A Nintendo Switch 2 is docked with a TV behind it.
Nintendo
Nintendo A new, long-awaited Switch 2 hybrid will be available this year, it said Thursday, touting a larger screen and bigger controllers, as the company looks to breathe new life into its struggling hardware business.
The company showed off the Switch 2 in a video. The beginning of the clip features a current version of the console before the two “joy-con” controllers separate to expand the size of the tablet they are connected to. The video then shows the joy negatives growing in size and changing to a matte black colour.
The joysticks and controller covers come in light blue and red. The Joy con covers appear to be able to connect to the controllers magnetically when removed from the Switch 2's main tablet when the controller is supported on its stand or docked for play via a home TV.
The Switch 2 also features an improved U-shaped kickstand that can be positioned further back, to the point where the controller's position is almost flat on the surface. The appearance of the device is similar to prototypes that were leaked online in the lead-up to the official Switch 2 announcement.
Nintendo hasn't set 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 backward compatible, which means users will be able to play old Switch games on the new model.
Nintendo hopes the Switch 2 will help boost console sales. The current generation Switch was released in March 2017 and is now nearly eight years old. Most console makers tend to wait around six to seven years before replacing them with a new model.
Nintendo posted net profits of 27.7 billion yen ($178.2 million) in the September quarter, down about 69% year over year. The company's revenues fell 17% year-on-year to 276.7 billion yen.
