One of the new features, spotted by VGC’s Chriss Scullion and Andy Robinson, will allow players to race around much quicker in Mario Kart World. Holding down the hop button, traditionally used in the Mario Kart franchise to kick off drifts or jump off ramps for quick boosts, can now also provide a minor boost to players on its own.

Another player, who goes by the handle mads on social media platform X, discovered one of the secret large vehicles players can get access to as they explore the open world of the game. While riding on the water, mads was able to find a giant hovercraft that could be taken control of just by driving into it. This hovercraft could also be taken on land, though controlling it out of the water seemed much more challenging.

This second thing could be briefly spotted in the announcement trailer for Mario Kart World, where one of the players was able to drive into a large bus which could then seemingly be used for the rest of the race.

Set to be one of the launch titles for the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World will be hitting store shelves on June 5. The game will be available for $79.99 for a digital copy, which has drawn a considerable level of backlash from fans of the kart racing franchise.

Earlier this month, Nintendo of America VP of product and player experience Bill Trinen spoke about how Mario Kart World‘s pricing is justified, referring to the upcoming game as the “richest Mario Kart experience yet.”

“This is a game that is so big and vast, and you will find so many little things in it to discover,” said Trinen in an interview. “And there’s still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they’re going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had.”

Trinen also similarly spoke about the decision behind the price tag for the Switch 2 Edition releases of Switch games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. In the interview, Trinen spoke about figuring out the value of the games when the company decides on their prices.

“I think overall, our general approach is really just focus on what’s the content, what’s the value, and what’s an appropriate price based on that,” Trinen said.

While Nintendo will be holding a dedicated Direct for Mario Kart World, more details about the racing game have been emerging thanks to videos released earlier this month in the wake of the Switch 2 Direct. Thanks to one of these videos, we got an in-depth look at the Grand Prix mode, which comprises of four race tracks tied together by common themes.

The trailer also gave us a look at other features of Mario Kart World, including its dynamic rain and day/night cycles. Owing to the open-world nature of Mario Kart World, even the distinct race tracks in the game feel like they are connected to a much larger world that can also be freely explored by players.

When the video showcases the settings screens for the Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077, along with a host of other options, including accessibility features, the game also is seemingly running in Performance mode with HDR10 enabled. This means it’s able to run in the Switch 2’s handheld mode at a smooth frame rate of 40 FPS.

In terms of other graphics options, Switch 2 players will also be able to toggle settings like Film Grain, Chromatic Aberration, Depth of Field, Lens Flare, and Motion Blur. Players will also have plenty of chances to fiddle with the game’s control settings, including the ability to make use of Gyro Aiming.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition will be a launch title for the Switch 2. Along with the base game, the release will include the critically acclaimed Phantom Liberty expansion, offering up an entirely new part of Night City for players to explore.

CD Projekt RED confirmed that the Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 will come with a host of features that make use of the console’s hardware, like the ability to use the touch screen for inventory management through gestures like tapping, swiping, and pinch-zooming. Players will also be able to use the Joy-Con 2’s mouse capabilities as an alternate control scheme.

For those that may have already spent quite a bit of time with Cyberpunk 2077 on other platforms, the studio has also confirmed that the Switch 2 release will feature full cross-progression. This means that PC, Xbox Series X, and PS5 players can easily bring over their save files to the Switch 2 version of the game.

While gearing up for the June 5 launch of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition alongside the Switch 2, CD Projekt RED is also hard at work on the sequel to the game. A job posting spotted back in February indicates that the sequel, Project Orion, will also be a first-person game, much like the original.

An earlier job posting for work on the sequel indicated that the studio is trying to create even larger and more realistic NPC crowds in the next title. The listing was for a lead encounter designer, with its description stating that the next game in the series will have more realistic and reactive NPC crowds.

For more details about Cyberpunk 2077, check out our review. Also, check out our thoughts on its Phantom Liberty expansion. Since its release, the game has been quite successful for CD Projekt RED, having sold 30 million copies  across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Phantom Liberty, on the other hand, has sold 8 million copies.

Ohnaka is a central part of the narrative, running into protagonist Kay Vess while on the run from some space pirates. The two will team up to steal some treasure that allows Hondo to “return to his former glory,” per the marketing blurb. Based on the B-Wings appearing in the key art, the Rebel Alliance may become involved somehow.

Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune is out this Spring. We could learn the release date later this week, so stay tuned for more information.

The base game is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC with a Nintendo Switch 2 version coming this year. Despite an iffy launch, it received numerous updates and overhauls to its stealth, combat, enemy AI, and more. Check out our review for Wild Card, the first paid DLC, here.

SCREEN

Let’s get started with the basics- the screen, which brings several upgrades. For starters, the Switch 2’s screen is larger than the base Switch model’s by a noticeable margin, going from 6.2 inches to 7.9 inches. Meanwhile, where the Switch 1’s screen outputs at 720p at most, the Switch 2 will be capable of 1080p output. It also touts support for VRR and 120 FPS gameplay.

MAGNETIC JOY-CONS

We’ve gotten used to how the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons detach and slot back in over the last several years, but Nintendo is changing things up with the Switch 2. Unlike the Switch 1’s Joy-Cons, which would slide into (and out of) rails on either side of the tablet, the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons will attach to the tablet magnetically. To detach them, players will have to hold down a new button close to the trigger, with Nintendo providing assurances that the magnetic controllers won’t just separate and fall off by themselves.

MOUSE FUNCTIONALITY

Here’s another major change you can expect with the Joy-Con 2 controllers, and one that leaks had actually talked about for a while. The new controllers feature sensors on their side, which will allow you to simply turn either Joy-Con sideways and use it like a mouse on a flat surface. The Switch 1 boasted three different play styles in handheld mode, console mode, and tabletop mode, allowing you to seamlessly and instantly swap between them. The Switch 2 is adding mouse mode to that list.

C BUTTON AND GAMECHAT

Another major (according to Nintendo, at least) new feature being introduced with the Switch 2 is the new C button, which is tied to the new GameChat feature. Pressing the button will bring up the GameChat menu, which will let you voice chat (or video chat, if you have the requisite accessory) with other players while playing your own game. Sadly, GameChat will be available exclusively to NSO subscribers past its open access period (which runs until March next year).

MORE JOY-CON CHANGES

Nintendo has improved the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons in other areas as well. One of the most common criticisms for the original controllers continues to be the tiny size of the SL and SR buttons, which Nintendo has directly addressed by expanding their dimensions a tad. The Switch 2’s analog sticks are also larger, while the company has also offered assurances that stick drift issues – a major problem with the Switch 1 – will be less of a concern with the new console.

PRO CONTROLLER CHANGES

As you would expect, the Switch 2 will also have its own new Pro Controller for players to purchase as an accessory, and it, too, will come with several changes. The aforementioned C button will of course be featured, in addition to an audio jack, something that is glaringly missing in the otherwise excellent Switch Pro Controller. Additional, the Switch 2’s Pro Controller will also feature new GL and GR buttons on the grip that you’ll be able to program and assign to whatever inputs you wish.

4K CAPABLE

From a tech and hardware perspective, the Switch 2 is going to be Nintendo’s biggest generational leap since the GameCube. The Switch 1 was an outdated piece of kit even back when it launched in 2017, but the Switch 2 is going to be a completely different story. Nintendo has, for instance, confirmed that the console will be capable of outputting games at a 4K resolution, something that is completely impossible on the Switch.

SUPPORTS RAY TRACING AND DLSS

That the Switch 2 will use Nvidia’s DLSS is something that rumours have been claiming for several years, going back far enough that they were initially tied to the fabled and nonexistent Switch Pro. That is now officially confirmed, in case you were wondering how the Switch 2 is 4K capable after all, given that its specs would put it below even the Xbox Series S in terms of pure, raw numbers. Meanwhile, in addition to DLSS, the Switch 2 also features ray tracing support.

3D AUDIO

We’ve spoken plenty about the many visual enhancements we can look forward to with the Switch 2, but its upgrades don’t end there. On the audio side of things, on top of louder and higher-quality speakers, the Switch 2 also touts support for 3D audio in both console and handheld mode.

