Nintendo Switch 2 Update 21.0.0: Full Patch Notes Revealed
▼ Summary
– Nintendo Switch 2 system update Version 21.0.0 adds symbols on the HOME Menu to distinguish between physical and digital software versions.
– The update includes new download management options, such as canceling all downloads at once and a “Receive Software” icon for bundle downloads.
– Friend search functionality now includes users interacted with in friends’ GameChat rooms, and virtual game card downloads work without online license requirements.
– GameChat improvements prevent sleep mode during chats, add audio panning controls, and allow seamless transitions between TV and handheld modes.
– Accessibility, audio, display, and system settings receive updates including HDR peak brightness viewing, text-to-speech enhancements, and Thai and Polish language support.
Nintendo has rolled out a major system update for the Switch 2 and original Switch, bringing the firmware to Version 21.0.0. This release introduces a host of new features and refinements, including visual indicators for game formats, expanded download management, and enhanced social connectivity options.
Players will now see symbols on HOME Menu software icons showing whether a title is a physical or digital copy. For those managing multiple downloads, a new option allows canceling all queued items at once. Console bundles that include downloadable software will display a “Receive Software” icon when online, guiding users directly to the Nintendo eShop for redemption.
Friend-finding capabilities have been expanded, the “Search for Users You’ve Played With” feature now includes people you’ve interacted with in your friends’ GameChat rooms. Virtual game card data can now be downloaded even when the “Use Online License” setting is disabled, accessible through Virtual Game Cards on the HOME Menu.
GameChat receives several meaningful upgrades: the system won’t enter sleep mode during active chats, an option to disable “Chat Audio Panning” has been added, and chat sessions can persist when switching from docked to handheld or tabletop mode, even if the internet connection changes from wired to wireless.
Accessibility improvements include text-to-speech support for predictive conversion characters on the Japanese keyboard and an increased Text-to-Speech speed上限 from 300% to 400%. In Audio settings, users can now choose between “Stable” or “Low Latency” audio modes for the wirelessly connected Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, with the latter reducing audio delay at the potential cost of stability in certain wireless environments.
Display settings see adjustments too: “HDR Output” is now labeled “System Screen’s HDR Output,” and screen size adjustment has been refined for easier use. Notifications have been updated, with “Platinum Point Notification” renamed to “Nintendo Switch Online Notification.” System settings also feature a revised battery charging option, “Stop Charging Around 90%” is now “Stop Charging Around 80-90%.” Thai and Polish have been added as system language options, available in software that supports them.
General system stability improvements are included to enhance overall performance. Independent dataminer ‘OatmealDome’ highlighted that the Display section of the update actually adds a way to view peak brightness when adjusting HDR settings in TV mode, a detail that may have been mistranslated in the official English notes.
This update follows Version 20.5.0 from late September, which primarily addressed system stability.
(Source: Nintendo Life)
