Nintendo had a deep dive into the Change 2 in a latest super-sized 60-minute Nintendo Direct, revealing loads of new key info, together with the worth of the console ($449.99), its launch date (June 5, 2025), and an entire slew of recent video games. What’s extra, it was confirmed that the Change 2 will solely be suitable with microSD Categorical Playing cards, with as much as 2TB playing cards supported.
Which means you gained’t have the ability to carry your outdated storage playing cards over whenever you decide up the console this summer time. To increase your storage, you will want to take a look at the playing cards that SanDisk and Lexar have listed on Amazon, and that we have linked to beneath, alongside GameStop, which is producing its personal line of playing cards. This at present consists of 128GB ($44.99), 256GB ($49.99), 512GB ($84.99), and 1TB variations ($149.99).
Nevertheless, some are already being snapped up in bulk and at the moment are listed as “quickly out of inventory” on Amazon. Goal additionally at present has a Samsung 256GB microSD Categorical Card listed, however unavailable for buy, at $59.99.
For reference, Nintendo Change 2 comes with 256GB of inside storage—a major improve from the unique Change’s 32GB. Meaning you won’t really feel the necessity to increase your storage immediately. Nevertheless, needless to say Change 2 video games might be a lot bigger than these on the unique console.
For instance, one of many greatest Change video games, Tears of the Kingdom, was 16GB, however its Change 2 model—and video games like Mario Kart World—might be much more demanding.
Cyberpunk 2077 Final Version, for instance, is about to take up 64GB of area, 25% of your inside storage. Whereas precise file sizes for different Change 2 video games have not been confirmed, it is secure to imagine they will additionally eat a hefty chunk of storage. In contrast to the unique Change, which supported normal microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC playing cards, the Change 2 will solely assist microSD Categorical playing cards.
Why MicroSD Categorical for Change 2?
Nintendo is making a giant change with the Change 2’s storage growth. However why? MicroSD Categorical playing cards are an enormous leap ahead in moveable storage tech. Whereas conventional microSD playing cards max out at 104 MB/s utilizing the UHS-I interface, MicroSD Categorical playing cards can use PCIe and NVMe know-how to hit speeds of as much as 985 MB/s—practically 10 instances quicker.
Due to these pace advantages, Change 2 gained’t assist common microSD playing cards. Meaning no utilizing your outdated Change’s reminiscence card, until it’s a suitable Categorical model. This ensures the system can deal with bigger, extra demanding video games with out slowdowns.
However, there is a massive draw back: They’re a lot pricier. Comparatively, a 128GB SD Card for Change would price you round $10-15, the place as the identical storage for an Categorical card appears to be like to be about $45. Categorical microSD playing cards aren’t as extensively accessible as normal microSDs, and types like SanDisk, Lexar, Samsung are among the many few making them.
Which means whereas Nintendo’s transfer to microSD Categorical-only appears to be all about pace and future-proofing, however it does put the upper prices for expandable storage on the consumer. Try the whole lot else Nintendo needed to present through the Nintendo Change 2 Direct.
Robert Anderson is a offers skilled and Senior Editor, Commerce, for IGN. You’ll be able to observe him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.