
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Nintendo Change 2 All-In-One Carrying Case — $85
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Nintendo Change 2 AC Adapter — $35
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Samsung microSD Categorical Card – 256GB for Nintendo Change 2 — $60
The value of the Pleasure-Con 2 strap has gone up by $1, however the costs of different merchandise have risen by between $5 and $10, with the dock set getting the bigger enhance. Fortunately, your Nintendo Change 2 will include a dock. Nintendo additionally launched a list of accessory prices for Canada.
How lengthy will the Change 2’s battery final?
Nintendo says that the Change 2 will final between 2 and 6.5 hours on a single cost. That is just like the unique Change, which was rated for two.5-6.5 hours, although later revisions upped that determine considerably. The corporate cautions that “this time is an estimate … battery life will rely on the video games you play and utilization situations.”
Based on video Nintendo shared within the Nintendo At present app, a method the Change 2 will prolong the longevity of its battery over time is with a brand new “battery preservation mode.” When enabled, your Change 2 will cease charging when it reaches 90 %, saving its battery from the damage and tear of charging to 100% each time. This can be a pretty frequent characteristic on smartphones, and it is smart for a handheld console you cost day-after-day.
A brand new battery mode will not change the Change 2’s estimated battery life, however it is going to sluggish the harm charging the console has, which retains it usable for longer.
Is the Nintendo Change 2 backwards suitable?
Nintendo confirmed in November 2024 that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible. It can additionally characteristic entry to Nintendo On-line, so customers will be capable of play all of these previous retro titles.
Within the preliminary Nintendo Change 2 press launch, Nintendo reiterated that bodily and digital Change video games will work on the brand new system. Nevertheless, it famous that “sure Nintendo Change video games might not be supported on or absolutely suitable with Nintendo Change 2.” We now have extra data on which video games are working because of a guide Nintendo put together.
As of April 1, the overwhelming majority of Change 2 video games are marked as suitable, however many fashionable video games are mentioned to have some points. Nintendo has marked most of those as “beneath investigation,” suggesting a repair could also be on the best way in time for launch. Nintendo says it’s manually testing each Change recreation for compatibility.
Just one title is marked as incompatible: Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Package. This was a part of Nintendo’s Labo vary of video games that labored with Cardboard equipment, and is incompatible because the Change 2 doesn’t bodily match within the VR headset.
Will previous video games be enhanced in any approach?
The unique Change has, to place it mildly, struggled to run some of the late-generation software that is come down the pike. Might these video games be enhanced to benefit from the elevated horsepower of the Change 2? That’s unclear. In an “Ask the Developer” web page on its web site, Nintendo says that previous video games are working via a real-time translation system, which sounds just like how Rosetta permits fashionable Macs to run previous software program. With that mentioned, the brand new and previous Change are a lot nearer in {hardware} than that.
In the identical developer interview, it’s mentioned that in its testing of previous video games for compatibility, there have been some events “the place loading occasions grew to become quicker, or recreation efficiency grew to become extra secure,” however we don’t have any element past that.
In addition to backward compatibility, Nintendo can also be providing up premium “Change 2 Version” upgrades for a choose few video games. These have improved resolutions and body charges, and (in some instances) bonus options and content material. What precisely which means will differ, however Nintendo did affirm that Metroid Prime 4: Past can have 4K/60 fps and 1080p/120 fps choices on the Change 2.
Video games confirmed to have a Change 2 Version up to now embody:
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Tremendous Mario Occasion Jamboree
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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Kirby and the Forgotten Land
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A
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Metroid Prime 4: Past
Within the case of the 2 mainline Zelda video games, these upgrades will probably be included with a Change On-line + Enlargement Pack membership or value $10 every. Upgrades for the opposite video games are additionally paid, however Nintendo has not mentioned how a lot these will value.
What is going to the cartridges style like?
You might do not forget that the unique Change cartridges taste absolutely awful. This was on goal, to discourage of us from placing the video games of their mouth.
Equally, the Change 2 carts are additionally mentioned to style horrible, largely to cease kids or pets from by accident ingesting them. It isn’t but clear what substance Nintendo has coated the Change 2 cartridges in to make them style foul, however Nintendo’s Takuhiro Dohta suggested towards licking all of them the identical.
“We do not need anyone to be susceptible to any undesirable consumption,” he instructed GameSpot. “Now we have certainly made it in order that if it enters your mouth, you will spit it out.”
What are the launch video games?
We count on this checklist to alter considerably over the approaching weeks and months, however the titles at present confirmed to be out there on day one observe:
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Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer
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Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
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Cyberpunk 2077
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Deltarune
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Quick Fusion
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Fortnite
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Hitman: World of Assassination
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Hogwarts Legacy
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Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
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Mario Kart World
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Nintendo Change 2 Welcome Tour
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Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
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Break up Fiction
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Road Fighter 6
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Survival Youngsters
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Yakuza 0: Director’s Minimize
That is all the things we all know in regards to the Nintendo Change 2 immediately. We’ll replace this text with any data we are able to collect instantly from sources. Any modifications made to the article after its preliminary publishing will probably be listed under.
Replace, January 24, 2025, 12:36 PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate hypothesis about worth, potential recreation enhancements and the style of cartridges.
Replace, February 5, 2025, 9:30AM ET: This story has been up to date to notice the time when the April 2 Nintendo Direct begins.
Replace, February 24, 2025, 12:30 PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate hypothesis about storage and details about the brand new microSD Categorical customary.
Replace, March 6, 2025, 2:30PM ET: This story has been up to date to notice latest FCC filings to point the presence of Wi-Fi 6 and NFC help.
Replace, March 14, 2025, 12:15PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate pricing and gross sales hypothesis from analysts.
Replace, March 20, 2025, 12:45PM ET: Up to date to incorporate a notice in regards to the Seattle Mariners new jersey patches that includes Nintendo and the Change 2.
Replace, March 27, 2025, 3:50PM ET: Up to date so as to add particulars in regards to the C button, Nintendo At present! and Digital Sport Playing cards.
Replace, April 1, 2025, 10:16AM ET: Up to date so as to add hyperlink to livestream and particulars on its size.
Replace, April 2, 2025, 4:40PM ET: Added particulars from the April 2 Nintendo Direct occasion, together with specs, worth, launch date and launch titles.
Replace, April 4, 2025, 11:17AM ET: Added particulars about pre-orders being placed on maintain.
Replace, April 7, 2025, 1:56PM ET: Added particulars in regards to the Change 2 cartridges nonetheless (reportedly) tasting horrible, the shortage of Corridor impact sensors within the controllers and recreation improve pricing.
Replace, April 9, 2025, 5:41PM ET: Added context on how the altering guidelines on the Trump tariffs could or could not have an effect on Change 2 pricing within the US.
Replace, April 11, 2025, 7:11PM ET: Re-affirmed that Could 8 is when Nintendo is confirming the primary batch of pre-orders via its web site, after a defective report on-line prompt in any other case.
Replace, April 18, 2025, 10:33AM ET: Added particulars in regards to the new pre-order date for the US and Canada, in addition to accent pricing.
Replace, April 30, 2025, 3:24PM ET: Up to date pre-order information and added a Digital Sport Card breakdown.
Replace, Could 14, 2025, 11:50PM ET: Added information on Sport-Key playing cards, battery preservation mode, and the Change 2’s specs.
Replace, June 5, 2025, 12PM ET: Introduction was rewritten and tenses (for instance, “When will” grew to become “When did”) had been up to date all through the article to mirror that the Change 2 is now out there.
Jeff Dunn contributed to this report.