SWITCH 2 EDITION GAMES

The upcoming next-gen console’s greater hardware capabilities will obviously mean better looking new games, but even existing existing Switch 1 titles are going to benefit. It’ll ultimately be up to each publisher’s discretion, but for several, you can expect what are being called Nintendo Switch 2 Edition releases, which are basically Switch 2-enhanced versions of Switch 1 titles. The upgrades, pricing, and what have you will obviously vary from game to game and developer to developer.

STORAGE

As you’d expect, the Switch 2’s internal storage is also significantly more substantial than the Switch 1. The latter launched in 2017 with 32 GB of internal storage, but its successor will tout as much as 256 GB- though Switch 2 titles are, of course, going to weigh more than Switch 1 games. The console’s storage will also be expandable, but regular microSD cards will no longer be supported, with new microSD Express cards instead being required.

BATTERY

Given the more powerful hardware of the Switch 2, it comes as no surprise that the console’s battery life is taking a hit. Where the Switch 1 can last anywhere between 4-10 hours on a full charge depending on your usage, according to Nintendo, the Switch 2’s battery life will range between 2 to six-and-a-half hours. In terms of charging time, however, Nintendo estimates three hours for a full charge, which is about the same as the Switch 1.

DOCK

Similar to the tablet itself, the Switch 2’s dock will also be different from the Switch 1’s. At 4.5 inches tall, 7.9 inches wide, and 2 inches thick, it’s somewhat larger the the Switch 1’s dock, which is 4.1 inches tall, 6.8 inches wide, and 2.12 inches thick. Unlike the original base dock, the new one will will also have an ethernet port for those who wish to directly plug in a LAN cable.

GAMECUBE TITLES ON NINTENDO SWITCH ONLJNE

Fans have been hoping to see GameCube titles being added to NSO’s library for a while now, and that is finally set to happen starting June 5- but only for the Switch 2. Switch 1’s Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription includes games for the NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. On the Switch 2, on top of all of that, subscribers will also get GameCube games, with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2, and F-Zero GX set to be there day one, and more (including Luigi’s Mansion, Super Mario Sunshin, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and many others) arriving later.

PRICING CHANGES

This is the big one, and unfortunately, not for the right reasons. The original Switch launched in the US at a price of $299, but the Switch 2 is bringing about a steep increase. Nintendo has announced a price of $449 for the console, though with the tariff-shaped clouds looming large, there’s a good chance that thar price is going to increase before the console has launched, at least in the US.

It is worth noting that, while Nintendo is yet to make any announcements about the matter, it is likely that the Switch 2 will get some sort of increase to its price tag. This is because of the console’s manufacturing process taking place in Vietnam, where the US has levied a 46 percent tariff. This would significantly raise the price of the console in the country.

While the US has more recently announced a pause on the tariff plan for some countries, the Switch 2 will still have to contend with a 10 percent tariff in the country. According to Bloomberg, Bernstein analyst Robin Zhu believes that Nintendo will likely go ahead with its $449.99 price tag if the 10 percent tariffs were the only thing to deal with. However, Zhu expects Nintendo to raise the price by quite a bit if the 46 percent tariffs are levied.

“Nintendo probably keeps pricing at $450 and just takes the hit on margin,” said Zhu of the 10 percent tariffs. “At 46% Vietnam tariffs, I expected them to raise by $50 to $100.”

Former Nintendo PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Lang have noted that Nintendo would benefit quite a bit if it were to “eat the cost,” earning the company quite a bit of good will amongst fans in light of the controversial high price tags for the console and its games.

“They can do it, they can eat it, it would not make a huge dent in them,” said Ellis. Yang responded by noting that the high costs of games like Mario Kart World has already lost Nintendo a fair bit of trust with its fans.

“They have lost so much trust already with the current negative sentiment around price, and around what they’re doing with the games and charging the high price for Mario Kart World, this would repair some goodwill with their current fan base,” said Yang.

When it comes to software, Nintendo has been steadfast about its new $80 price tag for Mario Kart World. In an interview, Nintendo of America VP of Product and Player Experience spoke about how the company believes that Mario Kart World will definitely be worth its price. He also spoke about the value offered by the Switch 2 Edition releases for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Despites pre-orders for the console being halted for the time being, the Nintendo Switch 2 is slated to hit store shelves on June 5. The console will also be available in a bundle alongside Mario Kart World, priced at $499.99. Among several games available for the title at launch will also be the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, which will explain all the features of the console to players, and will be priced at $9.99.

