Nintendo has announced a June 5 launch date for its latest gaming console, the Switch 2, which will introduce interactive chat and screenshare functions to connect gamers.
At its 60-minute Nintendo Direct presentation, the company revealed a more vibrant display on the Switch 2, a larger screen and several games that will launch with the console.
Central to its updated system is a new “C” button on its Joy-Con controller, which will launch a new “GameChat” feature — which requires a subscription to Nintendo's Switch online service — that allows you to “communicate with friends and family while playing a game,” and let you share your game screen with other players. A built-in microphone will also allow you to chat with other gamers.
“When you think about some of the biggest titles on (the Nintendo Switch), it’s like Mario Kart, Super Mario Jamboree, even though that’s quite a new title, has cracked the top ten of most play games on the console. So, it does make a lot of sense that the sort of headline feature is geared primarily towards that sort of use," said Hannah Cowton-Barnes, a London-based video game industry expert for Tech Advisor.
Perhaps the most contemporary function yet for the Switch 2 is the ability to use the Joy-Con controllers like a computer mouse. The developer displayed multiple ways to use the new function in games, such as angling a club in a golf game.
The new portable console features a 7.9 inch LCD screen that displays in 1080p. Nintendo also revealed in the live stream that, when docked, the system will be able to support 4K resolution for compatible games.
Wednesday's presentation started off with an extended look at “Mario Kart World” — the console's launch bundle game — which adds a bit of flair to the series with in-game characters doing tailwhips, flips, rail grinds and other tricks.
The developer also unveiled a new James Bond game, dubbed “Project 007,” revisiting a classic Nintendo 64 console hit revered by many first-person shooter fans.
Nintendo also announced two more Switch 2 exclusives featuring its marquee characters. “Donkey Kong Bananza”, a 3D adventure with the big ape punching his way through a huge underground world, arrives July 17. “Kirby Air Riders,” a racing game from the director of the “Super Smash Bros.” series, is due later in the year.
Third-party exclusives likely to create some buzz include Koei-Tecmo’s “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment”, a hack-and-slash prequel to “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” coming this winter. From Software’s “The Duskbloods,” a baroque multiplayer title from the creators of Elden Ring, is scheduled for 2026.
Miss the GameCube? Nintendo said Switch Online subscribers will be able to access a limited selection of GameCube titles such as “The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker” and “F-Zero GX.”
The new console will be backwards compatible — able to play physical and digital Switch games — but users will need to purchase a microSD express memory card for the Switch 2. The presentation revealed that normal SD cards will not be compatible with the system. However, data from the original Switch can be transferred to the new console using a transfer feature.
Nintendo will retail the Switch 2 for $449.99 at launch, which is significantly higher than the original Switch's $299 price tag. A separate bundle that includes the new “Mario Kart World” game will also be available for $499.99.
Nintendo plans to host “Switch 2 Experience” events in several countries, where gamers can get a hands-on experience with the new system. Those events are planned for cities such as Los Angeles, New York, London and Paris beginning this month. ——
Associated Press reporter Lou Kesten in Washington contributed to this report.