After many months, if not years, of leaks and hypothesis, it’s lastly official: Nintendo has introduced its subsequent console, and it’s known as Nintendo Change 2. Because the identify implies, it’s a really comparable design to the Change — a hybrid handheld console with removable controllers that may be linked to a TV through a dock.
Whereas it might appear an apparent transfer, this iterative handheld is an uncommon technique for Nintendo, which has usually chosen to innovate with its new {hardware}, discovering new management techniques and new types of play. However, with 146 million items bought after almost eight years available on the market, the Change is Nintendo’s second most profitable gaming system ever (after the Nintendo DS), and the third-bestselling console of all time. So maybe it’s not stunning that the corporate determined, for as soon as, that its earlier console design wasn’t damaged and didn’t want fixing. Additionally, Nintendo Change 2 launches right into a modified market the place gamers have come to anticipate that they are going to be capable of carry their recreation libraries ahead from one machine to a different, which precluded a radical change.
Nonetheless, after Nintendo’s fairly minimal announcement video, many questions stay. Nintendo targeted on the brand new {hardware} and solely confirmed one new recreation, a brand new Mario Kart. It additionally avoided saying a agency launch date or worth for the Change 2. And never all the rumored options of the brand new system have been addressed by Nintendo’s video. Right here’s every thing we all know — and every thing we predict we all know — about Nintendo’s subsequent console.
What’s the newest Change 2 information?
Nintendo has prompt that some Change 1 video games shall be getting enhanced variations for Change 2 — or at the very least, variations that run natively on the Change 2 console quite than by means of the backward compatibility layer. A footnote to an article in regards to the new Digital Recreation Card system made point out of “Nintendo Change 2 Version video games” as distinct from Change 2 exclusives. (It additionally appeared to verify that the Change 2 can even use the brand new Digital Recreation Playing cards.) Learn our full report.
Moreover, as noticed by VGC, a picture of the Change 2 included in promotional supplies for the brand new Nintendo At the moment app confirmed the brand new, additional button on the best Pleasure-Con clearly labelled with a C. The mysterious “C button” has been the topic of a lot hypothesis because it appeared in leaks — and the thriller round it solely deepened when, within the Change 2 announcement video, it was clean and unlabeled. Now the C is formally again. However we nonetheless don’t know what it stands for.
What’s Change 2’s launch date?
In its announcement video, Nintendo confirmed it could launch the Change 2 in 2025, however avoided giving a extra exact launch date than that. At this stage, all we all know for certain is that we’ll be enjoying Change 2 earlier than the yr is up. Nonetheless, there have been robust indications that the wait received’t be too lengthy.
Final yr, Nikkei reported that Nintendo was concentrating on March 2025 in an effort to keep away from {hardware} shortages and guarantee a powerful lineup of video games — however famous {that a} slip past March was doable. The previous is clearly not taking place, however a launch inside the subsequent spring or summer season months appears believable. Nintendo unveiled the Change in October 2016, debuted it to press and gamers in January 2017, and launched it in March 2017. If the corporate follows the identical timeline this time round — which, given the early April timing of the Change 2 Nintendo Direct and the Change 2 Expertise occasions rolling out all spring lengthy, it appears to be — we’re seemingly a June 2025 launch.
What’s Change 2’s worth?
Except for the video games lineup, that is the largest unanswered query now we have in regards to the Change 2. Nintendo revealed nothing about pricing in its announcement video. However the chances are it is going to be costlier than the Change.
The Change launched at $299 in 2017, and its official sticker worth hasn’t dropped a single cent since. That is in step with the altering tendencies in pricing. As a consequence of chip shortages, inflation, and the slowing tempo of advances in tech, this technology of consoles has not come down in worth the best way earlier generations did.
On this setting, Nintendo should work out methods to package deal extra superior tech whereas retaining the value cheap. The Change 2 is unlikely to be priced any decrease than $349, the present price of an OLED Change mannequin. $399 looks like a protected guess — the identical worth as the bottom Steam Deck. Any greater than this and Nintendo will face uncomfortable comparisons to the brand new wave of PC handhelds (a Steam Deck OLED is $549; an Asus ROG Ally is $499) and danger pricing itself out of its conventional household market.
