Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Recap: All the announcements and reveals

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The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct has wrapped up and boy was it a big one. The show lasted almost an hour and presented deeper looks at the console itself and the collection of games that it will support at debut. Considering a lot was unpacked, you may be looking for a briefer summary of what happened and what was presented. If so, look no further.

We've collated all the announcements and reveals into one place in this article, summarising and shrinking down the relevant information for each into a more condensed form. So, settle in and take a look at all that happened during today's mega showcase.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Date and Price

The key thing to note is that the console will launch on June 5. It will also have a varying MSRP that depends on whether you just pick up the console or grab the bundle with the new Mario Kart game. Those prices are as follows:

• Console: £395.99 / €469.99 / $449.99


• Console with Mario Kart: £429.99 / €509.99 / $499.99

For additional prices about bundles and accessories, head over here to read more.

What comes in the box?

What do you get in your Nintendo Switch 2 console package? Everything listed below.

• Nintendo Switch 2 console


• Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)


• Joy-Con 2 Grip


• Joy-Con 2 Straps


• Nintendo Switch 2 Dock


• Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable


• Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter


• USB-C Charging Cable

Nintendo Switch 2 Specifications

There's a lot to go through in this regard, so if you're interested in a deeper analysis, you can read our dedicated text on the matter. Otherwise, the summary is as follows:

• 7.9" LCD screen at 1080p and 120Hz with HDR support


• Magnetically attached Joy-Cons


• USB-C ports on the bottom and top of the device


• New and more stable kickstand


• More powerful CPU and GPU


• 3D audio support in handheld and tabletop


• 256 GB of internal storage and compatibility with MicroSD Express cards for more storage


• Nintendo Switch 1 backwards compatibility


• 4K resolution and 120 FPS frame rate when connected to a dock

GameChat and GameShare

This nifty feature is the meaning of the "C" button on the right Joy-Con. GameChat is the name and it's essentially a party system that can enable users to communicate with one another in groups of up to four. It has video features that are made accessible through a new Camera peripheral, screen sharing elements, and parental controls too for those who require it. You can find more about GameChat here.

As per GameShare, this is a way for console users to play games locally without needing to share one pair of Joy-Cons. Essentially, now you can play games locally on different Switch 2 consoles by sharing access to them. In a way, it's a continuation of the local play that DS users had access to. Find more here.

Nintendo Switch Online

Yep, the online service will be available for Switch 2 console users and will be required to access many of the new social elements. Those wishing to test GameChat through this service can access a limited trial period that runs until March 31, 2026. After this, the feature will be locked behind the service.

Otherwise, Switch Online users will soon be able to access a library of GameCube classics, as the console is being introduced to the service. The games that it will debut with are the following:

• F-Zero GX


• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker


• SoulCalibur II

There will also be a dedicated GameCube controller being launched as part of this.

Switch 1 Upgraded Games

Before we get to the new games, let's talk about existing games. For current Switch 1 users, you'll be glad to know that many of the existing games are being translated to the upcoming platform and that this will include improvements on many fronts.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are both receiving the treatment, with this including better performance and graphics, and also a fresh experience in places. This will be available at the console's launch on June 5.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is seeing an addition that is called Star-Crossed World, which introduces a new story to experience and new Mouthful Modes to master. Better performance is also on the table when this arrives on August 28.

Super Mario Party Jamboree will be enhanced with better performance and even additional activities and mini-games that utilise the Switch 2's new features. This includes mouse controls, the built-in mic, and even the camera for anyone who owns that. This version launches on July 24.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will get a Switch 2 edition as well that offers graphical modes. Quality offers 4K/60FPS action and Performance instead delivers 1080p/120FPS, with both featuring HDR support. This will be available when the game debuts sometime this year.

Lastly, Pokémon Legends: Z-A will offer enhanced performance and frame rates when it debuts on the console too.

Third-Party Ports

A lot of third-party games are also planned for the Switch 2 either at launch or soon after. To save some time, here's a list of all these games below and any available release dates.

• Hades II - 2025


• EA Sports Madden NFL


• EA Sports FC


• NBA 2K


• WWE 2K


• Split Fiction - June 5


• Cyberpunk 2077 - June 5


• Final Fantasy VII: Remake - Intergrade


• Street Fighter 6 - June 5


• Civilization VII - June 5


• Hogwarts Legacy - June 5


• Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster - June 5


• Borderlands 4 - 2025


• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+ 4 - Summer 2025


• Elden Ring - Tarnished Edition - 2025


• Yakuza 0 Director's Cut - June 5


• Fortnite - June 5


• Enter the Gungeon 2 - 2026


• Hitman: World of Assassination - June 5


• Project 007


• Starseeker: Astroneer Chronicles


• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion


• Deltarune


• Survival Kids


• Star Wars Outlaws


• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Brand-New Third-Party Announcements

The majority of the third-party news was in relation to ports to the Switch 2 console, but there were a few brand-new announcements as well. Perhaps the most notable of the bunch was The Duskbloods from FromSoftware, a game that had our dear Alberto foaming at the mouth thinking it was originally Bloodborne 2... This is being directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki and we'll learn more about it on April 4.

Otherwise, we also met Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a new chapter in the musuo series. This explores the story just before Tears of the Kingdom and is being developed by Koei-Tecmo Games with plans to launch this winter.

There will also be some tech demo-like games being added, including Drag x Drive, which will launch in the summer and serve as a way to showcase the mouse features of the new Joy-Cons. This game will be a purely 3v3 online title.

Lastly, we have Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which utilises mini-games, tech demos, and additional interactions to help fans become familiar with the new console. Essentially, expect something on the lines of what Astro's Playroom did for PlayStation 5.

New First-Party Game: Mario Kart World

The big launch title to go alongside the Switch 2. Known as Mario Kart World and not Mario Kart 9, this instalment will offer up new courses, enhanced graphics, countless driver options, promising new cups, a variety of game modes, and more. We're told that this game will offer up to 24 racers per race, will have location-themed levels that change depending on weather and time of day, freely drivable levels that are accessible through the Free Roam mode, a complete Photo Mode, grind rails and wall-riding for traversal, and all of this on June 5 in line with the Switch 2's debut. Read more about Mario Kart World here.

Oh and there will be a Direct dedicated to the game on April 17 at 14:00 BST / 15:00 CEST, so stay tuned for that.

New First-Party Game: Kirby Air Riders

Coming from the legendary Masahiro Sakurai, director of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Kirby Air Riders is a continuation of the Air Ride series that is being made in collaboration between HAL Laboratory and Sora. It's a racing-action title that will launch on Switch 2 sometime in 2025, and beyond that, we don't know much else about the game...

New First-Party Game: Donkey Kong Bananza

Perhaps the most exciting new reveal of the Direct, EAD Tokyo's big 3D platformer wasn't a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey, but rather instead a new Donkey Kong adventure. Known as Donkey Kong Bananza, this will launch on July 17, and we'll leave it to the official description to add some extra colour.

"Crash, bash, and climb through nearly everything in DK's path and tear off chunks of terrain to swing around and throw in groundbreaking exploration. The more that is demolished with powerful punches, the more areas open up to discover."

Head over here to learn more about the game.