Joseph Ochoa, WRAL multiplatform producer
Nintendo is switching it up. The video gaming giant announced its newest console on Thursday, the “Switch 2.”
While Nintendo has released variations of its original console such as the Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED, it is the first console Nintendo has released since the Switch hit the shelves on March 3, 2017.
The first console is considered one of the most popular gaming consoles ever. As of September 2024, it is the third-highest-selling console ever with more than 146 million units sold.
The Switch 2 will be released this year.
Similarly to its predecessor, the Nintendo Switch 2 will have detachable controllers, known as Joy-Cons, for gamers can use to play party games or motion controllers.
What’s new with Switch 2 is larger joy-cons that will connect to the screen magnetically when in handheld mode and a significantly larger screen than the first Switch.
Additionally, the screen will have a much more durable kickstand for players to put on flat surfaces, a point of consternation with some fans when the original model was released.
For parents who are concerned they will have to buy all new games for their kids, fret not. Switch 2 will have backward compatibility, meaning most of your original Switch games will be playable on the new console.
While few technical specifics were released, Nintendo will give fans the chance to take the new console for a test play at several fan events around the globe called the “Nintendo Switch 2 Experience.“
There will be three events in the United States:
- April 4-6, Center415, 417 5th Avenue, New York, NY
- April 11-13, Television City, 7800 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
- April 25-27, Embarcadero Building at Fair Park, 1229 Admiral Nimitz Park, 1229 Admiral Nimitz Dr., Dallas TX
Ahead of the events, Nintendo is planning a full presentation on the console on April 2 that will likely reveal the official release date and price point for the console.
