Nintendo has unveiled its next-generation console after weeks of rumors and leaks about the machine.

Since the beginning of the year, more and more purported images and details about the successor to the Switch, one of the best-selling consoles of all time, have been appearing online.

The Japanese video game giant finally breaks its silence A short video showing off the new console This confirms some, but not all, unofficial information.

As predicted, the new machine will be called the Switch 2 and will be very similar to its predecessor, with a similar detachable controller but with a larger screen.

No price or release date was revealed, but the company will release more details at its April 2 presentation.

The company also reiterated one of the few official bits of information previously known - that the new console will be backwards compatible.

This means existing Switch games will be playable on the new machine, but a disclaimer states that not all games will be cross-compatible.

The Switch 2 will still be a hybrid console, allowing users to "dock" the machine to a TV or play as a portable device.

A seemingly new Mario Kart game was also shown off, with the video suggesting that rumors about magnetic controller attachments and upgraded joysticks are true.

But Nintendo said more details will be announced during a direct presentation on April 2.

The first-generation Switch was a huge success for Nintendo - as of September 2024, it had sold 143 million units, making it one of the best-selling home consoles of all time.

Switch sales mark a huge shift for Nintendo's hardware business.

The Wii U - the follow-up to the hugely successful Wii - was widely considered a failure, with some analysts even predicting that the company might follow in the footsteps of former rival Sega and become the software publisher of its time.

But the Switch's hybrid mechanics are popular with gamers.

Although the console isn't as powerful as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Nintendo has produced many "must-have" games in-house, including new titles in the Mario and Zelda series.

And, like other gaming companies, it's gotten a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the popularity of cozy, escapist life simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizons .

Nintendo suffered from "second album syndrome" when it launched the Wii U in 2012, and its smash hit console subsequently suffered a relative failure.

BBC Newsbeat previously spoke to George Osborn, a consultant and author of the book. Video Game Industry Memo Newsletter On his predictions for Switch 2.

He said that as soon as this game console is launched, many gamers who are keen on gaming will rush to buy it.

But, he said: "Nintendo has managed to build a very strong audience of families buying consoles."

George said that if the Switch 2 isn't seen as a major technological advancement, the challenge will be convincing more casual audiences to upgrade from the original version.

"I think there's going to be a lot of families that are going to say, 'Well, I'm very happy with this home device, it meets my needs and I can continue to do this,'" he said.

The Switch's popularity fueled a desire to take games with them everywhere, inspiring other companies to follow Nintendo's lead.

Valve is the owner of the massive PC gaming Steam store and its "handheld" Steam Deck has sold millions of units, and Sony and Microsoft are also reportedly considering releasing portable gaming devices.

Analyst George said competition for the core gaming audience is more intense than in 2017.

"So the question is whether the Switch 2 will be enough to convince people who may have been exposed to the Steam Deck to say, 'Yeah, I want to buy a Switch 2 to go with it,'" George said.

Matching sales of the original Switch will be a tall order, but it's a safe bet that demand will be high when it releases.

Amid a global microchip shortage, the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox series consoles has been disrupted by scalpers who snatched up the few available consoles.

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa previously told investors that the company was delaying the release of the Switch 2 to ensure sufficient sales.

Whether you can get one remains to be seen.

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