There’s additionally the query of whether or not the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on China in early February may affect the value of the Change 2. On this rating, it appears we is likely to be in luck. Nintendo started manufacturing the Change in Vietnam in the course of the final Trump administration commerce warfare with China, in 2019, and has plans to ramp up manufacturing at a brand new manufacturing facility there. Nintendo may keep away from the tariffs through the use of its Vietnamese manufacturing services to provide Change 2 items to the U.S.
What video games will Change 2 have?
Nintendo selected to not verify any video games alongside the brand new console in its announcement video, though it did present a glimpse of what seems to be a brand new Mario Kart. So we’re nonetheless formally at the hours of darkness on the Change 2’s launch titles and its bigger lineup. Nonetheless, by means of a mixture of leaks and knowledgeable hypothesis, we will make some good guesses.
Regardless of intensive leaks in regards to the console itself, Nintendo has by some means managed to keep away from any of its personal video games leaking. However figuring out what we do about inner growth at Nintendo, we will make a couple of knowledgeable guesses:
- Mario Kart 9: This will not be what it’s known as, however Nintendo confirmed a glimpse of what seems to be a brand new Mario Kart within the video. It appears acquainted, however the setting proven is new to the collection — and maybe appears like an open world? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Change’s best-selling recreation, with an astonishing 64 million copies bought, so a brand new Mario Kart would be the good solution to kick the Change 2 period off with a bang.
- A brand new 3D Tremendous Mario recreation: There hasn’t been an entry on this collection since 2017’s Tremendous Mario Odyssey, so the time appears ripe for a follow-up within the Change 2’s launch yr.
- Metroid Prime 4: Past: One among Nintendo’s ultimate main in-house productions for the Change, slated for a 2025 launch, appears like an ideal candidate for a cross-generation launch, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which launched on Wii U in addition to Change.
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A: The newest Pokémon title additionally appears like a probable cross-gen title.
As well as, numerous third-party titles have been rumored by leaker Nate the Hate and different sources. These are all latest hits on different platforms, or already-announced multiplatform titles, so whereas they’re all unconfirmed, it wouldn’t be stunning in the event that they got here to Change 2 early in its life.
- Closing Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth
- Murderer’s Creed Mirage and Shadows
- Metallic Gear Strong Delta
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- Halo: The Grasp Chief Assortment
- Purple Useless Redemption 2
Will Change 2 be backward-compatible?
Sure, the Change 2 shall be backward-compatible! Earlier than it even formally introduced the Change 2, Nintendo confirmed that Change software program “can even be playable on the successor to Nintendo Change.” It added that Nintendo Change On-line — the net multiplayer service that additionally contains a big catalog of retro video games — shall be accessible on the Change 2, too. With many customers hoping — or outright anticipating — to hold ahead their recreation libraries to Nintendo’s subsequent console, as has change into the norm with the newest generations of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, the information comes as an enormous aid.
Within the video, Nintendo underlined that the Change 2 will play its personal unique video games and each bodily and digital Nintendo Change video games, however it did warn that “sure Nintendo Change video games will not be supported on or absolutely appropriate with Nintendo Change 2.” It stated it could share particulars on its web site at a later date.
Whereas Nintendo has but to specify precisely how backward compatibility will work, it did say that Nintendo Accounts will carry over to the brand new console, and that gamers would have entry to Nintendo Change software program they presently personal. Following Nintendo’s announcement of the brand new Digital Recreation Card system, it now seems that the Change 2 will help swapping Change video games with unique Change utilizing this technique. Point out was additionally product of “Nintendo Change 2 Version video games,” suggesting some Change video games might get native, probably enhanced variations for the Change 2.
Nintendo didn’t point out {hardware} backward compatibility. Nonetheless, earlier stories, sourced from peripheral producers, recommend that the Change 2 shall be backward-compatible with some Change equipment, together with the Professional Controller and Pleasure-Cons.
