Nintendo Switch 2 docked with a TV behind it.
Nintendo
Nintendo on Thursday said the long-awaited new Switch 2 hybrid will be available this year, touting the larger 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 beginning of the clip shows the current version of the console before the two “joy-con” controllers are disconnected to increase the size of the tablet they are connected to. The video then shows the joy grow and turn matte black.
The joysticks and controller covers are available in light blue and red. The Joy Con covers appear to magnetically attach to the controllers when removed from the main Switch 2 tablet when placing the console on a stand or docking it to play on your home TV.
The Switch 2 also has an improved U-shaped kickstand that can be placed further back so that the console position is almost flat on the surface. The device's appearance resembles mockups that were leaked online before the official announcement of Switch 2.
Nintendo didn't provide a release date for the Switch 2, but said it would reveal more details during its next “Nintendo Direct” online event on April 2. The company revealed that the Switch 2 is backwards 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 almost eight years old. Most console manufacturers wait about six to seven years before replacing them with a new model.
Nintendo reported net income of 27.7 billion Japanese yen ($178.2 million) in the September quarter, down about 69% year-over-year. The company's revenue fell 17% year over year to 276.7 billion Japanese yen.