Nintendo Switch 2 to launch on June 5: What you need to know

Nintendo has unveiled new details about the Nintendo Switch 2, which is expected to launch on June 5^th.

The company made the announcement in a livestream earlier this week which is likely to raise eyebrows among the competition from the likes of Sony with its Play Station and Microsoft with X-Box.

Pre-orders

According to Nintendo, the new console is bigger and faster and has new features like magnetic controllers.

Nintendo also said it will no longer take preorders for the Switch 2 on April 9 in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Japanese imports.

Company representatives insist that the launch date will remain June 5.

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Highlights

Some of the highlights of the launch, which The Citizen was part of, include GameChat – a new online feature that allows people to play games and talk to each other like everyone is in the same room, even if they’re miles apart.

Another feature called GameShare – a new feature for Nintendo Switch 2 lets players share and play the same game with others who do not have the game.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is bigger, with a 7.9-inch screen compared to the original’s 6.2 inches. The most dramatic changes are focused on performance — both the built-in screen and new docking station, which support higher resolutions (1080p and 4K respectively), faster refresh rate (120Hz) and HDR.

The console also comes with much more built-in storage: 256GB compared to the original’s 32GB.

Controllers

In addition, the Joy-Con 2 controller can be operated like a mouse by sliding it on a surface like a table or on a pair of trousers. They can be used in multiple ways, including for games that require aiming.

While Nintendo Switch has one USB-C port on the bottom of the console, Nintendo Switch 2 has a port on the top as well, which makes it possible for players to use the included AC adapter to charge the console while playing in tabletop mode.

Pricing

Nintendo also announced new exclusive titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, to exhilarating experiences like EA SPORTS Madden NFL and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition.

While no South African pricing has been shared, the Nintendo Switch 2 by itself has been priced at $449 (R8 590) or $499 (R9 547) with the all-new Mario Kart World.

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