You Won’t Believe What Nintendo’s Next Console Will Do!

The long-awaited successor to the popular Nintendo Switch handheld and home console hybrid, known as the Nintendo Switch 2, has been officially unveiled. A short video revealing the console’s design was released, showcasing its updated Joy-Con controllers and hinting at a significant new game launch. However, the trailer left many fans wondering about the console’s price, release date, specifications, games, and controller details — here’s what we know so far.

What is the Nintendo Switch 2’s price?

It’s been widely discussed that the Switch 2 might cost around $399.99, but it’s essential to remember that this is just speculation for now. Given the current price of the Switch, a figure in this ballpark wouldn’t be surprising.

Currently, you can purchase the OLED model of the Nintendo Switch for $349.99. Given that a new version, the Switch 2, is expected to launch soon, it’s likely that its price will be around $50 higher. When considering inflation, the original Switch’s launch price of $299.99 seems quite unrealistic now.

What is the Switch 2’s release date?

It’s been hinted that the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 might occur in June 2025, according to reliable YouTuber NatetheHate, who accurately predicted its unveiling date as January 16th earlier.

Based on Nate the Hate’s accurate report, his assertions regarding the Switch 2 now carry significant credibility. One such claim was that the console would debut between May or June 2025. With Nintendo organizing a series of hands-on demonstrations for the system, the final date for these events being June, it appears more probable that the console will release in June instead of May. This is because it seems unlikely that these demonstrations would continue after the system has already been launched.

As of now, Nintendo has not officially announced a launch date, however, it’s most likely that the console will be released in June 2025.

What are the console’s specs?

As a fervent admirer, I’ve yet to get the detailed specifications for the Nintendo Switch 2 straight from the horse’s mouth. However, whispers in the gaming community suggest some tantalizing details about its hardware, and the announcement trailer has been subtly hinting at what we might be in store for.

A user on a gaming forum (famiboards.com) shared the technical specifications of a console that they had mined from its system, and another helpful user provided an explanation or breakdown of these specs in the same thread. Here’s what the breakdown looks like:

[The breakdown is as follows:]

[This paragraph is the breakdown of the console’s reported specs, provided by another forum user.]

Technical specifications

SoC: Nvidia Tegra 239 GMLX30-R-A1
CPU: Arm Cortex-A78C
- 8 cores
- 1 cluster
- Cache:
  - L1 cache: 32 KB, or 64 KB (unknown)
  - L2 cache: 256 KB – 512 KB (unknown)
  - L3 cache: None, or 512 KB – 8 MB (unknown)

GPU: Custom Nvidia Ampere (RTX 30 series)
- 1 Graphics Processing Cluster (GPC)
- 12 Streaming Multiprocessors (SM):
  - 1536 CUDA cores (Shader Processors), 128 per SM
  - 48 Texture Mapping Units (TMU), 4 per SM
  - 24 Render Output Units (ROP), 2 per SM
  - 12 Ray Tracing (RT) Cores, 1 per SM
  - 48 Tensor Cores, 4 per SM
- L2 cache: (unknown, likely 2 MB)
RAM: 12 GB LPDDR5
- 64-bit bus
- 2 channels
- Handheld:

Performance configurations

Handheld
- CPU @ 1100.8 MHz
- GPU @ 561 MHz
  - 1.721 TFLOP/s peak
  - 13.464 Gpx/s peak filltrate
  - 26.928 Gtex/s peak filltrate
- RAM @ 2133 MHz
  - 68.256 GB/s peak bandwidth
Docked:
- CPU @ 998.4 MHz
- GPU @ 1007.3 MHz
  - 3.090 TFLOP/s peak
  - 24.175 Gpx/s peak filltrate
  - 48.350 Gtex/s peak filltrate
- RAM @ 3200 MHz
  - 102.400 GB/s peak bandwidth

What are its launch games?

As an excited fan, I can’t help but speculate about the launch titles for the upcoming Switch 2! It seems highly probable that we’ll see a fresh installment of Mario Kart, with whispers suggesting it might even be Mario Kart 9. Moreover, there’s a strong possibility of a new 3D Mario game gracing our screens during the festive season. Interestingly, a glimpse of what appears to be a new entry in the series – potentially Mario Kart 9 rather than an updated version like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – was shown in the Switch 2’s announcement trailer.

Furthermore, it’s suggested by Nate the Great that a 3D Mario game could be unveiled during the holiday season. If this prediction holds true, then Mario Kart would likely serve as the main first-party title at launch, and we might anticipate more third-party games appearing when the console debuts.

What’s the difference with its new Joy-Con controllers?

In comparison to its earlier model, the Switch 2 boasts a significantly larger size, with its Joy-Con controllers also growing in dimension. The unveiling video disclosed numerous details about the updated Joy-Cons, such as an innovative method for linking to the console, a revised analog stick design, and novel buttons.

Before the official reveal of the console, there were numerous reports suggesting that Joy-Cons would connect magnetically to the Switch. However, it’s yet to be confirmed if this is true. What was shown in the initial trailer, though, is that they will no longer slide along the edges of the console. Instead, a new port on their sides allows them to snap into place.

In essence, the layout of the buttons remains largely unchanged, except for a newly included, nameless one positioned below the home button. Its purpose is yet to be determined. The trailer predominantly showcased button-clicking and joystick-manipulation, implying that these revised Joy-Cons will offer a more tactile experience compared to their predecessor.

When is the next Nintendo Switch 2 Direct?

On April 2, 2025, we’ll be having the Nintendo Switch 2 Presentation. You can anticipate learning more about the console itself and the exciting lineup of games scheduled for launch on that very day.

2025-01-17 03:10