Switching It Up: 5 Key Takeaways From Nintendo’s Switch 2 Direct
Nintendo’s long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct has finally arrived, and here is 5 important takeaways from the showcase and additional information released.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was a doozy and full of all kinds of information, all of which is interesting
Two First-Party Titles At Launch
First and foremost, Nintendo showed off two mainline titles coming from their studios for the release of the Nintendo Switch 2: Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. If you’re unfamiliar with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, you aren’t the only one. If you’re confused why it’s classed as a launch title… you aren’t the only one.
Out of the two Nintendo studio games coming to the Switch 2 at launch, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour (henceforth known as NS2WT) is designed to help players get to grips with their new console. The downside? It’s not an actual game. Priced at €10, it is an actual paid tech demo. And that’s on top of the price of the Switch 2 (more on that later). Though it’s a neat concept, it is nothing more than a glorified tech demo and should be included with every console.
The second, and more important game revealed was Nintendo’s opening title, Mario Kart World, the next entry in the long-running kart-racing series. It’s been a few years since the last Mario Kart, so fans have been chomping at the bit for a new release, and this is shaping up to be a worthwhile offering. It’s the first mainline entry that will feature both open world and off-roading gameplay elements to the series.
Mario Kart World will also have an expanded player count, letting up to 24 players race head-to-head in a bid to take home the #1 spot. It’ll also come with over 40 playable characters at launch, many of which will have alternate costumes for players to unlock. If straight up racing isn’t your jam, there is a number of other features to take advantage of, such as boat racing, rail grinding, wall jumping, and the aforementioned off-roading segments.
Start your engines for the biggest Mario Kart yet!
Bigger, Bolder, Better
We got a look at a number of features the Nintendo Switch 2 has added compared to its predecessor. Boasting a new and improved 7.9-inch LCD (Not OLED) screen that runs games at 1080p, it’s definitely a step up from the original Switch. Stepping up to join the big leagues, the Switch 2 includes 4K Support alongside HDR to give games a crisper, clearer look compared to those on the Switch.
The Joy-Cons have also been reworked and, like the Switch, has received the number 2 to round out their name. Enhanced sticks, more responsive buttons, magnetically attached connectors for the Joy-Cons, and even an intriuging ability to utilize the Joy-Con 2s as a mouse, or mice, individually or together. This gives Switch 2 players greater capabilities for games that function better with mouse controls, such as RTS games. It was briefly alluded to during the Switch 2 announcement earlier this year, and now it’s been confirmed.
Did you have more games for your Nintendo Switch than you had storage? You aren’t alone. The original Switch had 32GB of memory, which even by standards at launch, was quite low. But that’s no matter. The Switch 2 will come with 256 GB of storage, which is 8x the amount of storage, giving players the capacity to bring more games with them on longer trips. The physical cartridges are also red now, for some reason. More Nintendo-like? They do read game data faster, so it’s not purely cosmetic.
Nintendo Switch 2: So far so good?
New Gadgets & Features!
Another new feature is… the C Button! The long awaited addition of a new button is sure to drive fans wild! No, wait, come back. Let me explain. The fabled C Button is the key feature that leads to Nintendo’s brand new online GameChat feature. This GameChat is above and beyond what gamers would usually expect from Nintendo, or any other console maker! Going beyond it’s mere namesake, it’s more than just the ability to have online voice chat with your friends. Pressing the C Button will launch the chat feature, but it also give players the option of sharing their screen to their party chat. This is highlighted in the Direct, with a group of players displayed on the bottom of the TV screen while another player’s game plays out in the foreground.
On top of that, if players have the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera (or another USB-C camera that is compatible), they can video chat while playing. Voice chat, video chat, and screen sharing are all part of this new GameChat. Other online parties would usually feature just audio chats, some might include audio and video. But not many would feature all three, especially not from the big console giants. Neither Sony or Microsoft includes the additional options together in their respective social functions. Nintendo is giving players the chance to sample GameChat for free until March 2026, after which Nintendo Switch Online is a requirement.
All things considered, it’s a pretty slick set-up.
