Nintendo to launch Switch 2 console on June 5

TOKYO

Nintendo's new Switch console will be launched on June 5, the Japanese video game giant said, starting the countdown for one of the most hotly awaited gaming launches in years.

Millions of fans tuned in on YouTube for an hour-long presentation about the Switch 2, an update to the 2017 original model that has sold around 150 million units.

But shares in the Kyoto-based company tanked yesterday, partly on profit-taking but also as investors apparently baulked at the gadget's high price.

The Switch 2 retains many of its predecessor's features, including its detachable "Joy-Con" controllers.

But it comes with a larger, higher resolution screen and quicker processing speeds.

After giving a glimpse of the new console in mid-January, Nintendo provided further details about some of the changes including a "C" button that activates "GameChat," allowing players to speak with one another while playing.

"Even when you're apart, you can play games and hang out as if you were together in the same room," the firm said.

Nintendo also announced a new version of its best-selling Mario Kart game, "Mario Kart World", which allows players to go exploring off-grid.

Other notable new games, intended to drive uptake of the more expensive hardware, include "Donkey Kong Bonanza" and "Kirby Air Riders."

They will be priced around 30 percent higher than existing Switch games at 80-90 euros ($86-$97), while the console will also be at least a third more than its predecessor.

The recommended retail price is listed as $449.99 in the United States, 395.99 pounds in Britain and 469.99 euros in France, which quickly became a sore point among commentators on game sites and forums.