The Nintendo Switch 2 launches today. Here's what to know
It's a big day for Nintendo fans. The gaming giant's new console, the Switch 2, arrives on store shelves globally after being announced in April — marking Nintendo's first major console launch since the original Switch arrived roughly eight years ago.
And fans have clearly been waiting; 2.2 million people applied for a lottery system to buy the Switch 2 in Japan, according to a translation of an X post from Nintendo in April. Nearly all US Best Buy stores opened just after midnight to accommodate eager fans.
The Switch 2, priced at $450 in the US, can be played in handheld mode, when propped up on a table; or on a TV when plugged in to its accompanying dock, like its predecessor. While the formula is the same as that of the original Switch, Nintendo has made significant upgrades to the hardware, including giving its new console a larger screen, upgraded versions of the Joy-Con controllers and new social features.
Nintendo's decision to stick with a winning template for the Switch 2 is a testament to the original's popularity — but also a gamble that its success will endure for the better part of the next decade. While the 2017-era Switch introduced gamers to the concept of a home console that also serves as a portable game machine, the Switch 2 doubles down on that idea, amid growing competition from PC rivals like Valve and Lenovo that have emerged over the last three years.
But Nintendo's catalogue of beloved characters and games could give it an edge against rivals. Gamers typically buy a Nintendo console because they want exclusive games, like 'Super Mario' or 'The Legend of Zelda,' despite owning another gaming device.
'The cross ownership rates historically between people that would own an Xbox or a PlayStation or a gaming PC, and who also own a Nintendo device, have always been pretty high compared to other systems,' Mat Piscatella, executive director for video game coverage at market research firm Circana, told CNN in April.
The Switch 2 iterates its predecessor with several new features, including a Game Chat function that lets gamers communicate with other players by tapping a button on the console. Up to 12 players can chat at the same time, and players can share their screen in real time even when playing other games. Nintendo will also allow users to share certain games with other Switch owners while playing in person even if the other player doesn't own the title.
Nintendo is also bringing some of its signature quirkiness to the Switch 2's social features; in addition to sharing their screen and video chatting with others, players' faces will pop up in a tiny bubble near their character in the Switch 2 edition of 'Super Mario Party: Jamboree' — an effort to make it feel like players are part of the game itself. However, it requires Nintendo's $55 camera that's sold separately.
'Being able to now take that (multiplayer) experience and virtually create it, we think, is something special, because we know more and more people are playing online,' Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser told CNN in April.
The Switch 2's Joy-Con controllers, which attach to the Switch when it's being used as a handheld console or can be used separately, now support computer mouse-like functionality, unlike the previous version. That will allow players to drag the controllers across a surface — whether it be a table or person's lap — to control gameplay on screen.
One new game called 'Drag x Drive' is designed around this idea; players pilot characters in powered-up wheelchair-like vehicles across a basketball court to shoot hoops by sliding and dragging Nintendo's new controllers. In the Switch 2 version of 'Metroid Prime 4: Beyond,' players will be able to move the Joy-Con like a mouse for more precise aiming when shooting enemies.
'People who may play on a PC with a mouse and a keyboard, that's an experience they can't replicate,' Bowser said.
Nintendo has also given the console hardware a much-needed upgrade. The Switch 2 has a larger 7.9-inch display compared to the original Switch's 6.2-inch screen, and the Joy-Cons now snap to the console magnetically, which should make them easier to attach or remove from the console. The console has eight times as much storage as its predecessor and the dock supports 4K resolution, two changes that should give players more room to store games and improve how they look when connected to a compatible TV.
Nintendo is pointing to these changes to justify the console's higher price, which is significantly above the $300 original.
'All of that lends itself to creating a price point that we think is a value to the consumer, because they'll see the benefit in all these features,' Bowser said. 'But it's also, we think, a reasonable price based on what we've been able to build into the device itself.'
Nintendo's major launch title for the Switch 2 is 'Mario Kart World,' a new version of its popular cart racing game that lets players drive off-track to explore the world around them. Games coming later this year include 'Donkey Kong Bonanza,' which arrives on July 17, 'Drag x Drive,' 'Kirby Air Riders' and 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.'
The Switch 2 can also run games for the original Switch, although Nintendo says on its website that some games may not be fully compatible or supported. But Nintendo is launching Switch Edition 2 versions of existing games that enable those titles to take advantage of the Switch 2's new hardware with improved visuals and new gameplay modes.
