Nintendo announces Switch 2 console with big screen and controllers

Nintendo on Thursday said its long-awaited new Switch 2 hybrid will be available this year, touting a bigger screen and controllers as the company looks to breathe new life into its struggling hardware business.

The company showed off the Switch 2 in a video trailer. The start of the clip shows the current version of the console before the two joy-con controllers are detached to increase the size of the tablet they attach to. The video then shows the joy cons increasing in size and changing to a matte black color.

Joystick and controller covers are light blue and red. The Joy Con covers appear to be able to attach to the controllers magnetically when removed from the Switch 2’s main tablet, when propped up on a stand, or plugged in to play through a home TV.

The Switch 2 also features an improved kickstand that is U-shaped and can be placed further back, to the point where the console is almost flat on the surface. The appearance of the device is similar to mockups leaked online ahead of the official Switch 2 announcement.

Nintendo hasn’t announced a release date for the Switch 2, but said it will reveal more details during its next online “Nintendo Direct” event on April 2. The company revealed that the Switch 2 is backwards compatible, meaning users will be able to play older Switch games on the new model.

Nintendo is hoping that the Switch 2 will help boost console sales. The current generation Switch was released back in March 2017 and has now been around for almost eight years. Most console manufacturers wait about six to seven years before replacing them with a new model.

Nintendo posted net income of 27.7 billion Japanese yen ($178.2 million) in the September quarter, down 69% from last year. The company’s revenue fell 17% year-on-year to 276.7 billion Japanese yen.