3rd Party Games With Exclusives!
Third-party developers will be supporting the Nintendo Switch 2 en masse. While there were third-party games that came to the Nintendo Switch, the system quickly fell out of favour with developers after the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. The Nintendo audience is a massive market, but when the console you hope to ship on is underpowered, you have less of a chance to flex your creative and technical muscles.
That’s all changing now with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 closing the gap between systems. Third-party developers are coming back to Nintendo in droves, as shown in the Switch 2 Direct. Some of the games that were announced are games previously released elsewhere, but are now launching with a new Nintendo Switch 2 version with additional features. Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2: Fighters Edition, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade are among those games making their way to Switch 2 either at launch or down the line.
But it won’t just be ports coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 with exclusive content, as during the showcase, FromSoftware announced a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive called The Duskbloods. Like the previously announced Elden Ring: Nightreign, The Duskbloods is a brand new multiplayer IP launching in 2026. Any FromSoft fans hoping to pick it up better be in the mindset of picking up a Switch 2 while they’re at it, because there are no indicators it’s a timed exclusive. This is an interesting play for Nintendo, and I’m all for it. I hardly played my Nintendo Switch as I never really felt compelled to pick up third-party games, and the first-party titles didn’t appeal to me outside of a few of the obvious choices.
Looping back to the first-party titles, Nintendo has reconfirmed Nintendo Switch compatibility. If you’ve built up a hearty library of Nintendo Switch titles, you may also want the best possible experience for them. Nintendo has already predicted that, announcing certain Switch titles would get Nintendo Switch 2 versions. But they’re not simple upgrades. In fact, if you want better versions of your Switch games, you’ll have to shell out for the Switch 2 version. Some of the planned Switch 2 upgrades will include new features and content. For those Switch 2 upgrades, Nintendo will be planning to charge around €20, while upgrades with no new content will cost an additional €10.
The Cost of Business
Now we turn to the main factor outside the system itself: The price. What will the Nintendo Switch 2 set you back? I briefly touched on the cost of upgrading certain Nintendo Switch titles, but what other costs can you expect? I’ll cover each price that has been announced thus far.
The main console itself will set you back €469.99, around €140 more than the original Nintendo Switch. New generation consoles have always been on the pricey end, but usually Nintendo tends to avoid that. Not anymore, it seems. And sadly, that’s not the only place we’ll be looking at price increases.
Next up is the cost of Switch 2 games, at least those coming from Nintendo themselves. Mainline Switch 2 titles will set you back between €80-€90 apiece. There’s no set price for third-party games, but with Nintendo pushing that boundary, I can’t imagine many third-party publishers passing up the opportunity to make more money. Worry not, though! If you purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, you’ll only be paying €510, saving you around €50. Wahoo!
If you’re keen to video chat with your friends while playing, the official Switch 2 camera is priced at €60. Not a fan of the Joy-Cons and want something a bit more in line with the other consoles? No worries! The Nintendo Switch Pro controller will cost a whopping €90. Now, if you’re one of those die-hard Nintendo fans (this Direct may have changed your tune) that just has to have all things Nintendo Switch, all that has been listed so far will total €690, counting the Switch bundle, aforementioned Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, camera, Pro controller, and Nintendo Switch Online to enjoy it all. And of course, these prices will also vary country to country, region to region.
I’m not a huge Nintendo fan overall. I respect what they’re doing, but the majority of their games and hardware just doesn’t appeal to me. Saying that, I do think this Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was pretty solid, all things considered. To me, there’s a lot more bad than good on offer here. The biggest setback is the cost of things, especially in a time where people have to choose between an increasingly expensive hobby and their own well-being. I believe those with more limited budgets will pass on the Nintendo Switch 2. Some may even pass due to not feeling it to be a significant enough upgrade. It will be interesting to see how the next few months leading up to and including the launch of the Switch 2 will be handled by Nintendo and fans alike. Nintendo has a habit of having a really successful run, followed by a more moderate or flat-out less successful run. But they always manage.
But what do you think? Will you be picking up the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch or later this year? Will you be waiting for another reason? Sound off in the comments.
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