We are finally just a few days away from learning when Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 will be released – and how much it will cost. Following months of speculation, Nintendo finally revealed the Switch 2 in an online broadcast on Thursday, January 16.

Although that reveal showed some details – including what the new piece of hardware will look like – Nintendo has kept the release date and price point of the new console close to its chest. But the curtain will finally be pulled back next week, with a full reveal to be held on Wednesday, April 2.

The Nintendo Switch – which can operate as a handheld console or connected to a television – has been a massive success for the Japanese company, having reportedly shifted more than 146 million units since it launched in 2017. This makes it the company’s second best-selling console of all time, only behind the Nintendo DS.

A brief trailer in January provided our first look at the Switch 2 – and some clues about its features. Traditionally, each Nintendo console is dramatically different from the last. But, with the Switch proving such a runaway success, the games company seems keen to play it safe this time around.

The Switch 2 looks very similar to its predecessor, featuring a large screen with detachable Joy-Con controllers on either side. The video shows the controllers attaching magnetically to the side of the console, rather than sliding on from the top as with the original Switch.

The video also suggests the Joy-Cons can be used like computer mice when detached, which will be ideal for games designed with a mouse in mind, such as complicated strategy games, or first-person shooters. The controllers also have a more understated design than those included with the original Switch, which were brightly-coloured. The Joy-Cons shown in the reveal video appear to instead be a matte black colour, with pastel red and blue highlights.

The screen of the new console appears to be larger than the existing 6.2 inch model, but its exact measurements remain unknown. It’s also not known whether it will feature an LED screen or a more vibrant OLED display. The original Switch featured an LED screen, but Nintendo later released an updated OLED version.

The launch video also shows the console can be connected to a television via a dock, just like the original Switch. This is no surprise, as the Switch’s ability to transition from a television screen to a handheld has been one of its biggest selling points. 

January’s reveal video also stated the Switch 2 will be compatible with games for the original Switch – a massive selling point for those who’ve built a big library of games for their console. However, it does state: “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2”. No more information is available about this at present, although the reveal video stated: “Details will be shared on the Nintendo website at a later date”.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the Switch 2 – not least when it’s coming out, and how much it will cost. These are the biggest questions which will be answered next week, but they’re not the only things gamers will be asking.

There’s also the question of how powerful the Switch 2 will be. Nintendo has generally been less concerned with hardware power than rivals Sony and Microsoft, focusing more on innovation.

However, this has meant gamers who want the best possible graphics and gameplay have been more likely to gravitate to the PlayStation or Xbox. Nintendo has shown no sign of changing its approach with the Switch 2, meaning the new console is likely to be comparatively less powerful than its rivals – but will have plenty of other features to recommend it.

The secret weapon of every Nintendo console has always been its exclusives. If you want to play games in the Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon series – not to mention a wealth of others – the only place you can do that is on Nintendo’s hardware.

Nintendo is likely to seek to capitalise on this, with a strong launch line-up of exclusives to encourage gamers to upgrade. January’s reveal showed what appeared to be the first look at a new Mario Kart game – although this hasn’t been officially announced, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on the Switch, so a follow-up seems a no-brainer.

Major new titles Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A are both confirmed to be releasing this year, but their release dates have not been confirmed – it seems likely these will also launch alongside the Switch 2. New installments in the Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, and The Legend of Zelda series could also be in store, while hardcore fans will be holding out hope for new F-Zero, Star Fox, and Fire Emblem games.

Attracting some big-name third-party titles such as the Call of Duty franchise or the hotly-anticipated GTA 6 – releasing later this year on Sony and Microsoft’s consoles – would also be a coup for Nintendo.

There isn’t long to wait – the full reveal of the Switch 2 will be broadcast online on Wednesday, April 2.

The company has said the broadcast will go live at 6am PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) – which is 2pm in the UK (remember the clocks go forward this weekend), so you won’t have to get up quite as early as our US friends.

You’ll be able to watch live on the Nintendo website. Nintendo is also holding what it is calling ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Experiences’ in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas, in April, where gamers will be able to get their hands on the new console for the first time. Registration for tickets has already closed, but you can join the waiting list here.