In the interview, which you can check out below, Layden spoke about the pricing differences between the Switch and the Switch 2 not only for the consoles themselves, but also for their games. He also brought up the $80 price tag for launch title Mario Kart World.

“But right here you see, ‘wow, that’s kind of a hefty price hike from Switch 1 to Switch 2 and, wow, 80 bucks for a game?’” Layden said (transcription via IGN). “But if it’s the only place where you can play Mario, then you get your wallet out and you buy into it… and Donkey Kong and Zelda. That first-party exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock, if you will, of these price hikes, because you want that content so bad.”

Layden also spoke about how inflation has generally not quite affected the price of games over time. For context, games have held on to their steady price tags for quite some time. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 back in 2009 was one of the first AAA releases to jump up in price from $50 to $60 at the time, for example.

Layden brings up how, in terms of inflation, $59.99 from 1999 would be the equivalent to $100 today. He also points out that, if games were to increase their price to keep pace with inflation trends, by getting $5 more expensive with each console generation, for example, they would be priced at $90 today.

“In 2025 dollars, $59.99 in 1999 is equivalent to $100,” he said. “Your purchasing power compared to your cost of living, it’s much smaller now than it was before, but still companies have been reluctant to push that price up.”

“I was in it at the time — probably every generation they should have baked in a $5 software price hike, and make that the typical, ‘well every generation it’s another five bucks.’ And you would have been up to $90 already by now.”

Nintendo of America vice president of Product and Player Experience Bill Trinen has also spoken about the company’s pricing strategy. In another interview, Trinen spoke about how the company believes that Mario Kart World‘s quality justifies its steep $80 price tag.

“I would say it’s less about the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it’s more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience, and what’s the content, and what’s the value?” said Trinen.

“Mario Kart World, I think especially as you see from the Nintendo Direct, not to give you any hints or anything, but I did read your article this morning and I think you had mentioned that you didn’t find a lot to discover when roaming around. So I would say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, maybe you’ll be able to find out about that.”

“But honestly, this is a game that is so big and so vast and you will find so many little things in it to discover. And there’s still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they’re going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had.”

The Nintendo Switch 2 is slated to launch on June 5. While priced at $449.99, it is currently unknown if tariffs by the United States will cause its price tag to climb higher.

As caught by IGN, the eShop listing for the title makes no mention of the Expansion Pass content that was released for Breath of the Wild back when it first came out on the Switch and Wii U. Rather, first time buyers who decide to pick up the Switch 2 Edition release will have to spend an additional $20 on the expansion pass to get access to the DLC.

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC,” said Nintendo in a statement. “That DLC is available as a separate purchase.”

It is worth noting that, unlike the Switch 2 Edition for Super Mario Party Jamboree, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won’t really be getting any additional content. Rather, the $10 upgrade or $70 full purchase will only get you the base game along with general performance improvements, as well as access to the new Zelda Notes feature in the Nintendo Switch smartphone app.

Titles like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, on the other hand, feature much heftier Switch 2 Edition upgrades. While they are priced higher, there will also be additional gameplay content, such as the new Jamboree TV mode in Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Star-Crossed World in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Nintendo had also previously confirmed that physical releases of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles will not have to worry about needing to download additional content. Rather, all of the in-game content will be available in the game card directly. As such, there will be no download codes packaged with the game.

On the other hand, the company has also left this option open to third-party developers that want to bring over their older titles with Switch 2 Edition releases. The company has stated that other companies might decide to include download codes for their games rather than including all the files in the game card.

“Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code),” said Nintendo in a statement. “Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.”

The Nintendo Switch 2, along with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will be coming out on June 5. For more details about the company putting pre-orders in various countries on hold, check out our coverage. And in the meantime, also check out Reggie Fils-Aime’s recent story about wanting to release Wii Sports as a free pack-in game for the Wii.

Elena will return to the stage as Street Fighter 6’s fourth Year 2 DLC fighter on June 5. The chirpy capoeira specialist from Kenya was first introduced in Street Fighter 3: New Generation but has been MIA for some time now, so longtime series fans should be happy to see her return. 

Owners of Street Fighter 6’s Year 2 Pass or the Ultimate Pass will get access to the character the day she releases, though she will also be individually purchasable using Fighter Coins. Check out her reveal trailer below.

