Fans have waited for years and now the new $450 Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been released, setting a new sales record in its initial rollout. Much more powerful than the original, it has a larger 7.9-inch screen that processes at 1080p with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR compatibility and can go up to 4K when docked. Reimagined Joy-Con 2 controllers (the proprietary controllers on the Switch) connect to the system magnetically and can be used as a mouse in compatible games. A new software feature called GameChat — an online tool that allows users to chat with friends while gaming, described as “Discord-like” — is also part of the package.

The Verge laments the lack of an OLED screen on the Switch 2, calling it a serious omission “particularly considering the price,” but notes that the expansive new visual real estate makes the original Switch’s 6.2-inch screen “seem like a bargain basement tablet by comparison,” calling it “crisper and clearer” with the advantage of making the UI feel smoother as a result of the high refresh rate.

“I no longer feel like my field of vision is getting squeezed by loads of ugly bezel,” The Verge review enthuses.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers get a lot of ink. They come with “HD Rumble 2” built-in, improving on the original haptic effect, Engadget writes, adding that the controller’s “analog sticks are no longer tiny nubs, and are closer in size to the ones you might find on a PS5 or Xbox,” but don’t have “Hall effect sensors, the use of which can minimize the risk of the ‘stick drift’ issue that plagued the original Joy-Cons.”

The “SL and SR” left/right — an extra set of navigational buttons that are hidden when the Joy-Cons are attached — are larger “to make playing multiplayer games on individual Joy-Cons more feasible,” Engadget notes.

Wide availability of content for the new device is emphasized. The Nintendo announcement includes a lengthy list of compatible games ranging from “Final Fantasy” and “Street Fighter” titles to Harry Potter gameplay and Madden NFL and Tony Hawk skateboard releases, and for a limited time, Nintendo is offering a “Mario Kart World Bundle” with hardware purchase for an additional $50.

The online GameChat feature lets users “play games and talk like everyone is in the same room,” while the system’s built-in mic can be used to voice chat while playing games with up to 12 people in different locations.

“Up to four friends can share their screen, and if they connect a compatible USB-C camera, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 camera (sold separately), they can also video chat,” Nintendo says.

Additional details are available on the Nintendo Switch 2 landing page.

Related:
Nintendo Switch 2 Sets Sales Record in Boon for Games Sector, Bloomberg, 6/11/25
A Switch 2 YouTube App Is Coming ‘Soon’, The Verge, 6/9/25
Move Over Nintendo Switch 2 – Microsoft Has Revealed the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, TechRadar, 6/8/25
Microsoft, Asus Tease ROG Xbox Ally Mobile Gaming Devices, ETCentric, 6/11/25