Nintendo Switch 2 update adds Dutch and Russian accessibility support

Nintendo’s Switch 2 system version 22.5.0 landed on June 16 with a small but meaningful upgrade: Dutch and Russian now work in the console’s Text to Speech accessibility options and in GameChat’s speech-to-text tools. Alongside that language support, Nintendo’s notes also list general system stability improvements, but the real headline is the accessibility boost that many players will notice only if they need it.

The update was posted across Nintendo’s Switch 2 support pages in several regions, including the U.S., Australia, Japan and Hong Kong, pointing to a global firmware rollout rather than a region-specific patch. That matters because accessibility features are most useful when they travel with the hardware, not when they are locked behind territory lines. For Switch 2 owners in multilingual homes, or for players who rely on speech-based tools to communicate comfortably, the added language support makes the system easier to live with every day.

Nintendo’s GameChat feature gives the update extra weight. GameChat requires a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, supports sessions with up to 12 friends, and can handle video chat for up to four people when a compatible USB-C camera is connected. The Switch 2 also includes a built-in microphone, which makes speech and voice tools part of the console’s core social setup rather than an afterthought. Adding Dutch and Russian support there is a practical step, especially for players who use GameChat as part of their regular play sessions.

The update also fits into a larger accessibility framework on Switch 2. Nintendo’s accessibility guide already points to button remapping, text size options, bold text, screen zoom, color adjustments and mono audio, so this language expansion builds on a system that is already aimed at broader usability. A separate Nintendo support page also shows Russian support for some speech accessibility functions at system version 22.0.0 or later, suggesting version 22.5.0 is another step in an ongoing rollout rather than a one-time fix.

This is not the kind of firmware drop that sells itself with flashy new menus or headline features. It is the quieter sort of Switch 2 update that matters because it expands who can use the console cleanly, and in day-to-day ownership, that kind of polish often beats a louder feature list.