5 Things We Need to See at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct

At long last, it’s nearly time to see what the Nintendo Switch 2 will have in store during its dedicated Nintendo Direct. Upon announcing the Switch 2 back in January, Nintendo revealed that it would be having a Direct for its new console later in the spring on April 2nd. In the nearly three months since, fans have continued to wonder what this event will have in store and what surprises Nintendo will bring with it. Fortunately, those questions won’t be circling much longer.

With the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct set to take place in a little under a week, these are the five biggest things that the presentation has to touch on in order for it to be deemed a success in the eyes of fans.

Release Date and Price

This is so obvious that it’s hardly worth mentioning, but we have to come out of this Direct knowing both the price and release date of the Nintendo Switch 2. These are easily the biggest questions that continue to surround the console and it’s hard to believe that Nintendo will let this Direct come to an end without providing answers.

If previous reports hold true, the Nintendo Switch 2 could be launching in as early as June 2025. Its price, however, is a bit more nebulous as some have claimed it could be as low as $400 or as high as $500. Here’s hoping that those low-end predictions end up being the ones that are accurate.

New 3D Mario Game

While we’ve already seen Mario Kart 9 in action, this still doesn’t feel like the killer app that the Nintendo Switch 2 will need in its first months on the market. Instead, Nintendo would be smart to have another major game in the chamber that puts its main man Mario back in the spotlight.

Believe it or not, it has been nearly eight years since Super Mario Odyssey was released, which was the last adventure Mario had in the 3D space. As such, there has been more than enough time for Nintendo to develop another 3D Super Mario game and have it ready to go in tandem with the Switch 2. More so than any other franchise, Super Mario is synonymous with the arrival of new Nintendo hardware and the Switch 2 should be no different.

A Runtime Over 1 Hour

Nowadays, it’s rare for any of Nintendo’s events to last much longer than 30 or 40 minutes. This is partially because Nintendo has found a great cadence with its Direct presentations over the past few years and often doesn’t need to drag them out in order to show off what it has in store. For this Switch 2 Direct, though, I feel like it’s pretty important to stretch things out just a bit more.

The reveal event for the original Switch lasted a little more than one hour in total and found a great balance of highlighting not only the new hardware, but numerous games that were in the works for it. I think Nintendo should look back on this format and try to mimic it here with the Switch 2 if it wants to best lure in prospective buyers.

Promise to End Joy-Con Drift

If Nintendo really wanted to win over fans of the current Switch, it would look to put an end to Joy-Con drift. Joy-Con drift has been one of the biggest problems with the original Switch and is something that Nintendo has failed to truly fix for years. As a result, many Switch owners have needed to buy countless different pairs of Joy-Con over the console’s run, which aren’t cheap by any means.

Given that the Switch 2 is again going to feature Joy-Con in a major way, Nintendo needs to look for a permanent solution to ensure that “drifting” doesn’t remain an issue throughout the life of the new hardware. Previous leaks have shown that such a solution may have been found thanks to a redesign of how the thumbsticks will work on the Switch 2. If Nintendo were to confirm as much in its upcoming Direct, it would go a long way in making customers feel relieved about their early investment in the console.

The Next Big Switch 2 Game Outside of 2025

While 2025 will be hugely important for the Switch 2 when it comes to the console getting off the ground, I think it’s also vital for Nintendo to tease a bit of its future plans for the platform. To that end, Nintendo needs to give fans a taste of another big Switch 2 game that it will release outside of the console’s launch window.

When it comes to what this game could be, there are a lot of options. New entries in franchises like The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, or Super Smash Bros. would likely be the best choices and would surely send fans into a frenzy. Whatever game it might be, though, Nintendo has to simply show that it has long-term plans in mind for the Switch 2 that will keep fans interested in what’s on the horizon.