Everything Nintendo didn't tell us about the Switch 2

Using your old Switch Joy-Cons in portable mode is another matter, as the Switch 2 appears to lack the physical plastic “rail” needed to slide those controllers into place. But since the Switch 2 comes with new, larger Joy-Cons, there aren't many situations where you'd need to physically plug in your old controllers anyway.

The Switch 2 teaser trailer briefly showed a more rounded Switch 2 dock, suggesting that the new console may not be able to connect via docks designed for the original console. What's currently unclear is whether that dock upgrade is primarily cosmetic or includes some new internal circuitry necessary for scaling Switch 2 games to the big screen.

Improved performance for old games?

If you own a Switch, you're probably used to stuttering frame rates and other performance issues with the system's heavier 3D titles. The Switch 2's extra hardware power could theoretically make these older games run smoother, just as it does for backward-compatible software on recent Sony and Microsoft systems.

Nintendo will likely follow its competitors' lead in this regard to some extent. The biggest question is how much work developers need to do to unlock the best performance for original Switch games on the Switch 2.

On the PlayStation 5 Pro, for example, developers had to patch 'Enhanced' versions to take full advantage of the console's power. Titles without those specially designed patches will simply receive a less optimized 'PS5 Pro Game Boost', which can still offer some significant improvements.

Switch online?

Nintendo has confirmed that your current Switch Online account will still work with the Switch 2. But the company hasn't confirmed which benefits from that subscription will carry over to the new system.

Switch Online's extensive classic game library is the biggest advantage here. Since the Switch 2 is backwards compatible with old Switch software, it would be a little strange to suddenly shut down the emulated game library that's at the heart of the Switch Online experience. But Nintendo has cut off access to officially emulated games in the past, so that's not out of the question.

It's also worth remembering that Switch Online subscriptions haven't increased in price since they launched in late 2018, despite years of higher-than-normal inflation. The launch of a new console could be a good excuse for Nintendo to force a price increase on consumers.