Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2: Release Date Rumors, Everything We Know So Far

Nintendo is about to tell us a whole lot more about the Nintendo Switch sequel on April 2. Here’s what we know and what we’re still guessing.

Mario’s getting a makeover, and it’s imminent. The 8-year-old Nintendo Switch is about to get a sequel, and we’ll know a lot more on April 2. Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 via a several-minute-long YouTube trailer earlier this year that showed off the new console’s contours and a single Mario Kart game but little else. But we’ll know a ton more in a Nintendo Direct video that’s expected to be an hour long, tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET. You can follow CNET’s announcement live blog for the news and commentary, starting now.

We also know Nintendo will be showcasing the Switch 2 soon in hands-on gameplay as part of a world tour that was extremely hard to win free tickets to. If you missed the tour, there’ll be a Nintendo video series on April 3 to 4 that will show deeper dives into Switch 2 gameplay. What we don’t know yet is price or release date. It could go on sale sometime around when Nintendo’s next Super Nintendo World theme park opens at Universal Studios Florida this May or June, but we probably won’t know that until April 2. The latest reports, however, point to a June release.

The countdown is underway, and these are the knowns and the unknowns so far. The Switch 2 was rumored for a long time, and its reality closely matches previous leaks. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be surprises. In fact, we’re counting on them.

A familiar formula

Signs point to a big jump in gaming power — don’t expect something on the order of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, but you should expect a console that can finally play higher-end games at higher resolutions, and has improved controllers too. That’s okay with me. And, according to a recent CNET survey, it’s more than okay with most people who responded. The Switch 2’s propositions sound like they’re already appealing to a lot of people, even if it seems iterative. That’s also because it’s been a very long time since the Switch has gotten a true hardware successor.

Recent reactions online initially seemed a little disappointed in the Switch 2 perhaps not being a hardware powerhouse, but keep in mind the relative landscape and Nintendo itself. Handheld game systems have to split differences in performance and power efficiency in ways that plugged-in megaconsoles don’t: Consider Valve’s Steam Deck as a template.

It’s also worth remembering that Nintendo likes to keep its hardware affordable. Plenty of Nintendo consoles made magic with older graphics chipsets. As far as my expectations for Switch hardware performance, I’d think it would feel as good as or slightly better than what the current Steam Deck can pull off.

Price unknown: will it be $400? Or higher?

Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, told investors that the April 2 Nintendo Direct, and the hands-on experiences afterwards, will be used to determine consumer demand for the system. Pricing is still being considered, with reports suggesting anywhere from $350 to $500. Nintendo’s aim here is affordability, however, so expect something not so incredibly expensive that people won’t have money left over to buy games. Maybe it’s best to be prepared for a price around $499, just in case.

It wouldn’t be any surprise if the new console were at least $400, since the many-year-old Switch debuted at $300. Inflation alone would merit a price uptick of nearly $90. Could it hit $500? Or could Nintendo sell different configs, similar to what Microsoft and Sony are already doing? Reports also suggest higher prices for the games themselves, possibly around $70 for big first-party games.

And yet, the most recent reports seem to be suggesting prices no higher than $400 and possibly even less. Nintendo’s Switch Online subscription price could see an increase instead, based on one report from a purported retailer via Reddit. Maybe higher-priced games and subscriptions would be Nintendo’s way of making up for the lower hardware cost.

Nintendo’s showing it off on tour

Nintendo offered a chance to win free tickets to anyone with a Nintendo Account to attend a hands-on experience of the Switch 2 in a number of world cities, but it was hard for even our colleagues at CNET to win. (There is a waitlist, though.)

New York, April 4 to 6
Los Angeles, April 11 to 13
Dallas, April 25 to 27
Toronto, April 25 to 27
Paris, April 4 to 6
London, April 11 to 13
Milan, April 25 to 27
Berlin, April 25 to 27
Madrid, May 9 to 11
Amsterdam, May 9 to 11
Melbourne, May 10 to 11
Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26 to 27
Seoul, May 31 to June 1
Hong Kong and Taipei, TBA

It’ll be backward compatible with the Switch

No worries: the Switch 2 can play older Nintendo Switch cartridges and digital games. Almost all of them, at least. And upcoming Switch games are already known to play on the original Switch as well: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends Z-A.

Nintendo previously confirmed the Switch 2 would be backward compatible with both Nintendo Switch games and Nintendo Switch Online. Backward compatibility for Nintendo game consoles isn’t new. Many TV-connected Nintendo consoles and handhelds could play games from the immediate last generation before it: the Wii U, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, for instance. But the original Switch made a clean break from the Wii U and 3DS and ran its own software. I’m glad that’s not happening again.