Switch 2 editions of 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' and 'Tears of the Kingdom' are available now, while 'Super Mario Party Jamboree,' 'Kirby and the Forgotten Land' and 'Pokémon Legends: Z-A' will get Switch 2 editions later this year.
Yes, Nintendo still sells previous Switch models including the $200 Switch Lite, $300 standard Switch and $350 Switch OLED.
That's a benefit for shoppers who don't want to shell out $450, but it could also eat into demand for Nintendo's new system — especially since many major new titles aren't out yet.
'The Switch being so successful is a double-edged sword,' Piscatella said ahead of the Switch 2 debut in April. 'On the one hand, a huge, great positive base to build on. On the other hand, a huge target to try to reach in terms of the same level of success.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I've played the Switch 2 for over a week and it's missing these key games
I couldn't wait to get my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2. From snappier Joy-Cons to improved performance, there was a lot to get hyped for. But now, over a week after its official release, I'm at odds. While I think the improvements are promising, especially the larger and more vibrant screen, it's the software that's taken the most enormous misstep. It's owed largely to the fact that the Switch 2 launched with just one main first-party game in Mario Kart World. The rest are third-party titles that launched years prior, including Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, and Hogwarts Legacy. Don't get me wrong, these are fantastic games — Cyberpunk being one of my all-time favorites — I wish the Switch 2 had a bit more going for it. Especially given its exorbitant price tag. Surprisingly, Nintendo didn't have more Mario games up its sleeve for the new hardware. You'd think Nintendo would want to come out with a bang, highlighting major features using its very bread and butter with something like a Mario Odyssey 2 or even a Super Smash Bros sequel. Instead, we got Mario Kart World, a rather lackluster experience in terms of overall content. You can have a blast so long as you have a good crew to play with, but beyond that, it's a pretty limiting title and really comes down to your enjoyment of racing games to begin with. You could point out some of the incredible visual and performance enhancements available for more well-known titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But it's a significant drag that older Nintendo games are being put on a pedestal. I know some games are releasing in the coming months that could put these woes to bed, like Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Still, Nintendo should have launched with more first-party experiences to make up for the already limited lineup, like a revamped Mario Party, Luigi's Mansion, or Mario Golf. I can't lie, FromSoftware is one of my favorite video game developers. That's why I was let down by the fact that the Switch 2 edition of Elden Ring didn't launch along with the system, and there's no real understanding of when it might release. The Nintendo website says it's supposed to release this year, but it's still unclear when that might be. That's a massive release for Nintendo and works to get some extra fans interested in FromSoft games ahead of the launch of Duskbloods on the Switch 2 next year. That's why I wish more FromSoft games were launching on the system. Instead of just Elden Ring, why not bring over some of the additional Dark Souls series of games to the platform? The original Switch already has access to Dark Souls Remastered, and it's not like Dark Souls 2 or 3 would be too intensive for the refreshed hardware. A full Dark Souls trilogy available on the Switch 2 from the outset would have been huge for fans of the developer. You could even throw in Sekiro, which is one of its most beloved experiences and even won Game of the Year in 2019. That would make for a killer software suite and probably wouldn't take too much effort to put together. As of writing, FromSoftware fans just have Dark Souls Remastered to play around in on the Switch 2 as they wait for Elden Ring and Duskbloods, which is a tad unfortunate, seeing as it's pretty much dead in terms of co-op and PvP invasions. Although it is a family console, the Switch 2 is missing out on more horror titles. If you're a fan of killer thrillers and terrifying horror experiences, you're largely stuck with the games that already existed on the original Switch. I'm a huge horror fan, and it's a bit of a drag to see such a minimal offering in this category. Just take a peek at the official Nintendo online eShop for its Switch 2 titles, and you'll see that horror isn't even an option in its genre selection. Again, I understand this is more of a family console, and horror probably isn't the most-searched genre on Switch, but the variety would be a welcome change for the platform. Nintendo could have tapped some heavy hitters for a well-rounded third-party horror selection, including Dead Space remake, Metro Exodus, Still Wakes the Deep, and Slitterhead, to name a few. Maybe it's the fact that horror is just too niche for the Switch to begin with, but I'd like to see a wider offering on the more adept hardware. Especially given that beloved horror franchises in Silent Hill and Resident Evil are basking in the limelight with massive hits on the horizon. If you are one of the few looking for some horror games on the Switch 2, I recommend playing Observer, Fatum Betula, Signalis, and World of Horror. They don't put the new hardware to the test, but they are nail-biting as ever.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Steam's store now lets you search for games by accessibility features like 'narrated game menus' and 'adjustable difficulty', and more than 5,000 games have already added their accessibility details to the database
