Nintendo Switch 2: What to Know About Pricing, Games and More

Nintendo’s Switch 2, the Mario-and-Zelda company’s first new gaming console in eight years, will be released worldwide on Thursday.

How is it different? Have tariffs affected prices? What are its big games? And does it play Fortnite? Here is what we know right now:

What makes the Switch 2 different?

At a glance, the Switch 2 looks like its popular predecessor, which has sold more than 152 million units. And its sales pitch is similar: a system that has both a built-in screen and a TV dock so that players can “switch” between hand-held and couch gaming.

The biggest differentiator is underneath the hood, where more powerful chips support modern computing techniques like ray tracing (for more realistic lighting) and upscaling (draw fewer pixels, and then algorithmically fill in the rest). The larger built-in screen is rated for a crisper 1080p resolution, and the dock can reach up to 4K on compatible TVs.

The detachable Joy-Con controllers return with tweaks in size and functionality. A built-in optical sensor makes the controller act like a computer mouse when placed on a table or a lap, ideal for aiming weapons in popular games like Fortnite and Metroid.

Can I actually get my hands on one?

Expect long lines outside stores.

Demand is always greater than the supply of new video game consoles, as seen by Nintendo’s wildly popular Wii and Switch launches. So it is no surprise that the stock of Switch 2s seems to be low, thanks to near-instantaneous preorder sellouts in April. Fans of Nintendo franchises are flocking to the new console, which will be the exclusive “next-generation” home of major series like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Pokémon and Animal Crossing.