The next mainline video game console from Japanese conglomerate Nintendo was revealed at 9:20am EST on April 2nd, the Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 is, as the name implies, the second version of the Nintendo Switch, which was released in 2017. The Switch became one of the best-selling video game consoles of all time, and over its several-year lifespan, had several massive console-exclusive games like The Legend of Zelda, Breath Of The Wild, Super Mario, Odyssey, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The Nintendo Direct which focused on the Switch 2 revealed several key features of the new console, including its larger screen, redesigned JoyCon Controller, and hugely improved performance over its predecessor (the Switch 2, for example, will be releasing with Elden Ring, a game designed for the PlayStation 5). 

The new design and logo for the Nintendo Switch 2. (via Nintendo)

The Switch 2 features several performance improvements over its predecessor. The most notable example is that Switch 2 (in its charging dock and connected to televisions) can support and play games up to 4k Resolution and 60 frames per second. This is a massive improvement over the performance of the Switch 1, which, while docked, could often only support HD Resolution at 60 frames per second (though in some third-party games, it would often drop to 30 or 24 FPS). The Switch 2 also has a slightly larger LCD Screen, which now supports HD Quality universally (the original Switch only supported up to 720p Quality with its premium OLED Model). It also has unique redesigned JoyCon controllers, which are now able to snap to the side of the Switch 2 via magnets and be used like a traditional computer mouse by placing it face down on a flat surface. 

These improvements have also been shown via the massive number of third-party titles that will be coming to the Switch 2 on or near launch day. Traditionally, Nintendo consoles have been released with a handful of select console-exclusive titles, like Wii Sports Resort for the Nintendo Wii and Super Mario Odyssey for the original Switch. However, Switch 2 features several third-party titles on launch day, including games like Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4, Duskbloods (a FromSoftware console exclusive), Hollow Knight: Silksong, and many others. The Switch 2 will also be released with Mario Kart World, a semi-open world entry in the Mario Kart series.