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Back in April, Valve announced the Steam store would start highlighting accessibility features on games' store pages. And now, it has. Not only can you see them in the sidebar beneath the controller support section for selected games, you can also search the store by individual accessibility features. "This update comes after gathering valuable feedback from developers as well as players with disabilities," Valve says in its blog post announcing the news, "and over 5,000 applications have added details about their accessibility support (with more developers updating their games each day)." On Steam's search page you can select "narrow by accessibility feature" to bring up a bunch of toggles like "playable without timed input" and "color alternatives". If you know anyone who has ever bought a puzzle game and had to refund it because the puzzles demand you can tell colors apart but won't let you tweak what those colors are, you'll know why the latter's important. Some accessibility features, like "save anytime" and "adjustable text size" are good for everyone to know in advance—they're just nice things to have. A variety of games, mostly newer ones, have already added accessibility features to their store page. Baldur's Gate 3, for instance, boasts 10 of them, from "adjustable difficulty" to "playable without timed input". Here's a full list of the options, with explanations of exactly what they mean. Gameplay Adjustable Difficulty: Players can adjust gameplay difficulty. Save Anytime: Players can save gameplay using both automatic and manual saves. Saving can be performed at any point in the game. Visual Adjustable Text Size: Players can adjust text size. (In-game text, menu text, character dialog text, subtitle text) Subtitle Options: Players have options to customize the display of subtitles for all spoken content and essential audio information. Color Alternatives: Gameplay doesn't rely on colors to communicate important information, or players have an option to adjust colors used for distinguishing information. Camera Comfort: Players have an option to adjust or disable uncomfortable camera movement such as screen shaking, camera bob, or motion blur, or the game doesn't feature these effects. Audio Custom Volume Controls: Players can adjust the volume of the audio. Different types of audio can be muted independently from each other. Narrated Game Menus: Players can listen to game menus with narrated audio. Stereo Sound: Players can identify how far to the left or right sounds are coming from. Surround Sound: Players can identify how far in any direction sounds are coming from. Input Keyboard Only Option: Players can play the game with just a keyboard and no other additional input mechanisms such as a mouse or controller. Mouse Only Option: Players can play the game with just a mouse and no other additional input mechanisms such as a keyboard or controller. Touch Only Option: Players can play the game with just touch controls and no other additional input mechanisms such as a mouse, keyboard or controller. Playable without Timed Input: Players have an option to adjust gameplay to not require precisely timed button presses ("quick time events") or gameplay does not require such button presses. Text-to-speech: Text chat can be narrated out loud in real time. Speech-to-text communications: Voice chat can be read as a text transcript in real time. Baldur's Gate 3 romance: Who to pursueBaldur's Gate 3 multiplayer: How co-op worksBaldur's Gate 3 endings: For better or worseBaldur's Gate 3 multiclass builds: Coolest combosBest RPGs: The greatest you can play now
CNET
4 hours ago
- CNET
We Love This Razer Basilisk V3 Gaming Mouse, and It's Now a Massive $30 Off
If you're into gaming, you know the right gear could save you valuable seconds that might make the difference between winning and losing. However, gaming accessories such as headsets, keyboards or a mouse can add up. The right deal can help you save on gaming items so you can enjoy your favorite hobby while saving your hard-earned dollars. Right now, we've spotted the Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for just $40 at Amazon, saving you $30 over its typical asking price of $70. Best Buy also matches this deal, giving you an extra option for where to find these savings. Though there's no set deadline on this deal, this is a great offer ahead of Prime Day and could likely go fast, so acting quickly can help you get your hands on this gaming mouse. The Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse has an ergonomic design that allows you to rest your thumb while playing comfortably. Its 11 buttons are also placed in strategic parts of the mouse and can be programmed with your preferred shortcuts. The Basilisk V3 can support up to 16.8 million colors and can react with up to 150 Chroma-integrated games for better ambiance while you play. It includes a 26K DPI optical sensor for more precise clicking. Plus, this gaming mouse has a tilt wheel for smoother scrolling. Looking for a new gaming mouse and aren't sure if this deal is for you? Check out our list of the best gaming mouse deals so you can compare before you shop. Why this deal matters The Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse is ergonomic, customizable and usually costs $70. However, this deal at both Amazon and Best Buy saves you $30 for a limited time, allowing you save approximately 43% for a limited time. That makes now a great time to grab this deal if you're looking for a new gaming mouse.
