Nintendo Switch 2 launches in June with the new 'Mario Kart World' game

Nintendo launched the Switch 2 on Wednesday, promising a roster of titles this year including the Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and Kirby brands.

Nintendo disclosed actual facts about the Switch 2 for the first time on Wednesday, including technical specifications. In January, the firm disclosed just the design of the Switch 2 and its compatibility with previous-generation titles. The Switch 2 will be released on June 5 for $449.99, a substantial increase over the $300 pricing of the first-generation console.

Central to its updated system is a new "C" button on its Joy-Con controller, which will launch a new "GameChat" feature that allows you to "communicate with friends and family while playing a game" and lets you share your game screen with other players. A built-in microphone also allows you to communicate with other gamers. To use the "GameChat" function, you must have a Nintendo Switch online membership.

"When you think about some of the biggest titles on (the Nintendo Switch), it's like Mario Kart, Super Mario Jamboree, even though that's quite a new title, has cracked the top 10 of most play games on the console. So, it does make a lot of sense that the sort of headline feature is geared primarily towards that sort of use," said Hannah Cowton-Barnes, a London-based video game industry expert for Tech Advisor.

Along with a larger screen spanning 7.9 inches long and greater quality, the Switch 2 will be able to run games at 120 frames per second for smoother gaming. It will contain 256 GB of internal storage and mouse controls.

Mario Kart area will support up to 24 people and allow drivers to wander off-track in an expansive area. Donkey Kong Bananza marks the franchise's first new 3-D game since the 1999 platformer Donkey Kong 64. Kirby Air Riders is a sequel to Masahiro Sakurai's cult GameCube success, the Smash Bros. series.

Mario Kart World will be available on June 5, Donkey Kong Bananza on July 17, and Kirby Air Riders later this year.

However, the business also spent a significant chunk of its presentation on non-Nintendo games, which is important because Nintendo is historically best recognized for its own unique products, and doing so may help the firm attract new audiences.

Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Hogwarts Legacy, and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and 4 are some examples of such games.

The Switch 2 is the sequel to the world's third-best gaming console of all time. According to Nintendo's website, the Switch has sold around 150 million copies, trailing only the portable DS device, which sold 154 million units in 2004.  Sony claims to have sold 160 million PlayStation 2 consoles since its introduction in 2000.

Historically, Nintendo has struggled to replicate its success. For example, Nintendo only sold about 13 million Wii U devices after its November 2012 release, a fraction of the approximately 101 million Wii consoles sold in the previous generation. In addition, the 3DS, a 3D version of the company's DS handheld device, sold nearly half as many copies as the original, which is still Nintendo's best-seller.

On Wednesday, Nintendo also launched Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a hack-and-slash spinoff game set in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom setting. Eon Productions announced plans to create a new game in the James Bond world.

Nintendo has collaborated with Universal Studios to develop theme parks throughout the world and produce blockbusters such as "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." The business has announced that their version of the Legend of Zelda franchise will release in March 2027.