We're hours away from the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, which is set to shed more light on the brand new console that Nintendo officially revealed back in January. We've been waiting for the next era of Nintendo for years, and thankfully, 2025 set us off right with the first official trailer of the Nintendo Switch 2 – alongside confirmation that it is, indeed, called the Switch 2, which is handy as that's what we've been calling it anyway.
Alongside a look at the console itself, Nintendo Switch 2 backward compatibility has been reaffirmed, and there are certain new features we can glean, from an extra USB-C port to a mysterious new button. Oh, and is that Mario Kart 9? We're certainly convinced. The next showcase will bring us even more juicy details about the new console and possibly some upcoming Switch 2 games to add to our wishlists as well.
So, to get you prepared for the upcoming onslaught of exciting news, here's everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, including start times, dates, and what to expect.
Nintendo Switch 2 Direct date and start times
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct starts on April 2, 2025, @2pm BST and @6am PDT.
This information has been confirmed by Nintendo's website, so expect an early start if you are in the US! Currently, we don't know how long the Switch 2 Direct will run for; however, if I were to guess, I'd say that we're looking at a 40 to 45 minute runtime. This is due to the fact that this is a big showcase, and most chunky presentations tend to run for that long.
To find out when the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct starts in your time zone, check out our list below:
- US: @6am PDT and @9am EDT
- UK: @2pm BST
- Europe: @3pm CEST
Where to watch the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct stream speculation
We've yet to get a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct stream, though I can't remember a showcase that wasn't on Nintendo's official YouTube channels. If history repeats itself – which is likely – you'll want to head there 10 minutes before the broadcast time, and you'll be good to go.
On April 2, we'll also be providing live coverage of the event, in case you don't have YouTube handy. So when in doubt, just tune into GamesRadar+. We're also getting the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience across several countries from April to June to watch out for. So, there's plenty of future Nintendo bits to keep you busy!
What to expect from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct
The big thing to expect from the upcoming showcase is a slew of exciting upcoming Switch 2 games and even some potential Switch 2 exclusives.
We've already had hints of Mario Kart 9. However, we're also waiting for firm confirmation that upcoming Switch games (like Metroid 4 and Pokemon Legends Z-A) will also be heading to the new console. Alongside gaming reveals, we are also expecting to finally get a Switch 2 release date since Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have been confirmed to be going live on April 2, along with the Direct (exciting times).
Fans can also expect to learn more about the Nintendo Switch 2 design and how it will differ from the current console and other handhelds on the market. We'll refresh this page as soon as more news and details about the Direct arrive.
Keep updated with our list of all the new games for 2025 also heading our way.
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