Nintendo Switch 2 Event Reveals Seven Big Announcements

Announcements for new video game hardware can sometimes feel predictable. With every new console generation, we almost always see familiar upgrades: enhanced graphics, quicker load times, and fresh entries in beloved franchises starring plumbers and turtles.

Nintendo, while continuing its legacy of innovation across generations—from the N64 analog stick, the GameCube's small discs, the Wii's motion controls and Virtual Console, the Wii U's tablet screen, to the built-in portability of the Switch—has naturally rolled out these expected improvements with the Switch 2.

But true to form, Nintendo managed to drop some real surprises during the Switch 2 Direct presentation.

It's 2025 and we finally get online play.

I've been a Nintendo fan for a long time—so long, in fact, that when I was four years old in 1983, my babysitter would roll footballs at me like Donkey Kong barrels, and I'd leap over them making the sound effects. So, I say this as a dedicated, longtime fan: it's impossible to discuss this exciting news without a hint of loving frustration.

As we all know, Nintendo hasn't been the best when it comes to online multiplayer. Apart from a few exceptions like Satellaview and Metroid Prime: Hunters, Nintendo has only scratched the surface of what's possible with a unified online platform, such as those offered by Sony and Xbox. Connecting and chatting with friends has never been as seamless on a Nintendo console, as even the Switch needed a separate app for voice chat.

Surprisingly, that seems to be changing now. During the Direct, Nintendo introduced GameChat, and it looks… genuinely impressive! It's a four-person chat system featuring noise suppression, video camera support to see your friends, and screen sharing across consoles—letting you monitor up to four different screens at once. According to the Switch 2 accessibility page, GameChat also offers text-to-speech and speech-to-text options, giving players multiple ways to interact.

We haven't yet seen if there's a unified matchmaking interface to go with it. Still, this is a huge leap forward, and I'm hopeful it spells the end of those cumbersome friend codes for good.

Miyazaki is bringing new blood exclusively to Nintendo

When the first frames of the trailer played, I thought I was watching Bloodborne 2. The mood, character designs, and settings all had that unmistakable FROM Software aesthetic. Thanks to Eric Van Allen at IGN, I now know I was looking at The Duskbloods, a multiplayer PvPvE game directed by the softly smiling master of video game masochism, Hidetaka Miyazaki.

I have no idea how this man found time to direct a Nintendo-exclusive title. I'm beginning to think he never leaves his office or sleeps, like one of his own tormented, hollowed characters fading away in a gothic prison spire. But I'm not complaining. FROM Software rarely misses, so I'm eagerly anticipating another fantastic experience.

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

Speaking of people who could use a break, it appears Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has moved on from Smash to develop a new Kirby game. That was unexpected. Someone get that man some rest!

To be blunt, the original Kirby's Air Ride was a visually charming but aggressively dull Kirby racing game for the GameCube. However, Sakurai has never hidden his deep love for Nintendo's round, pink elder deity, and it's almost guaranteed that a Kirby title under his guidance will be far more polished and enjoyable.

Control issues

It was almost mentioned in passing, but the Pro Controller 2 really seems to live up to its name this time. Nintendo announced it now includes an audio jack—another feature that feels about a decade overdue. More importantly, they've included two extra mappable buttons. As someone who loves customizable controls, this small but significant upgrade genuinely delighted me.

No Mario?!

This one truly caught me off guard. As far as I can tell, many of Nintendo's Mario developers have been holed up for years working on his next 3D adventure, which I expected would be the major summer release for the Switch. I was completely wrong. It turns out the Odyssey team is actually behind Donkey Kong Bananza, an engaging new 3D platformer focusing on destructible environments. Once again, Nintendo is defying expectations, trusting that dedicated fans will flock to Donkey Kong's biggest release in years while saving Mario for later.

The Switch 2 will also launch with strong third-party support and Mario Kart World. While World looks like a system-seller, I assumed it would be positioned as a family-friendly holiday title. Usually, Nintendo leans on Mario, Zelda, or both to attract its core audience in a console's first year. But Nintendo, confident from Mario Kart 8's record-breaking sales, is betting that its most popular party game, alongside Bananza, will drive enough Switch 2 sales for a successful launch.

Forza Horizon x Nintendo was not on my bingo card

Open-world Mario Kart is here, for better or worse. I'm leaning toward better, as the series' quirky physics, unusual vehicles, and combat mechanics seem perfectly suited for navigating a sprawling world, battling friends, and causing delightful chaos. The brief glimpse we saw suggests a seamless, connected world similar to Bowser's Fury, but on a much larger scale with support for numerous drivers.

It’s very expensive

The Switch 2 comes with a steep price tag. I understand that costs are rising across the board due to tariffs, fluctuations in the yen, and inflation in the US. Still, $449.99 is a significant amount by any measure, making the Switch 2 Nintendo's most expensive console launch in over 40 years of US sales. In fact, it's $150 more than its predecessor's launch price and $100 above the next priciest console, the Wii U. Historically, Nintendo's most successful consoles and handhelds have benefited from lower price points as a key advantage. This time, the Switch 2 aims to succeed without that perk.