As for the few games Nintendo says may not be compatible? I’m guessing they’re games that needed specific older Switch hardware, like Nintendo Labo or Ring Fit Adventure.

It means you should be perfectly safe treating the next Nintendo console as an upgrade for your existing Switch and its game library. That’s the whole idea.

New games expected: Mario Kart for sure, but also Mario, Xbox Games and more

Nintendo revealed only one game in its most recent trailer: a new Mario Kart game, which appears to have 24 simultaneous players. As for the rest of the lineup, we may not know until April. Still, reports have given us ideas.

Based on the most recent reports, Nintendo’s expected to announce a new 3D Mario game as well, arriving later this year. Super Mario Odyssey, the Switch’s first new 3D Mario game, is already more than 7 years old. Well-regarded leaker Nate the Hate detailed the reports on his YouTube channel.

Reports also point to Xbox games debuting on Switch, with a Halo compilation and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 being the first. Other games may include Final Fantasy VII Remake, Red Dead Redemption II and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Microsoft’s gaming head, Phil Spencer, has already teased games arriving on Nintendo’s next system.

Based on what we think Nintendo’s graphics power on the Switch 2 will be, it’s likely safe to assume a lot of previously unavailable Xbox and PlayStation games might finally be able to make the move sooner than later, including notable Switch no-show Madden.

Staggered release dates for games?

You might have to be patient for your favorite games to hit Switch 2. Past Nintendo history suggests that’s practically a guarantee. A recent report points to a staggered release schedule, where a couple of AAA Nintendo games lead off the first release, while third party games and more Nintendo games follow between here and the holidays. The report says developer kits may not even be available yet.

Regardless, that sounds like what the original Switch’s game release calendar felt like. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out alongside the Switch, but many games slowly became available later on.

Specs and features? Double USB-C for sure

The Switch 2 is definitely bigger than the original Switch and seemingly thicker. It reportedly has an 8-inch screen, up from the 7-inch Switch OLED, and it definitely has USB-C ports on both the top and bottom of the console this time. The handheld will dock just like the Switch, but that extra USB-C port suggests something else: maybe accessories and, who knows, support for secondary displays like glasses.

The Steam Deck, laptops and most phones already support video-out modes that work with display glasses like those made by Xreal and others. It would be a great bonus to have this work on a new Nintendo Switch 2 and could even hint at Nintendo making some glasses-like accessory of its own. That’s speculation on my part, but considering Nintendo had its own cardboard VR kit for the Switch and a remote-controlled AR race car, not impossible.

There’s also a headphone jack again, and a rear handle-shaped kickstand bends all the way back to rest the Switch 2 at a variety of angles for tabletop play, similar to the Switch OLED model.

Joy-Cons updates: Magnetic, more buttons, and also doubling as mice?

The Switch 2’s Joy-Cons are similar-looking but definitely new and bigger. The beefier controllers snap more easily onto the Switch body and external controller adapters, and the Joy-Con side edges look to have an extra set of shoulder buttons. It looks like the triggers are improved, and an extra button below the right Joy-Con stick has appeared too.

We didn’t get hard confirmation, but these controllers look magnetic. One report from game controller manufacturer Mobapad goes into detail on the magnetic system as well as extra buttons on the controllers.

Will that allow for new accessories as well? I’m curious how modular the next Switch successor could be. The current Switch doesn’t have other accessories that slot into the side rails to replace the Joy-Cons, but might there be peripheral surprises with the next version? We’ll see. There’s a stick-out pin connector inside that looks like a new type of interface.

The biggest wildcard is that the new Joy-Cons may have optical sensors that turn them into mice. This was reported earlier, but the teaser trailer shows the Joy-Cons sliding along a table in exactly that type of mouse-like way, and a recent patent filing looks like a pretty strong confirmation.

Graphics should get a big boost to play more current-gen games

Reports going back to 2023 and earlier have pegged the next Switch as having revamped graphics capable of handling current-gen console games that the current Switch can’t. Think of games like Death Stranding or Elden Ring or Madden NFL. The next Nintendo console should still be a combo console with handheld and TV-docking modes, especially since that model is one the rest of the industry is slowly drifting toward (see the Steam Deck and a wave of PC gaming handhelds).

How high-end will the TV docking graphics feel compared with the handheld mode? It’s possible that TV docking could flex 4K gaming, but handheld modes could reduce frame rates and be limited to what’s been reported to be a 1080p LCD screen. That makes sense: The Steam Deck, in comparison, still has only a 1,200×800-pixel resolution display, and it looks just fine for most games.

According to Digital Foundry and others, an Nvidia T239 processor looks to be the likely chip inside the next console. This chipset’s notable features include ray tracing and PlayStation 4-level or better graphics, along with the possibilities of faster load times, added AI capability and the ability to upscale to 4K or downscale as needed for more efficient handheld gaming modes.

