New Nintendo Switch 2 Console Update Is Out Now, And It’s One of the Most Important Yet

A new update for Nintendo Switch 2 has today been released around the globe, and it’s one of the biggest that the console has seen so far. Since launching this past year, Nintendo has released quite a few new firmware updates for the Switch 2. However, most of these previous updates have been pretty small in scope and have only made small refinements to the hardware. Now, a much more substantial update has come about and makes some pretty drastic tweaks to the Switch 2 experience.

Downloadable at this moment, update 23.0.0 for Nintendo Switch 2 makes a slew of alterations to the system. Most of these changes are found in the System Settings of the Switch 2, as Nintendo has provided new ways to fine tune the experience that players want. Some of these new options have also streamlined certain elements of the Switch 2, specifically those tied to Virtual Game Cards and Handheld Boost Mode.

In terms of wholly new features, though, Nintendo has prominently added VRR support for the Switch 2 while it’s being used in TV mode. This, combined with a change to the Mii creator and a handful of quality of life improvements to GameChat, represent the most sizable overhauls that the Switch 2 has received.

To get a full glimpse at everything Nintendo has done to the Switch 2 with this new update, you can check out the patch notes in their entirety below.

Nintendo Switch 2 Update 23.0.0 Patch Notes

• The following updates have been made to GameChat:
  • The list of chats you can join now shows chats you have previously joined.
  • When starting a new chat, you can now enter without inviting any friends.
  • Added an option to the menu that appears when you press the C Button during a chat that lets you change the screen size.
• Added “Settings” to Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
  • You can review and edit which of your systems can use virtual game cards, among other options.
• Added support for VRR (Variable refresh rate) in TV mode.
  • When both the software and TV support it, video will be output at a refresh rate that matches the game’s processing.
  • A Nintendo Switch 2 dock update is required to enable this feature.
• Added ability to perform a system transfer from a Nintendo Switch 2 system to another Nintendo Switch 2 system.
• The following updates have been made in Accessibility in System Settings:
  • Added Portuguese (Brazil) to “Text to Speech” languages.
  • Added Portuguese (Brazil) to the GameChat “Display Speech as Text” languages.
• The following updates have been made in Audio in System Settings:
  • TV Sound settings will now be saved and applied automatically on up to 8 TVs.
• The following updates have been made in Display in System Settings:
  • Renamed “Dock Output Information” to “Video Output Information” which now includes details about the signals that the connected TV can display.
  • Added settings for VRR.
• The following updates have been made in Mii in System Settings:
  • Added a feature that lets you create a QR Code for a Mii and share it with other users.
• The following updates have been made in Sleep Mode in System Settings:
  • The level can now be checked when choosing the volume for Play Wake-Up Sound in TV Mode.
• Added the ability to enable or disable “Handheld Mode Boost” from the Quick Settings.
• System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 has been added under System Settings > System.
• When starting software, if a virtual game card cannot be ejected from another console because it is powered off or otherwise not connected to the internet, there will be a prompt to start the software using an online license.
  • Only the user who purchased the software can play it using the online license.
• Music can now be played while creating or editing a Mii.
  • You can change, or stop, the music using the Music Settings in the upper corner of the screen.
• You can now use other controllers with Handheld Boost Mode while Joy-Con 2 controllers are attached to the system.
• Play activity, found on My Page > Profile, now combines play time from the same software across multiple systems.
  • The play time of the software you’ve played since the update will be combined and displayed sequentially.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.