The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch June 5th in Australia with pre-orders open now

During an extensive Nintendo Direct stream overnight, Nintendo has finally revealed more features, as well as a launch date for the Nintendo Switch 2 which was first announced back in January. 

For starters, the console will launch on June 5th, with pricing starting at $699 AUD. 

In terms of hardware, the Switch 2 spec sheet offers a number of upgrades over the original, though notably Nintendo has decided to go for an LCD display, despite an OLED version of the original Switch being available. 

A large upgrade (pun intended) is the jump to a 7.9-inch 1080p LCD display which will support HDR10 and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) up to 120Hz refresh, as well as outputting 4K through the dock with compatible games. 

The Switch 2 is larger than the original, and includes a stand on the rear for free-standing play. Nintendo have also added a second USB-C port to the top of the Switch 2, letting them charge the console while playing in tabletop mode. 

The joycons have been overhauled, they’re larger which will please those of us with larger hands, and they now attach/detach from/to  the Switch 2 with a new magnetic attachment system – and Nintendo have also introduced a new mouse mode that will be supported in a number of new, and existing games including Super Mario Party Jamboree which will receive support through an update.

Nintendo says the Switch 2 will include 256GB of on-board storage – a massive update from the 32GB on the original Switch – and you can store even more using microSD Express cards which offer faster transfer speeds.

Nintendo is also changing their game cartridges, with a new Red cartridge colour – though they appear to be the same size and shape as the originals. 

Audio has been improved with clearer audio in both handheld mode, and when docked. This includes 3D spatial sound for a more immersive experience. 

Nintendo has also worked on voice chat functions, with a built-in microphone able to offer excellent noise cancellation, letting you chat with friends even while the tablet is across the room in the dock.

Game Chat will be launched from the JoyCon, with the new ‘C’ button below the home button launching into the chat session. The game chat will be bolstered by a new Camera accessory which will add visuals to the new chat system. 

Unfortunately it looks like Nintendo will keep the new voice chat features hidden behind a paywall, though they will be offering a trial period so you can test it out. 

The actual chat looks fantastic, with group play and chat looking seamless, and offering screen share functions to show where you’re at in-game.

Nintendo has shown off a number of new games, as well as existing games that will support Switch 2 features with updates. 

At launch, Nintendo intends to release the Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour game,  which will show off the new features including the JoyCon Mouse Mode and more similar to the Astro’s Playroom game that came with the PS5. Unlike Astro’s Playroom on the PS5 which brilliantly showed off the PS5s features in a free game, Nintendo will charge for the Welcome Tour – so be warned. 

There’s a bunch of games confirmed for the Switch 2 from both Nintendo and third parties, with games starring popular characters including Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders alongside Street Fighter 6, Split Fiction, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and more. 

There’s also good news for GameCube fans, with Nintendo announcing their Switch Online library of classic games will be renamed Nintendo Classics, and will be expanding to include a collection of titles from Nintendo GameCube – yes!

Availability and pricing

You can pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2 from today with prices starting at $699.95 for the base console, or $769.95 with Mario Kart World.You can also find a full range of accessories including Joy-Cons and the camera as well.