Gamers everywhere are poised with anticipation as the clock ticks down to the Nintendo Switch 2's June 5 launch, ready to secure their units the moment they become available. However, IGN readers should be aware of an important update: Nintendo has confirmed that there will be no standard pre-launch review access to the Switch 2 hardware, a departure from the typical process for new console releases. Consequently, we are unable to provide our usual timely reviews for titles like Mario Kart World, Welcome Tour, or the enhanced Zelda games and other ports before the system's debut.
This change in plans is certainly inconvenient, disrupting the detailed coverage we, along with other media outlets such as our partners at Digital Foundry, had prepared to answer your most pressing questions at or before launch. Providing comprehensive insights into new hardware and games at the critical moment you're making purchasing decisions is a responsibility we value deeply at IGN—it's a core part of our mission and one of the most rewarding aspects of our work.
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This isn't the first time we've navigated such a scenario, so we've already prepared our next-best approach. While it means working more quickly than planned, we are committed to delivering the detailed answers you need without sacrificing the quality of our analysis. As soon as our pre-ordered Switch 2 units arrive, we will immediately begin our evaluations. These will include an ongoing review of Mario Kart World by our in-house expert and NVC host Logan Plant, detailed impressions of the Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and assessments of third-party ports such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy, focusing on their performance and how they stack up against previous versions on other platforms. Concurrently, our team will evaluate all associated hardware—the Switch 2 console itself (to be reviewed by Tom Marks, who previously reviewed the Switch and Switch Lite), the new Joy-Cons, the Pro Controller 2 (handled by controller specialist Michael Higham), the camera, and every other accessory we can acquire.
Our target is to publish the majority, if not all, of these reviews within roughly a week after launch. We will also address any major questions that emerge as early adopters worldwide put the new console through its paces. It's an ambitious undertaking, but we are prepared and eager to deliver.