More recent reports of what could show leaked internals of the Switch 2 motherboard suggest even more details: 12GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage and an ability to auto-upscale games to higher 4K resolutions on a TV using AI.

Nintendo hasn’t revealed any performance specs yet, but expect a big boost that could make this feel a lot more up to date for current third-party games. And AI upscaling should be a big part of the Switch 2’s feature set.

Expect other surprises

One thing I feel personally confident about, knowing Nintendo, is to expect the unexpected. Nintendo loves a good, weird surprise. No matter how seemingly normal the reported Switch 2 design leaks seem, history says Nintendo will throw curveballs.

This fall already prepped us: We got a surprise Nintendo alarm clock (!) and a streaming Nintendo music service. In the past, who could have predicted Nintendo Labo or Mario Kart Live or, going back further, the Wii’s odd controller design, the Nintendo DS’s dual-screen design or even the Nintendo 3DS’ glasses-free 3D? Whimsy is Nintendo’s calling card.

Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, said as much in an interview with the AP in 2023: «One of the things we look at always is how can we surprise and delight. How can we introduce new, unique ways of playing. That’s always in front of our mind.»

The current-gen Switch had its own surprises baked in, like its infrared camera on one of the Joy-Cons that can measure heart rate and track finger movement. Will the Switch 2 have a new standout feature that’s equally whimsical and surprising? I’d be surprised if it didn’t.

That possible optical sensor on the Switch 2 could be one of the surprises. The optical sensor could turn one of the Joy-Cons into a mouse, similar to what Lenovo’s Legion Go has. It’s a clever idea, but for what exactly?

I’m still even more curious about what extra accessories the Switch 2 could support, either via its extra USB-C port or those new side Joy-Con slots.

We’ll know more April 2

The news is almost here, and we expect a lot. Besides the Direct April 2, through April and May Nintendo will be demoing the Switch 2 at a series of hands-on experiences around the world. I’d expect that Nintendo announces preorder information April 2 at 9am ET and then makes the Switch 2 available to buy before summer breaks kick in. May or June would allow Nintendo to have a head start getting supplies in order for the holidays (hopefully).

Right now, hold off on buying a new Switch, but buying Switch games should be fine. We’ll update with more news when we hear it, but for now consider the Switch 2 a very real and overdue upgrade from the Switches we’ve been playing for years.

Technologies

A New Bill Aims to Ban Both Adult Content Online and VPN Use. Could It Work?

Michigan representatives just proposed a bill to ban many types of internet content, as well as VPNs that could be used to circumvent it. Here’s what we know.

On Sept. 11, Michigan representatives proposed an internet content ban bill unlike any of the others we’ve seen: This particularly far-reaching legislation would ban not only many types of online content, but also the ability to legally use any VPN.

The bill, called the Anticorruption of Public Morals Act and advanced by six Republican representatives, would ban a wide variety of adult content online, ranging from ASMR and adult manga to AI content and any depiction of transgender people. It also seeks to ban all use of VPNs, foreign or US-produced.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

VPNs (virtual private networks) are suites of software often used as workarounds to avoid similar bans that have passed in states like Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as the UK. They can be purchased with subscriptions or downloaded, and are built into some browsers and Wi-Fi routers as well.

But Michigan’s bill would charge internet service providers with detecting and blocking VPN use, as well as banning the sale of VPNs in the state. Associated fines would be up to $500,000.

What the ban could mean for VPNs

Unlike some laws banning access to adult content, this Michigan bill is comprehensive. It applies to all residents of Michigan, adults or children, targets an extensive range of content and includes language that could ban not only VPNs but any method of bypassing internet filters or restrictions.

That could spell trouble for VPN owners and other internet users who leverage these tools to improve their privacy, protect their identities online, prevent ISPs from gathering data about them or increase their device safety when browsing on public Wi-Fi.

Read more: CNET Survey: 47% of Americans Use VPNs for Privacy. That Number Could Rise. Here’s Why

Bills like these could have unintended side effects. John Perrino, senior policy and advocacy expert at the nonprofit Internet Society, mentioned to CNET that adult content laws like this could interfere with what kind of music people can stream, the sexual health forums and articles they can access and even important news involving sexual topics that they may want to read. «Additionally, state age verification laws are difficult for smaller services to comply with, hurting competition and an open internet,» John added.

The Anticorruption of Public Morals Act has not passed the Michigan House of Representatives committee nor been voted on by the Michigan Senate, and it’s not clear how much support the bill currently has beyond the six Republican representatives who have proposed it. As we’ve seen with state legislation in the past, sometimes bills like these can serve as templates for other representatives who may want to propose similar laws in their own states.

Could VPNs still get around bans like these?