Street Fighter 6 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and launches for the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. 

In a conversation with IGN during its Nintendo Voice Chat podcast, Fils-Aime recounted a story about an argument he had with Shigeru Miyamoto surrounding whether or not Nintendo should offer Wii Sports as a pack-in title for the console. According to the story, Miyamoto was quite against including the title as a free pack-in with the console.

“It’s an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back,” said Fils-Aime. “During the development of the Wii and the Wii Sports software, you know again the goal was, we wanted the system to be attractive not only to the most active players, but to new players, and to bring them into the video gaming experience. And we saw Wii Sports as the way to be able to do that because each of these sports made great use of the [Wiimote]. Each sport was known by a global population… and my recommendation was that we pack Wii Sports in with the hardware.”

“And literally, when I first made this suggestion, Mr. Miyamoto said ‘Reggie, Nintendo does not give away software for free. You don’t understand how hard our developers work to create compelling content like this,'” continued Fils-Aime. “Now, fortunately, because my SNES came packed in with software, I knew that in fact the company has given away software in the past. But it was against a very strategic objective. And that was my commentary back to Mr. Miyamoto. That, by including Wii Sports, we would immediately have value in the hardware as the consumers opening it up and setting it up. But more importantly, we would have a touchstone piece of software that so many consumers would experience”

“It’s what led to Wii Sports being played in bars, being played on cruise ships, being played in retirement homes. It became this universal experience. But he was not happy when I first made the suggestion, to the point where, on a subsequent visit to Kyoto and the headquarters, the team showed me software that would become Wii Play. Those themselves were fun as well, but they didn’t have the connective tissue that Wii Sports had with all of the experiences. So then I proceeded to piss Mr. Miyamoto off again by suggesting that we bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote.”

“In the end, in the Americas and in Europe, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii. It was not in Japan, which created a bit of a test market, and it was obvious that, in the markets where Wii Sports was packed in that the Wii became much more of a phenomenon. Wii Sports itself became much more of a phenomenon. And we did pack the Wiimote with Wii Play, and I think it became the fifth best selling piece of software in the history of Wii.”

Incidentally, Nintendo hadn’t released any pack-in games with the Switch when it launched back in 2017. Rather, the company has been focused on selling even titles like 1-2-Switch separately, sticking to the philosophy that Miyamoto had told Fils-Aime about in the story.

In a recent video, the duo discuss the tariffs and the Switch 2’s pricing. Ellis believes that the company could feasibly “eat the cost” and keep the Switch 2’s price at its announced $449.99. “They can do it, they can eat it, it would not make a huge dent in them,” he said. He believes that Nintendo is in a unique position to do this as eating this cost is “an option a lot of other companies don’t even have.”

Yang believes that Nintendo eating the added costs brought about by the tariffs would also buy it quite a bit of good will with its audience. According to Yang, this is especially important for the company do since it has already been facing quite a bit of backlash over its pricing.

“They have lost so much trust already with the current negative sentiment around price, and around what they’re doing with the games and charging the high price for Mario Kart World, this would repair some goodwill with their current fan base,” said Yang.

She continued, “you’re not now asking the customer to pay more, you’re not giving them a confusing message of ‘Oh, we announced this price of $450 and now we have to raise the price for you to get this thing,’ you can start immediately with your pre-order strategy as planned, you can start to like work towards your June 5 launch which is coming up very soon. So it does feel like this one helps with the perception, the negative perception that Nintendo has right now.”

Meanwhile, responding to criticisms of the Nintendo Switch 2’s $449.99 price tag, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser made a statement telling fans that can’t afford the new console to look to the rest of the Switch line-up to get their fix for Nintendo games.

“We recognize there are some people that may not be able to afford [the Switch 2’s] price point,” said Bowser. “That’s why we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have an opportunity to come into our gaming universe, be a part of these characters in these worlds, and see value, if you will, in whatever rung of the platform they come in.”

In the meantime, analysts believe that effects that tariffs have on the Switch 2 will likely only be the beginning. Circana’s Mat Piscatella, for instance, believes that the long-term effects on Nintendo for its pricing strategy for the new console and its games will only start becoming more evident in year 2.