Nintendo’s Big Power Up

Henry Pittorino

Staff Writer

After 8 years, the public has finally received confirmation on the successor of the Nintendo Switch. Following the monstrously successful commercial performance of the Nintendo Switch from 2017, in January of this year, the Japanese gaming juggernaut teased their next video game system: the Nintendo Switch 2. Although new information was sparse, the announcement of the Nintendo Switch followed several high-profile leaks from third-party sources. Consumers would learn more about the Nintendo Switch 2 that Spring.

On April 2nd, 2025, Nintendo live streamed a Nintendo Direct presentation formally announcing the Nintendo Switch 2. All eyes were on Nintendo to leave a strong first impression, considering the follow up to the similarly sensational Nintendo Wii failed to leave the same impression. Nintendo discussed new titles from Mario Kart World,  Donkey Kong Bananza, and dozens of partner offerings.

Titles that could not run on the original Nintendo Switch, such as Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Street Fighter 6, were able to run on the Nintendo Switch 2 with far less compromise than what the public was used to. This is possible because the Nintendo Switch 2 is substantially more powerful than its predecessor and is on par with the competition.

Now, games will look and play better than ever before. Including the addition of voice chat, enhancements to previously released titles, and unique mouse capabilities with the Joy-Con 2, it seemed as if the Nintendo Switch 2 was everything consumers could want. However, one aspect of the system was never discussed in the Nintendo Direct: pricing.

Soon after the Nintendo Direct concluded, fans would find out about the pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2, games, and accessories. The main system would have an MSRP of 449.99 USD, with a system bundle with Mario Kart World costing 499.99 USD with limited inventory. Most games would cost 69.99 USD with Mario Kart World costing 79.99 USD. The news was incredibly polarizing. There was heavy backlash following the price unveiling, with many believing Nintendo wanted to hide pricing information to avoid immediate backlash. And, as Nintendo seemingly feared, the near universal excitement of the Nintendo Switch 2 became a divided upset for both passionate fans and consumers. Despite the upset, once preorders opened worldwide for the Nintendo Switch 2, demand swiftly outmatched supply.

As soon as preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 opened, the system sold out near-instantly. In Japan, Nintendo’s home country, the lottery system in place to distribution and availability was inefficient for the onslaught of preorders placed. Likewise, western regions from Europe to North America had incredibly limited inventory. While stock problems are not uncommon for newer gaming hardware, the limited stock did not aid the pre-existing distaste for the Nintendo Switch 2. 

Although the Nintendo Switch 2 is over a month away from release, the amount of discussion surrounding the hardware is fascinating. Now, all that is left is to see if and how the Nintendo Switch 2 can outdo the original.