What new options does Change 2 have?
As beforehand reported and now confirmed by Nintendo’s video, the Change 2 options removable Pleasure-Con controllers just like the Change. Experiences and patents say that the Pleasure-Cons connect magnetically; the video didn’t precisely verify this, however it did recommend it. It has been reported that the Pleasure-Cons even have extra dependable Corridor-effect sticks, however this isn’t confirmed by the video.
There’s a brand new sq. button on the best Pleasure-Con, however we don’t know the usage of this but. The Pleasure-Cons additionally function a small optical sensor on their internal edge. A Nintendo patent seems to verify it will permit for mouse-like controls, and the video did appear to recommend this with a sequence displaying the Pleasure-Cons sliding round on their aspect in further foot-like attachments.
The console encompasses a second USB-C port on its high, just like the one on its decrease edge for charging and connecting to its dock. It will permit it to be charged whereas it’s being utilized in tabletop mode, propped up on its new, U-shaped stand. But it surely may probably be used to attach new equipment, like a digicam or perhaps a second display.
Change 2 is greater than its predecessor; Nintendo didn’t give dimensions, however an 8-inch display has been reported, and that’s in step with the video. (The unique Change’s display is 6.2 inches and the Change OLED mannequin’s is 7 inches.)
How highly effective will Change 2 be? What are its tech specs?
Nintendo has but to announce any tech specs for the Change 2. Based mostly on reporting and leaks, it appears to be a succesful gadget — someplace between a “last-gen” PlayStation 4 or Xbox One and the present Xbox Sequence S. The system’s graphics processing unit is reportedly paired with customized, AI-powered Nvidia upscaling that ought to deliver it surprisingly near the efficiency of current-gen consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Sequence X. In brief, it ought to be capable of run many current-generation AAA video games if they’re fastidiously ported over.
Leaks seen by The Verge and shared on-line recommend that the Change 2 could also be extra highly effective when docked. The dock seems to have fan vents and the next energy ranking than the undocked console, whereas the graphics processor can allegedly run at almost twice the clock velocity when docked. Together with the upscaler, this would possibly make 4K visuals when hooked as much as a TV doable.
In line with Eurogamer’s and VGC’s reporting on the behind-closed-doors Gamescom demos in August 2024, Nintendo confirmed {hardware} concentrating on the specs of the console working The Matrix Awakens’ Unreal Engine 5 tech demo with ray tracing enabled and “visuals corresponding to Sony’s and Microsoft’s current-gen consoles.” Reporting by Reuters and Digital Foundry suggests the console will use a customized Nvidia chip that shall be able to each ray tracing and DLSS.
Customs and delivery information analyzed by followers appears to point that the Change 2 will function appreciable upgrades in each RAM (from 4 GB to 12 GB) and inner storage (from 32 GB to 256 GB). In line with an FCC submitting, Wi-Fi shall be upgraded to the Wi-Fi 6 normal (from Wi-Fi 5 within the unique Change).
The Change 2 will function one tech downgrade, nonetheless: The console will reportedly function an LCD display, in contrast to the OLED display seen within the present top-of-the-range Change mannequin, as a cost-cutting measure.
Are you able to pre-order Change 2?
No, you’ll be able to’t pre-order the Change 2 but! However chances are you’ll properly be capable of in April. Pre-orders for the unique Change opened when Nintendo made a full presentation of the console and its video games to the press and public in January 2017 — simply two months earlier than launch. If it’s following the identical playbook, pre-orders might open alongside the Nintendo Direct on April 2.
When will Nintendo reveal extra about Change 2?
Nintendo has scheduled a Nintendo Direct all in regards to the Change 2 for April 2. That is after we’ll most likely study every thing we wish to know in regards to the machine: launch video games, worth, launch date, and extra about its options.
Nintendo can even maintain Nintendo Change 2 Expertise occasions all over the world all through April, the place members of the general public will be capable of go hands-on with the machine. These occasions will happen cities round North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Polygon will proceed to replace this story as new particulars develop.