Nintendo’s Switch 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor of eight years past as the video game developer pushes to bring its brand into “a new era” where social experiences are at the forefront.

After an agonizing three-month wait, Nintendo finally revealed more details on the Switch 2 during a Direct presentation on the morning of April 2nd. While Nintendo told us very little in the official reveal of the console in January, now we know when the Switch 2 is coming and how much it will cost at launch: June 5th and $449.99.

Nintendo said it will launch its Switch 2 gaming device on June 5, with the long-anticipated successor to its hit hybrid home-portable Switch retailing for $449.99.

We played hours of Nintendo Switch 2 games the same day President Trump announced new global tariffs. Despite the hefty price tag, it's a solid evolution of one of the world's most popular consoles.

But if you’re looking to buy a Switch 2 for yourself – pre-orders in the US start on April 9th – you’re going to have to pay up. (And, depending on the impact of President Trump’s newly-announced tariffs, the Switch 2 could cost even more .)

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct revealed a lot about the new console, but there are plenty more details out there you might not have heard.

Nintendo's pricey new Switch 2 has been updated to create a product that feels both familiar and improved. WIRED spent some time with it.

I was excited to be among the first journalists to test the Nintendo Switch 2, but questions about its launch titles and price left me unsure about preordering.

Ironically, the Steam Deck is also the Switch 2’s biggest threat. While Nintendo’s new console may have Valve’s beat on screen resolution, refresh rate, and a custom Nvidia processor capable of DLSS and ray tracing, Steam trumps it in value, particularly with game prices.