The argument of whether PlayStation or Xbox is the better console is such a stale debate at this point because both franchises never step out of their comfort zone. The systems themselves never changed the formula of how games should be played. Nintendo, on the other hand, always has an idea of innovation, and that’s what they have been known for. There’s the Nintendo 64, which had arguably the wackiest controller we’ve seen in a gaming system, the Wii that revolutionized motion controls in video games and was perfect for the casual gamer, or their latest system, the Switch, which made playing on the go easier than ever.
As the Switch was approaching its eighth year of life, gamers needed something new. The Switch does have countless games (most of which are just cheap mobile-port slop titles) but new hardware is what we wanted. In September, leaks and rumors of the Switch successor had started popping up, from 3D console models to images of the hardware itself. Lots of them turned out to be fake, but some, surprisingly, were real images. At the tail-end of 2024, the Switch successor turned out to be the most leaked video game console of all time. It seemed like every day new information was spilled and everyone seeing these leaks just wanted Nintendo to reveal the console itself.
And finally, on Jan. 16, 2025, at 7 a.m. Central Time, the official trailer for the next system was shadow-dropped on Nintendo’s social media. As you could probably guess, Jan. 16 was leaked to be the day of the reveal, so I was super ready. I remember waking up six minutes before, just taking a gamble to see if Nintendo would bless us fans that day, and they did.
The trailer starts with a close-up of the Switch console, followed by a transformation of the handheld screen. The new screen is way bigger (suspected to be 8 inches) and has two USB-C ports on the top and bottom. The game cartridge slot is the same as the Switch’s, proving that backwards compatibility is supported. There is also a new kickstand which is a major improvement from the current console. 2021’s Nintendo Switch OLED model did fix this problem, but it wasn’t a selling point for me to upgrade.
Next, we see the infamous Joy-Con in their iconic red and blue style hit a growth spurt and change into a space gray color. The size is a much-needed improvement in my opinion, because not all hands can use the Joy-Con comfortably, especially on its side. The joysticks look like they use Hall Effect Analog sticks, which will help a lot in terms of stick drift. If you had a Nintendo Switch, you most likely couldn’t escape the stick drift. On the side of the controller, there are bigger SL/SR buttons and an optical sensor. This sensor being included makes the possibility of the Joy-Con being used as a mouse very high. This makes me very excited about how Nintendo will use this in their games, and I would really like to try PC gaming with this as my mouse. We also see a new button on the right Joy-Con appear, which is blank. In the leaks, the button has a “C” on it, which either shows that all of the leaks were wrong, or Nintendo wants to keep the button’s purpose a surprise for later. I think the latter.
Later on, the point of view shifts to the console with the Joy-Con. All of a sudden, the Joy-Con snap onto the console, showing that the controllers are magnetically attached to the new Switch. With this, the console now has pins on the side. Some fans think that this could be a point of failure for the new console, arguing that the pins will be easy to break off or bend. With how long it’s been since the new hardware, I’m confident that Nintendo has already done rigorous testing to this new change.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the Switch screen turns on and immediately throws you into a Mario Kart montage. This is definitely the first look into the next Mario Kart game. The graphics and character models are vastly different from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this is an entirely new course, and there are 24 starting points instead of 12, showing that 24-player Mario Kart won’t be a dream. Next, the Nintendo Switch 2 docks itself and continues the Mario Kart (9?) footage. The front of the new dock sports the Nintendo Switch logo, but with a big bold 2 beside it. The dock is curved and shows more of the top of the console, which could be used to display information while playing on the TV.
The last parts of the trailer show a release window of 2025, a confirmation of backwards compatibility (the ability to play Switch 1 games on Switch 2), and a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation which will be held on April 2nd, 2025. Using past Nintendo schedules, we can infer that the Switch 2 will launch anywhere between May to July. I wish it was sooner, but I know it will be worth the wait.
After analyzing the trailer, I can say wholeheartedly that I am very excited about the Nintendo Switch 2. The magnetic Joy-Con, the hints of being able to use the controllers as mice, and even the new Mario Kart pull me into having so much hype for the new Switch. I am definitely picking one of these up when it releases later this year.
