Unity 6 and Unreal Engine 5 bring whizz-bang tech to Nintendo Switch 2

Unreal Engine and Unity have announced support for Nintendo's Switch 2 console in a move that will open up the space for more indie game developers and enable more powerful features. As long as you're on Nintendo's list of approved devs, you can create games for the newest console on Unity 6 or Unreal Engine 5, accessing advanced features such Lumen for dynamic lighting and Nanite for improved geometry performance.

Given the Switch 2 is the biggest games console release of the last few years, it signals a huge opportunity for developers. And, of course, it means players will be able to play a bigger selection of games on the handheld, including Fortnite and other older games that could get a re-release. This is just one of the many announcements to excite fans (see 5 other surprising Switch 2 announcements here).

Unreal Engine broke the news via its X account below, cuing hundreds of positive comments from players and devs. If you want to make your own games, see our list of the best game development software.

And Unity released the following statement via a press release:

“We’re excited to offer official support for Nintendo Switch 2," said Matthew Bromberg, CEO and President of Unity. “Unity has battle-tested our support for Nintendo Switch 2 through hands-on development of a day-one launch title. The valuable feedback obtained during the development process provided learnings that will drive further enhancements to the Unity engine for those developers building new games for this gaming system.”

It will be easy for developers to port their existing Nintendo Switch games to Switch 2 because Unity has ensured full compatibility in Unity 6. Features like new input system, Build Profiles, and Incremental Build Pipeline will be compatible. Unity will also have built-in support for the Switch 2's new capabilities for a seamless experience.

One of the first games to be officially developed using Unity 6 for Switch 2 is Survival Kids from Konami, a game that has been created closely with Nintendo to 'battle test' Unity 6.

Survival Kids makes use of a range of Unity tools and features, including the Universal Render Pipeline (URP), Netcode, and live services like Lobby and Relay and marks the start of a close collaboration between Nintendo and Unity.

Details about Unreal Engine support are yet to be released, but it's an exciting prospect for developers because Epic Games' tech gives small teams the ability to make elevated games with the whizz-bang tech the platform is known for.

We've heard from smaller development studios in recent years about how UE5 has enabled greater detailed and more ambitious games to be created, such as when we took a deep dive behind Still Wakes The Deep or the more recent look at how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has enabled a small team to create a large-scale RPG.

Sure, the price of Switch 2 games is likely to be eye-watering ($80-90, though we've got a hack that might help with the price), but at least there will be loads more to choose from as I predict many Unreal Engine 5 games made for Xbox and PlayStation 5 will find new life on Switch 2, possibly with enhanced visuals.

Switch 2 preorders will open on 9 April 2025 ahead of a 5 June release date. Learn more about the console in our full guide to the Nintendo Switch 2.