Gamers have been waiting for years for Nintendo’s new gaming device and now they only have to wait until June 5 when the Switch 2 hits shelves starting at $450. The device has a larger, 1080p LCD screen, and supports 4K and in-game chat. Details were revealed during a Nintendo Direct online presentation. Nintendo, which announced details of the new console in January, will over the next few months be holding a series of global roadshow events aimed at letting people have a hands-on experience with Switch 2. The original has sold more than 150 million units.

Nintendo plans to continue releasing games formatted for its eight-year-old Switch at least through 2026. But the company anticipates tremendous demand for its successor.

“If the demand is robust enough and reports that Nintendo has between 6 million and 8 million units ready to go hold true, the company is poised to smash sales records with the Switch 2,” Engadget reports.

With a base price of $450, the Switch 2 costs significantly more than the $300 Switch. And a launch “in the midst of a global trade war — and with a potential recession looming” could present added challenges, according to The Wall Street Journal, which says the long wait for a new Nintendo console “should mean plenty of pent-up demand for a machine that is also the only way for gamers to experience iconic franchises such as Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda that are exclusive to Nintendo’s platforms.”

The Switch 2 is larger than the original, measuring 7.9 inches (versus 6.2). Nintendo is positioning it as a home gaming console that can also be “taken on the go,” according to the company announcement. It has a native 1080p display (nearly double the original) of up to 120Hz and can be docked to a TV. Docked using HDMI to a TV or monitor allows gameplay at up to 4K.

Nintendo has given the Switch 2 what Engadget calls a much-needed internal storage upgrade: “At 256GB, it has eight times the built-in storage of the Switch, a necessary change, as many games already weighed in at over 32GB and required a microSD card to install locally.” Additional Switch 2 storage is available via microSD Express.

The company hasn’t provided details about the computer power, saying only that the Switch 2 “has significantly improved CPU and GPU performance over Nintendo Switch, resulting in faster processing speed and enabling new visually advanced gameplay” while providing “more detailed graphics and faster loading times.”

Preorders start April 9, and more details can be gleaned in a replay of the Nintendo Direct Switch 2 webcast.

Related:
Everything Revealed During the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, The Verge, 4/2/25

UPDATE:
Trump’s Tariffs Complicate the Switch 2 Launch, Says Nintendo of America President, NPR, 4/7/25