After months of leaks of social media speculations, Nintendo has finally revealed a successor to the hugely successful Switch. In a short YouTube trailer, Nintendo showcased the Switch 2, which features backward compatibility with the original Switch games, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, and a more prominent display. The Switch 2 will launch in 2025, with more news expected in a dedicated Nintendo Direct for the console on April 2, 2025.

Nintendo is organising a Switch 2 experience where fans will have a firsthand experience with the console starting from April 4 across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. Registration for the event will be open from January 17 at 12 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET until January 26 at 11:59 p.m. local time for each Event location. According to Nintendo, a free Nintendo account is required to enter the registration, and tickets for the event will be made available through a free-to-enter, randomly selected drawing.

The Switch 2 trailer showcased the console hardware and a new Mario Kart game, giving credence to the rumour that the console will launch with Mario Kart 9. The Switch 2 will have exclusive games and allow physical and digital Nintendo Switch games to be played. There is a caveat, however, with the backwards compatibility as Nintendo says, “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible” with the Switch 2.

Time will tell if the Nintendo Switch 2 will be as successful as the original Switch. Nintendo released the Switch in 2017, and it has sold 146.04 million units so far, making it the third-best-selling console of all time, behind Sony’s PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS.

Image: Nintendo