After months of leaks and rumors, Nintendo has finally ended the wait by officially announcing the successor to the Nintendo Switch, simply named Nintendo Switch 2. Through a brief video of just over two minutes, the new console and its differences from the original were revealed, though no technical details were disclosed. It’s worth mentioning that, apart from a few changes, the hardware appears to be very similar to its predecessor, at least externally.
At first glance, we can see an increase in screen size, as well as a sort of hinge on the back that acts as an adjustable stand. The new controllers match the color of the console, featuring slight modifications to the rear buttons and updated analog sticks, which we hope will address the ongoing drift issues found in the original model. Additionally, the controllers now insert into the console more like a cartridge rather than simply sliding in.
Regarding technical specifications, no information has been provided. Neither was a specific release date nor price announced. We can infer that Mario Kart will be one of the launch titles, as it is the only game shown in the video. However, it wasn’t clarified whether it’s a new Mario Kart title or the existing Mario Kart 8. Another detail revealed is the backward compatibility with games from its predecessor, though they warn that “some Nintendo Switch titles may be incompatible or not fully compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2.”
On April 2, 2025, the next Nintendo Direct will take place, where more details about Nintendo’s upcoming console are expected to be announced.
Nintendo's Stock Drops After the Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement
Curiously, the highly anticipated announcement did not yield the positive results one might have expected. Following the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company’s stock suffered a sharp decline. It seems that investors were not pleased with the lack of information, which left a number of questions unanswered. With no hardware specifications, no precise release date, and no launch price, the presentation raised more doubts than certainties.
The specialized outlet The Wall Street Journal reported that the Japanese company experienced a 7.2% drop in its stock price on Friday after the video’s publication. However, as time went on, they managed to recover some of the losses, closing the day with a 4.2% decrease in their stock value.
