Nintendo officially announces the Switch 2

After weeks of leaks and wild speculation, Nintendo It was finally announced Switch 2the highly anticipated successor to the hugely popular hybrid handheld console. The game maker released a two-minute teaser today with a first look at the console, a handheld unit that looks very similar to the original Switch but is larger.

Nintendo also announced on Thursday that it will hold a live presentation to provide more details about the Switch on April 2. In the video announcement, Nintendo debuted a larger screen with a pair of black-and-pink and black-and-blue Joy-Cons. The video also seems to be generating new crushes Mario Kart A game with screenshots that appear for only a few seconds.

Nintendo said in a press release that the handheld will play both Switch 2 and Switch games, but added that “some Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.”

the Original Nintendo Switch It was released in 2017, at a time when Nintendo was still recovering from it Bad sales From the previous console, Wee yo. However, when the Wii U failed to find an audience, the Switch’s price soared. In 2023, it became Third bestseller The console of all time is behind Nintendo’s DS and PlayStation 2, a position it still holds.

However, by 2024, the console appears to have reached its peak. Sales were dropRumors were already spreading about the entry of the next generation. Nearly a year ago, when Nintendo Announce Pokemon Legends: ZA It will be coming to their systems in 2025, and fans have speculated that a new console is on the horizon. (Not to mention, the plural “systems” here could only have been referring to the Switch’s Lite and OLED models.)

In May last year, the company promised that it would unveil a new console by April 2025. Last month, alleged details and images of the device emerged. Leaked from manufacturersand then On platforms Like Reddit and X.

At least Nintendo fans were having fun with the leaks, be that as it may Using tarot card readings To predict the ad date, or spoof features like “Imported Italian air“Or screws. “It has 10 grooves. Reveal January 10th,” one Reddit user joked. Another Constructed The “Summoning Circle” is filled with old toys and Mario and Luigi figurines.

The next-gen Switch will be released in a much different console ecosystem than its predecessor. In 2022, Steam launched its mobile device Steam surfacewhich allows gamers to play more PC games on the go. During this year’s CES, Microsoft’s Vice President of “Next Generation” Jason Ronald hinted at this Edge There will be updates this year to the Windows gaming experience. Microsoft Gaming President Phil Spencer also hinted at the possibility Portable Xbox.