The countdown to the Nintendo Switch 2 showcase is officially on. That’s because Nintendo is set to deliver an expansive Nintendo Switch 2 Direct on Wednesday, April 2 – a digital presentation which is expected to contain a first look at upcoming Switch 2 games, fresh hardware details, release date information, and plenty more across a 60-minute runtime.
Which is all to say that this is an exceptionally exciting time for the Nintendo faithful, and an event which is expected to attract a lot of outside and mainstream attention. The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, selling over 150 million consoles and 1.3 billion games in the years since. The system is extraordinarily popular, having eclipsed all of Nintendo’s home and handheld hardware aside from the inimitable Nintendo DS.
That means there’s a lot of expectation coming into the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal. There’s a lot of unanswered questions, too. So below I’m going to walk you through my Nintendo Switch 2 Direct predictions.
Nintendo first-party game reveals to track beyond launch
We know precious little about any Nintendo-developed games coming to Switch 2. There’s been very few substantial rumors in this respect, which is impressive given that Nintendo only officially unveiled its new hardware back in January. Mario Kart 9 is almost certain to feature, following brief gameplay teases, but beyond that we’re into the realm of speculation.
While I expect that we’ll get a release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – the upcoming adventure likely to honor Nintendo’s penchant for delivering first-party cross-gen exclusives (see: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on GameCube/Wii, and Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Wii U/Switch) – there’s a good chance that Nintendo has plenty to show from its internal studios as it works to differentiate this new console from the original Switch.
It has, for example, been over seven years since the release of Super Mario Odyssey. And while developer Nintendo EPD has been exceptionally busy since, there’s every chance a new 3D Mario is presented for the launch window. I also expect that we’ll see a new, weird party game that works to sell the system’s capabilities – think Wii Sports, Nintendo Land, and 1-2-Switch.
The Switch 2 launch lineup will no doubt be the focus at the Direct, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Nintendo unveil its primary first-party releases for the 12-month stretch beyond that – just as it did with the original Switch in 2017.
Enhanced Switch games to surface
Nintendo has confirmed full Switch 2 backwards compatibility support already, but there are signs that the publisher will invest in more substantial cross-generation support for select titles across the portfolio. Nintendo held a Direct for the original Switch last week, unveiling a new Virtual Card System for digital purchases. While the feature will no doubt make it easier for players to share Switch games with friends, there was one detail that raised some questions.
“Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system,” read some small print in the announcement. The mention of ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games’ is what we’re focusing on here, as it suggests that enhanced versions of certain titles are on the way for Switch 2.
There’s further hints that this functionality is in the works. A Switch modder believes that they have unearthed a largely unused 60fps mode in the recently released Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. It could be nothing, but it could indicate that the Switch 2 will unlock better performance natively for certain cross-gen releases. The open question here is – should this functionality exist – whether any enhanced gains will come at a cost. Sony charges for some of its upgraded PS5 versions of PS4 games, while Xbox enhances Xbox One games for free.
There will be big third-party support
When Nintendo revealed the original Nintendo Switch, it used The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim to help promote the power of its handheld hybrid. While there’s little doubt in my mind that the Switch 2 will continue to put independent experiences at the forefront of its ecosystem, I can see a world in which Nintendo leans on partnerships with the likes of FromSoftware, Ubisoft, Xbox, and others to showcase key hardware improvements.
Xbox has made no secret of its interest in fostering a closer relationship with Nintendo. We’re living in a world where Xbox Game Studios has largely removed itself from the exclusives-business – Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are due to land on PS5 this month – so it’s easy to imagine a world where Xbox puts a strong Nintendo collaboration forward from the jump.
And as much as I’d love to see something like Hollow Knight Silksong or Witchbrook show up as part of the Switch 2 Direct, it’s going to be ports of games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Elden Ring, and Call of Duty Warzone that really promote any true hardware improvements to a wider, more mainstream audience. Will any of this happen? We’ll know soon enough.
We’ll get full launch information
There’s a very real chance that the Nintendo Switch 2 launch campaign will begin tomorrow. There are clear signs that major retailers are anticipating Switch 2 pre-orders to go live imminently, which leads me to suspect that Nintendo will reveal the price and release date of the system tomorrow.
Rumors and industry chatter continue to point towards an early summer release for the Switch 2 – giving retailers around two months to sort out its stock allocation, and all of us an exceptionally short window to find the cash to buy the damned thing. That might be key, because we have very little indication of what the Switch 2 price will actually be.
For context: the PS5 Digital Edition launched at $399 and the standard PS5 at $499, with the Xbox Series S coming in at $299 and the Xbox Series X at $449 in 2020. The cheapest Steam Deck also landed with an RRP of $399. The original Nintendo Switch had an introductory price of $299 in 2017, but I find it difficult to imagine a world where its successor is able to achieve such a low point of entry. The price remains one of the biggest questions going into the Direct.
Nintendo will dive deep on Switch 2 specs
Nintendo has already unveiled the Switch 2 design, confirming that the new system will bring back the hybrid functionality – allowing you to shift play-sessions seamlessly from TV, to handheld, to tabletop. We also know that the Switch 2 will feature slightly larger Joy-Con controllers, and that the sliding mechanism has been replaced by a new magnetic connection system.
What we don’t know is how powerful this console is going to be. Nintendo has long abandoned the power struggle that PlayStation and Xbox can’t seem to walk away from, but we still expect the Switch 2 to be a substantial upgrade over its predecessor. Some rumors suggest that the system will be on par with the PS4, while others lay claim to it scaling into Xbox Series S territories. Honestly, this is a complete guessing game until Nintendo confirms the chipset and architecture.
The Switch 2 Direct will almost certainly dedicate some time to delivering more detail here, using prominent third-party games to demonstrate the power and potential of the console. If I were a betting man, I’d put money on Nintendo avoiding the temptation to linger on tech specs in the main presentation, and instead opting to funnel them through its Nintendo Today app in the immediate aftermath.
The news Joy-Cons is where the magic is hidden
You should expect the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct to spend a lot of time focusing on the new Joy-Cons. The unique controller setup is among one of the best innovations in Nintendo’s history, and also one of its most divisive given persistent issues with stick drift. We’ll obviously be on the lookout for any signs that the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers have a more robust build quality.
Outside of that though, it’s likely that some of Nintendo’s biggest ideas will be packed into the refined controllers. They appear to be slightly larger, with bigger shoulder buttons and refined button placement. I expect the company to shout about enhanced rumble features, to reveal what that new “C” button on the right Joy-Con does (rumors suggest it could be used to activate second-screen functionality with a smartphone, but I’m not sold on that), and what more precise motion control may look like.
One of the most persistent Switch 2 rumors (based off of filed patents) has the Joy-Con controllers effectively function as a mouse, offering total precision to the player. This new input device could prove to be revolutionary for the system, although Nintendo will need to clearly demonstrate how they function on different surfaces and in different environments.
Here’s what I will say: If all the Joy-Con 2.0 rumors prove to be true, there better be a new WarioWare game available on day one to showcase them all.
