Nintendo Prepares to Launch their New Console, the Nintendo Switch 2

by Angus McNellie

On Jan. 16, 2025, Nintendo announced their new console, the Nintendo Switch 2. More details were shared in the Nintendo Direct presentation centered around the console on April 2, 2025. This presentation answered many questions and revealed plenty of surprises, including a launch date for the new system. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be available to purchase starting June 5, 2025. The console will cost approximately $450 on release. 

This price left fans appalled and ultimately discouraged them from buying the console. The original Nintendo Switch was only $300, and the Nintendo Switch Lite was only $200. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch 2’s featured release title, “Mario Kart World,” stands at a costly $80, while the last “Mario Kart” game, “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” was only $60. The bundle including the new game and console is roughly $500. Many controversies have sparked online over these sky high prices. Fans and critics alike claim the price simply isn’t worth it and that the console is too similar to its predecessor to be sold for such a high price. In response to these criticisms, Nintendo has continued to promote the system and attempt to persuade consumers into believing it is worth the cost.

Another new feature of the Nintendo Switch 2 is GameChat, a brand new form of communication for players. By pressing the “C” button on their controller, users can enter a group voice chat with their friends and speak with each other utilizing the console’s microphone. Friends can also share their screen with each other, regardless of whether or not they’re playing the same title. If players connect a camera to their console, such as the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera sold by Nintendo, they can communicate via video chat. The camera can also be used as a new way to experience certain titles, such as “Super Mario Party Jamboree.” If players purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game, they can play a new game mode which places the players’ likeness on screen and tracks their facial expressions and movements. However, all of these features require a Nintendo Switch Online membership. To further entice players into purchasing the system and its accessories, Nintendo is offering the GameChat feature for free for a limited time.

Of course, many players are uninterested in these new features and will continue to use popular free-to-use communication services. While the Nintendo Switch 2 is certainly an impressive system and an upgrade from the Nintendo Switch, the price of the system, its games, and its many accessories is simply too high for any ordinary person. Regardless of this fact, the console is certain to sell plenty of units, possibly even more than the previous system.