Nearly three months after Nintendo announced the Switch 2, the next Nintendo Direct will finally reveal more details about the next-gen console. We know very little about the Nintendo Switch 2 other than what it looks like, but that will change on April 2, 2025.
With the console set to launch this year (possibly within the next two months, if rumors are to be believed), there’s no real reason to keep any secrets. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of 10 questions we want answered at the event.
1. How much does the Switch 2 cost?
When the Switch arrived in 2017, it was priced at a very competitive $299—$100 cheaper than the PS4 and Xbox One. We suspect that Nintendo will follow suit in 2025, undercutting the PS5 and Xbox Series X by $100 once again with a $399 price tag. That said, some analysts believe that there’s a chance Nintendo will match its competition at $499, considering the Switch 2 is expected to be significantly more powerful than its predecessor.
2. When is the release date?
Rumors about the Switch 2 release date have been spreading for years, but now most sources seem to believe that the console will launch in May or June. One rather intricate theory has me convinced the Switch 2 will drop on May 15. Whatever the actual date, considering the 2017 Nintendo Switch Presentation came just two months before the console hit store shelves, we shouldn’t have to wait much longer to get our hands on the Switch 2.
3. What games will be available on day one?
One of the many reasons the Wii U failed was the lack of support from both Nintendo and third-party developers. Nintendo solved that problem with the Switch, and although the launch lineup was not especially exciting as a whole, it did include one of 2017’s best games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. How will Nintendo top that?
Well, that might not be possible, but Nintendo did tease a new Mario Kart in the Switch 2 reveal video. It has been nearly 11 years since the last numbered Mario Kart, so making Mario Kart 9 available on day one would give the Switch 2 a killer app out of the gate.
4. How much will games cost?
Nintendo’s first $70 game was 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it has yet to follow others that have started pricing all of their games at that elevated price point. As much as we’d love to see Nintendo stick to $60 as the norm for Switch 2 exclusive, don’t be surprised if Mario Kart 9 or Metroid Prime 4 launch at $70.
5. How powerful is the new console?
It’s hard to believe that it has been about a year and a half since Digital Foundry’s report on the chip that will supposedly power the Switch 2. Faster load times and better graphics are a given, but how will the new console compare to the latest Xbox and PlayStation?
6. Which games can the Switch 2 not play?
We know that the Switch 2 supports physical and digital Switch games, but Nintendo has also revealed that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.” I doubt there will be any direct reference to these games during the Direct, but hopefully, an update will be shared on Nintendo’s website soon after.
7. What can the new Joy-Con do?
Nintendo has confirmed that the new Joy-Con will attach to the console magnetically, but the reveal video also hinted at never-before-seen functionality for the new controller. Rumors have hinted at the Joy-Con doubling as a mouse, which might be the standout gimmick of the new console. We hope to see it in action at the Nintendo Direct.
8. Will Switch games run better on Switch 2?
Being able to bring your entire Switch library with you when you buy a Switch 2 is a win, but it would be even more impressive if those Switch games got a glow-up in the process. Days ago, a developer uncovered an unused 60 FPS (frames-per-second) mode in the new Switch game Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Perhaps developers will be able to release patches for their Switch games to take full advantage of the Switch 2 hardware.
9. How many Xbox games are coming to Switch 2?
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer hinted in January that Xbox is “really looking forward to supporting [Nintendo] with the games that we have.” Rumors have also been circulating that a number of popular Xbox titles, including Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, are being ported to the Switch 2. If Xbox is going to be as big of a supporter as these reports and quotes suggest, we might see a few Xbox games at the Direct.
10. What’s going to happen to Nintendo Switch Online?
We have yet to see the Switch 2 UI, so we have no idea how different the user experience will be compared to the original Switch. And that has us wondering whether or not Nintendo Switch Online will be getting a makeover or if Nintendo will continue to split the service up into a series of apps for different classic consoles.
Tune in to see if Nintendo answers these questions on April 2 at 9:00 a.m. ET.