That’s a complex question that this bill doesn’t really address. When I asked NordVPN how easy it would be track VPN use, privacy advocate Laura Tyrylyte explained, «From a technical standpoint, ISPs can attempt to distinguish VPN traffic using deep packet inspection, or they can block known VPN IP addresses. However, deploying them effectively requires big investments and ongoing maintenance, making large-scale VPN blocking both costly and complex.»

Also, VPNs have ways around deep packet inspection and other methods. CNET senior editor Moe Long mentioned obfuscation like NordWhisper, a counter to DPI that attempts to make VPN traffic look like normal web traffic so it’s harder to detect.

There are also no-log features offered by many VPNs to guarantee they don’t keep a record of your activity, and no-log audits from third parties like Deloitte that, well, try to guarantee the guarantee. There are even server tricks VPNs can use like RAM-only servers that automatically erase data each time they’re rebooted or shut down.

If you’re seriously concerned about your data privacy, you can look for features like these in a VPN and see if they are right for you. Changes like these, even on the state level, are one reason we pay close attention to how specific VPNs work during our testing, and make sure to recommend the right VPNs for the job, from speedy browsing to privacy while traveling.

Correction, Oct. 9: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated how RAM-only servers work. RAM-only servers run on volatile memory and are wiped of data when they are rebooted or shut down.

Technologies

AWS Outage Explained: Why Half the Internet Went Down While You Were Sleeping

Reddit, Roblox and Ring are just a tiny fraction of the hundreds of sites and services that were impacted when Amazon Web Services went down.

The internet kicked off the week the way that many of us often feel like doing: by refusing to go to work. An outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) rendered huge portions of the internet unavailable on Monday morning, with sites and services including Snapchat, Fortnite, Venmo, the PlayStation Network and, predictably, Amazon, unavailable for a short period of time.

AWS is a cloud services provider owned by Amazon that props up huge portions of the internet. As with the Fastly and Crowdstrike outages over the past few years, the AWS outage shows just how much of the internet relies on the same infrastructure — and how quickly our access to the sites and services we rely on can be revoked when something goes wrong.

Just after midnight PT on October 20, AWS first registered an issue on its service status page, saying it was «investigating increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services in the US-EAST-1 Region.» Around 2 a.m. PT, it said it had identified a potential root cause of the issue, and within half an hour, it had started applying mitigations that were resulting in significant signs of recovery.

«The underlying DNS issue has been fully mitigated, and most AWS Service operations are succeeding normally now,» AWS said at 3.35 a.m. PT. The company didn’t respond to request for further comment beyond pointing us back to the AWS health dashboard.

Around the time that AWS says it first began noticing error rates, Downdetector saw reports begin to spike across many online services, including banks, airlines and phone carriers. As AWS resolved the issue, some of these reports saw a drop off, whereas others have yet to return to normal. (Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Around 4 a.m. PT, Reddit was still down, while services including Verizon and YouTube were still seeing a significant number of reported issues.

Technologies

Verum Messenger: How to Protect Your Personal Data and Why Choosing a Secure Messenger Matters

A major data leak has been reported involving users of the Russian messenger MAX. Hackers claimed to have obtained the platform’s entire database, which includes 46,203,590 records. To prove their claims, they published part of the stolen data publicly.

According to preliminary information, the attackers gained access to users’ personal details, including contact numbers, chats, IP addresses, and other sensitive data. Cybersecurity experts warn that such incidents can lead to serious consequences — from account takeovers and extortion to large-scale phishing attacks.

Why these leaks happen

The main cause of such breaches is the storage of personal user data on servers without adequate protection or encryption. If attackers gain access to these servers, users’ information becomes fully exposed.

Additionally, many popular messaging apps require users to register with a phone number and provide extra personal information, increasing the amount of data that can be stolen.

How to reduce the risks

The only reliable way to protect your personal messages and data is to use messaging platforms that do not store personal information on their servers and rely on true end-to-end encryption.

One such solution is Verum Messenger — a next-generation app built on the principle of maximum privacy. The platform:

does not store users’ personal data;
uses unique encryption keys generated locally on the user’s device;
does not require a phone number or other personal information to register;
has no access to messages, calls, or files;
provides effective anti-spam and anti-scam protection;
offers private chats and group channels with flexible security settings.

Even in the event of a server breach, attackers would not be able to access message content — because encryption keys simply do not exist on the company’s side.

Freedom of communication without the risk of leaks

In addition to its strong security foundation, Verum Messenger offers a built-in ecosystem of tools — from encrypted email Verum Mail and an integrated VPN for anonymous connections to free crypto mining with Verum Coin and eSIM connectivity in over 150 countries worldwide.

As data breaches become increasingly common, choosing a secure messenger is no longer just about convenience — it’s about personal safety.