How to watch the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and what announcements to expectGameCentralPublished April 1, 2025 6:00pm A major information dump is about to occur (Nintendo)The big day is finally here, when Nintendo will reveal the inner secrets of the Switch 2 and its games, and its very easy to watch the Direct as it happens.At over eight years old, the Nintendo Switch is well past retirement age, but its still selling and we found out last week that there are still new games scheduled for it in 2026.Nevertheless, its successor has been waiting in the wings for a while now, after the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially announced in January. Although it was a very limited reveal, with no voiceover to explain anything, while the only game that was shown was seven seconds of footage for a new Mario Kart.The true reveal, where more games will be shown and the console will be explained in detail, takes place this week, as part of a very special Nintendo Direct.When is the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct?The Switch 2 Nintendo Direct is an online showcase that will be livestreamed on YouTube and Twitch on Wednesday, April 2.It will last approximately 60 minutes and will start at 2pm BST (remember were not on GMT anymore).Thats long for a Direct, so clearly Nintendo feels theyve got a lot to talk about, but you dont necessarily have to tune in when it happens, as you can just watch the whole Direct, or edited highlights, after the livestream is finished.How to watch the Switch 2 Nintendo DirectWatching the Nintendo Direct is very easy and completely free. The default venue is YouTube, with the video already available above, where you can watch the whole thing once it starts.If you prefer, itll also be shown at the same time on Nintendos Twitch channel, but its the same livestream either way. Both channels will offer the full Direct to watch after its finished, along with much shorter videos of individual game trailers and console details.What announcements are expected at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct?That question is much harder to answer, as not only is Nintendo naturally hard to predict but thereve been very few leaks or rumours in the run-up to the Direct (there were more before but thats only because its harder to keep secrets when third party hardware companies are involved).Based on previous console unveils, and given how few concrete details there are, it seems fair to expect a detailed description of what the console can do and definitive answers to questions like what the secret C button is for and whether the Joy-Cons can really be used as mice.We wouldnt expect detailed tech specs though, as thats something Nintendo never does. Although therell probably be something to illustrate the consoles power and the difference between Switch 1 games running on the original console versus the Switch 2. A new Mario Kart is the only game we know about so far (YouTube)In terms of games, the only thing close to certain is the new Mario Kart. But despite assumptions, theres no guarantee it will be a launch title.Considering it was in last weeks Nintendo Direct, theres no certainty that Metroid Prime 4 will be featured heavily. Although given its widely expected to be a launch game it should at least be mentioned.Everything else is pure guesswork at this point, including whether Nintendo will showcase any third party games or leave that for a subsequent Direct.If you had to guess though, youd have to say theres a very good chance that youll get at least a glimpse of a new 3D Mario (with some rumours suggesting itll feature a Donkey Kong crossover), with a good chance of Splatoon 4 and perhaps a tease of a new Animal Crossing.More TrendingIts far too soon after Tears Of The Kingdom to expect a new mainline Zelda but there could be another remaster or spin-off. Or perhaps even a full-blown remake of a classic title.Youd also hope there might be at least one brand new IP and in fact we technically already know about one: the secret online title that Nintendo was playtesting late last year and is believed to be codenamed Rockstock.Will the Switch 2 release date and price be announced at the Direct?This is also very difficult to say but the best answer we can give is probably. The Switch 2 is rumoured to have a launch date in or around June, so if thats true Nintendo is going to have to get specific about the details of when the console will be available and how much it will cost pretty soon.We already know itll be out this year, at some point, so a specific release date is all but certain. Pre-order details are also possible, but they may be left until a few days or weeks afterwards, so dont worry if that isnt announced straight away. Does Metroid Prime 4 come in two flavours: Switch 1 and Switch 2? 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