How I plan to review the Nintendo Switch 2

Reviewing a new video game console is usually an isolating experience. You get a device in the mail, hook it up to your television, and then play a bunch of games on your own or, occasionally, with the small handful of other people who have one in for review. You have to quickly test everything you can think of, then race to get an article ready to publish ahead of launch to help readers understand what they’re getting into.

That’s how things went when Tom Warren and I covered the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2020. But with the Nintendo Switch 2, things aren’t quite so simple — and it’s going to take a lot more people.

Almost everything about the Switch 2 ahead of launch has been a little weird, from the confusing messaging and high pricing to the unfortunately timed connection with spiking tariffs. Intent to keep that strange energy going, Nintendo has decided to not send out early review units to The Verge or other outlets, citing the need for day-one software updates. (This was not the case with the original Switch.) As a result, I’ll be getting my hands on the device at the same time as everyone else. So what does that mean for our review?

Well, things will be a little bit backward. Normally, we publish one big review and then follow it up with lots of other stories that dig into specific elements of a device — new controllers, unique software features, specific games. It’s a way to explore every facet of a new console and get a wide variety of perspectives.

This time, we’re going to start with those deeper dives. A whole bunch of The Verge’s staff has put in preorders and is now staring at tracking numbers or getting ready to line up to snag their unit tonight. That crew will then go to work writing up every facet of the hardware and delving into the gritty details we haven’t been able to see in our previous hands-on previews, like the interface, menus, various game updates, and how the cartridges taste. They’ll be able to offer all kinds of interesting perspectives and ideas that help round out our coverage of the console

Our full review of the Switch 2 will come next. Right now, I’m sitting at the dining room table in my house, in full view of the front window, waiting for my console to show up. As soon as it arrives, I’m going to ignore all my incoming Slack pings and Zoom meetings, and dive right into testing every aspect of the device for our comprehensive review. I’ll also be reviewing Mario Kart World, which is the showcase release for the Switch 2. If I wanna do this right I need some time. This means that my review of both the console and its flagship game will be “late” — which is to say, they won’t publish right on launch day (and you should be a little suspicious of any that do).

This may sound complicated, and like our reviews and other coverage will be rushed. But it’s actually a good thing in many respects. What I lose in being timely — though I will be as fast as I can — I gain in getting more real-world experience. I’ll be able to test the Switch 2 alongside real people in a real-world environment, without the specter of the launch day looming over our heads.

This is especially important for Nintendo’s new console given that the multiplayer-centric GameChat service is one of its defining features. That’s not something I could accurately test in the lonely confines of a prelaunch period. Instead, I’ll be able to get a much more accurate experience of what it’s like to video chat with my friends while absolutely destroying them at Mario Kart.

So that’s it. The Switch 2 is a big deal, the first major console launch in half a decade, and so I’d love to be as timely as possible. But more important is getting an accurate feel for what the device is like in the real world — and for that, we’ll just have to wait a little bit.