With Switch 2, Nintendo tests the patience of loyalists and investors

Despite this, Nintendo is still heavily reliant on a single device, and it remains to be seen how the company navigates the evolving gaming landscape and broader market while balancing its “being different” strategy with a conservative approach.

Here’s everything we know about the Switch 2, including its mystery features and games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXUmjX7DsP8

How big is the Switch 2?

The fundamental design of the Switch 2 hasn’t changed much; it’s still a hybrid console that can be played as a handheld or connected to a TV. However, certain changes have been made to the new console — for one, it has a bigger screen, which also means the device will be noticeably larger and thicker, too. We still don’t know the exact screen size, but it’s rumoured to be 8 inches — an upgrade from the original Switch’s 6-inch screen and the 7-inch display on the OLED Switch.

The Switch 2 will succeed the original Switch, which was launched in 2017. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

However, don’t expect the Switch 2’s screen to feature an OLED panel. A 1080p LCD display, however, may be a possibility. Nintendo will stick to an LCD panel on a 2025 console.

Will the Switch 2 support 4K?

Nintendo traditionally doesn’t like to talk about specifications, and that makes sense — after all, the company no longer competes with Sony, Microsoft, or any other gaming hardware maker. Don’t expect detailed information to come directly from Nintendo unless someone does a teardown revealing what the Switch 2 has under the hood.

However, the biggest mystery surrounding the Switch 2’s dock is whether it will support 4K gaming. With millions of consumers now owning 4K TVs, it’s a feature many expect, but it’s still uncertain whether Nintendo will include 4K capability in its newest console. That’s why predicting anything about Nintendo is so difficult.

The mystery ‘C’ button

Nintendo is adding a new button to the Switch 2 — a square button with a “C” marking, located just below the Home button on the right Joy-Con — but nobody knows its purpose yet. There are various theories surrounding the C button. Some believe it could be used to connect the Switch 2 to the original Switch, allowing the older console to function as a controller. This aligns with a strong rumour that Nintendo is bringing back dual-screen functionality to the Switch 2. Others speculate that the C button is designed to enable a chat feature code-named “Campus.”

Meanwhile, some believe the mystery C button could be used to activate new interactive accessories that connect via the top USB-C port — a detail Nintendo specifically highlighted in its teaser video, suggesting it serves a purpose. It might not be a jaw-dropping addition, but it could help make the Switch 2 a distinctly Nintendo-esque product.

Mouse functionality coming to Joy-Cons

At first glance, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons may not look much different from the detachable controllers on the original Switch. Some may dismiss them as merely bigger and taller, but that’s not the case. The new Joy-Cons now magnetically attach to the system and may feature more reliable Hall-effect sticks, designed to combat Joy-Con drift — a persistent issue on the original Switch.

However, where Nintendo could truly supercharge its controllers is by adding mouse functionality. Each controller includes an infrared sensor to track movement, which could open up interesting new use cases. It remains to be seen how Nintendo will implement this feature and which games will take advantage of it. Is Mario Maker 2 in the works? We would also love to see Mario Paint make a comeback. Only time will tell.

Switch 2 will be backwards compatible

The Switch 2 can play older Nintendo Switch cartridges and digital games, a request fans had been making for years, and Nintendo listened. Of course, the Switch 2 will have its exclusive games, but it will also support digital and physical games from the original Switch. This is a smart strategy to create synergy between the two consoles. Nintendo has never done this before, but it’s making an exception with the Switch 2. It’s all part of the company’s move to carry forward existing Nintendo Accounts to the new console — a great sign, considering how much players have invested in Switch games.

Nintendo is highly dependet on the Switch 2, which remains it’s only flagship device. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Another way Nintendo is overhauling how players transition from the Switch to the Switch 2 is by introducing a new feature called “Virtual Game Cards.” They are designed to better mimic the flexibility of physical games. After purchasing a digital version of a game, a virtual card is loaded onto the player’s Switch. Users can load or “eject” these game cards; with two systems, a player could eject a game from one system and load it onto another to play on a different handheld. While a local connection is required, this feature allows for quick and seamless game swapping between systems. Now, there’s a clever feature, and a useful one if you own both the Switch 2 and the original Switch 2.

Tons of games on Switch 2

Perhaps what made the Switch so popular in the first place was its vast library of games — ranging from first-party and third-party titles to indie and niche games. Nintendo seems to be following the same formula with the Switch 2. With its enhanced graphics and next-generation hardware, the console could unlock new possibilities, enabling gameplay experiences that weren’t possible on the original Switch.

Apart from other features, Nintendo hasn’t revealed the Switch 2’s game lineup. However, we can already anticipate that new titles will be released in a phased manner. Needless to say, a new Mario Kart game could be launched alongside the Switch 2. Given that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on the Switch, having sold a staggering 64 million copies, a new Mario Kart at launch would make perfect sense to generate excitement for the system.

Other contenders that might launch early in the Switch 2’s lifecycle could include a brand-new 3D Mario game to kick things off, as well as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A. And who knows, there might even be a new Zelda game in the works for the Switch 2.

Will the price be $399 or $499?

However, the biggest test Nintendo is facing right now with the Switch 2 is how consumers respond to its price amid economic uncertainty, high inflation, and looming tariffs levied by the Trump administration. The unprecedented success of the original Switch has set certain expectations, and Nintendo would like to continue offering its new system at an affordable price. The Switch launched at $299 in 2017, and its official price hasn’t gone down since.

Nintendo is not a company known for dropping the price of its systems and games or offering its products at discounted prices. However, the market has changed since 2017, and in 2025, the company may face a new market reality, including high costs of chips, increased manufacturing costs, and the tariffs imposed by the US on China in early February. How Nintendo prices the Switch 2 may have a lasting impact on the product and the company. The Switch 2 is unlikely to be priced under $350, so $399 could be a safe bet.

Nintendo began manufacturing the Switch in Vietnam during the last Trump administration’s trade war with China in 2019, and it could use the new factory to avoid tariffs by utilising its Vietnamese production facilities to supply Switch 2 units to the US. Still, there is pressure on Nintendo regarding how it packages the Switch 2. Not to ignore the fact that Nintendo also develops 70 per cent of the software (or games) for its hardware, and with games taking longer to develop and the cost of new flagship games rising to $70, Nintendo is in a tough spot right now.

Nintendo needs to hit right with Switch 2

The Switch 2 is a big gamble for Nintendo, and much depends on how consumers respond to the console and its games. Unlike Apple, Sony, or Microsoft, Nintendo is solely dependent on the Switch 2, and the others have multiple products and diversified businesses. While Nintendo is a cash-rich company with zero debt, the stakes are higher this time around with the Switch 2. The success of the original Switch, which generated around $100 billion in sales, has made Nintendo a household name beyond its biggest markets, including the US. Nintendo has seen dizzying success in recent years and has diversified its business, but it is still heavily dependent on how well the Switch hardware sells.

A Nintendo store in the New York City. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

There is little room for Nintendo to go wrong with the Switch 2. If Switch 2 flops, Nintendo will be able to survive for years to come, but it has no other major product to fall back on. If Apple’s business model is to sell iPhones every year with newer updates, Nintendo is launching the Switch 2 after eight long years.

While Nintendo has become more aggressive by expanding its ecosystem and adding new services to lure existing customers and reach new users, there is still a side of the company that thinks differently and doesn’t operate like a traditional tech company. That’s the charm people like about Nintendo, and it’s why the company behind the Mario and Zelda series has been able to surprise consumers for so many years.