Nintendo unveils Switch 2, set for June release

The new machine will play Switch 2 exclusive games as well as those made for the original Switch, some of which can be upgraded to “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” games with extra features for a fee. Examples given include The Legend of Zelda games Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which can be upgraded with better graphics and a feature that connects to your smartphone to give you directions.

Some game upgrades will add new content, as in Kirby and the Forgotten Land (which has a new area to explore in the Switch 2 Edition) or Mario Party Jamboree (which adds camera-based minigame modes). Other upgrades will be mostly technical, as with the Switch 2 Edition of the upcoming Metroid Prime 4, which adds a choice of two video modes; 4K at 60 frames per second or HD at 120.

The console will also work with a USB-C camera, for use in games or with the new chat feature. Up to four players can chat over the internet with a camera, or up to 12 with voice only using the Switch 2’s built-in microphone. Players can also share their game screens with each other. A new C button is used to summon chat controls, while the chat functionality can also be moderated by the existing parental controls app to limit chat to approved friends.

Another new feature allows the Joy-Con 2 controllers to be dragged around on a surface (or a user’s pants) to act like computer mice. This was shown in a new wheelchair basketball game called Drag x Drive. And Nintendo is introducing a system called GameShare for certain Switch 2 games, which will let players invite their friends to a multiplayer game across multiple Switch systems (locally or online) with only the one user having to purchase it.

The system works with the existing Switch Online subscription which gives access to cloud save data and retro classics, with Switch 2 adding Nintendo GameCube games to the lineup. Voice and video chat will require a subscription.

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Because of the upgraded storage requirements, the Switch 2 will not work with existing microSD cards, only with the new and more expensive microSD Express format. However the internal storage of the system has been increased to 256GB, meaning more games can be stored before an SD card is required.

Nintendo also unveiled a kind of interactive museum that will let players in on a wealth of development secrets about the Switch 2, in the form of Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which will be a paid download available on launch day.

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