Nintendo Switch 2 adds social features and prestige games
Switch 2 launches on June 5 for $450, closer to the price of an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 than to the first-gen Switch.
Nintendo
• less than 3 min read
Nintendo shared the scoop on its second-generation Switch yesterday, and notoriously hard-to-please gamers are actually excited about almost everything except the price tag.
Switch 2 launches on June 5 for $450, closer to the price of an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 than to the first-gen Switch (released in 2017 for $300). The new device’s launch buddy, an open-world Mario Kart exclusive to Switch 2, will bundle for $500 or will retail solo for $80.
Gamers are jokingly planning their ice soup budgets, and Nintendo is counting on its highly-anticipated new console to boost profits, which have been declining for more than a year.
Bells and whistles include: Eight times as much storage as the first Switch, backwards compatibility, and magnetic controllers that can each double as a computer mouse for certain games. Also:
- A new Discord/Zoom-like chat feature lets online subscribers live-chirp each other via a built-in mic and add-on camera accessory.
- A group of four people can play one person’s Switch 2 game on all of their devices through a new local multiplayer feature.
- Third-party big-hitters like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL and EA Sports FC are coming to Switch 2.
No scalpers allowed: Preorders open in the US next week, but Nintendo said it’s prioritizing online subscribers with 50+ hours of gameplay.
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