Nintendo Switch 2: The latest leaks about Nintendo’s new console

The Switch is Nintendo’s best-selling home console of all time and beloved for its massive library of games, a stark contrast to the mediocre Wii U that came before it. But it’s been more than six years since the Switch launched, and fans are eagerly awaiting Nintendo’s next big thing.

Fortunately, it may not be too far away. Rumors and reports point to a successor to the Switch that will have more power than the original and retain the successful combination of desktop and handheld console. We’ll call it Switch 2 for now.

Reports indicate that major game developers have already seen the new hardware, which, if true, could mean that the launch window isn’t too far away. Here’s everything we’ve heard so far about Nintendo’s upcoming handheld gaming console, and stay tuned as we’ll be updating this story regularly with new details and hopefully any upcoming official announcements as well.

What is Nintendo Switch 2?

Nothing is official yet, but leaks and reports from major publications point to a more powerful game system that supports the same conversion approach. The current Nintendo Switch is essentially a portable console that you can dock and play on your TV, although the Switch Lite variant is completely portable.

Bloomberg in May 2023, it was reported that display manufacturer Sharp was working on displays for an upcoming handheld console. Sharp has previously partnered with Nintendo, which is by far the biggest player still making portable devices focused solely on video games, although Sony has a new PlayStation portal which can play games with a paired PlayStation 5, plus Valve’s Steam Deck is popular among PC fans.

And Nintendo is clearly thinking about what comes next. In response to a fan question in June 2023, Nintendo president, Shuntaro Furukawa, dijo: “Regarding the transition from Nintendo Switch to the next-gen machine, we want to do everything we can to make the transition seamless for our customers using a Nintendo Account.”

When is Nintendo Switch 2 coming out?

Nintendo has yet to officially announce the next-gen Switch, but reports indicate that the launch is slated for late 2024, which would be roughly seven and a half years after the original.

Report from July 2023 VGC points to a targeted launch of the new hardware in the second half of 2024, citing multiple sources familiar with Nintendo’s plans. Additionally, the report suggests that Nintendo is looking to avoid the hardware shortages seen in many previous console launches, and the Switch’s successor is likely to see significant demand given the popularity of the original.

In October 2023, according to the source WCCF Techhave shared accurate information in the past, claiming that the next-gen Switch could possibly be released on September 24, 2024, though they claim that Nintendo was also looking at November 3, 2024 as another potential date.

The same source lists the price of the Switch 2 at $449 for the base model and $400 for the all-digital version without cartridge support. By comparison, the original Switch was released for $300 in 2017, while the fully portable Switch Lite went on sale for $200 in 2019. With some premium upgrades (including a bigger and brighter screen), the OLED model of the Nintendo Switch It cost $350 in 2021.

Report of a VGC suggests Nintendo could use LCD screens instead of OLED panels to keep costs down, but doesn’t say what price Nintendo plans for its next console. Nintendo’s last three console systems avoided using the latest cutting-edge technology to keep prices low.

In an interview with Nikkei published at the beginning of October 2023 (trans VGC), Furukawa stated that Nintendo will continue to support the original Switch with new software at least until the fiscal year that ends in March 2025. It is very likely that when the Switch 2 is released in late 2024, we will continue to see new Switch games in the following years. However, Nintendo can quickly move on to new hardware, while third-party publishers continue to rely on the Switch’s large audience.

How powerful will the Nintendo Switch 2 be?

Following on from the previous topic, reports indicate that Nintendo will not be trying to compete with the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series Nevertheless, it seems that this is a significant improvement over the Switch.

In September 2023, leaked documents from major game publisher Activision revealed that the company had evaluated hardware in late 2022 and ultimately concluded that the Switch’s successor would have the same power as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hardware.

Even though these are home consoles from 10 years ago, it will still be a marked step up from what the original Switch could handle. The Switch’s hybrid model, which combines home and portable gaming, also means Nintendo has to factor in a slim form factor and expected battery life, so it’s unlikely we’ll see a Switch-like device with high-end components at a reasonable price. price. VGC also reported that the Switch 2 is expected to support a port for physical game cartridges.

Eurogamer reported that Nintendo showed developers private technical demonstrations for the Switch 2 at Gamescom in August 2023 and used an enhanced version of the popular 2017 game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a demonstration of the capabilities. new equipment.

VGC supported the report, adding that Nintendo also used Epic Games’ The Matrix Awakens tech demo for Unreal Engine 5 with features like ray tracing (realistic lighting effects) and AI-based visual enhancement techniques.

This could mean that the hardware is actually better than the PS4 or Xbox One, even if it’s not quite up to the standards of the last-gen PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. However, it may be relatively well equipped in terms of RAM, as well-known insider Felipe Lima suggests that the device it will have an integrated 12 GBwhich is more than the Xbox Series S console with 10 GB.

What games will Nintendo Switch 2 have?

You can bet that we will soon be seeing big Nintendo franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart and many more. And there are already rumors of other big games coming to the Switch 2.

In September 2023, an insider and freelance journalist known by the pseudonym “Necro” claimed that the as-yet-unannounced Far Cry 7, the rumored sequel to Ubisoft’s popular open-world shooter series, would launch on the Switch successor. at the same time as on other platforms. Insider games Far Cry 7 is slated for a fall 2025 release, so it could happen after the Switch 2 is already available.

Meanwhile, another insider named Zippo, who is said to have had legitimate leaks in the past, suggests that Nintendo’s studio EPD Tokyo is working on a new Donkey Kong game planned for the company’s next console.

As mentioned above, Nintendo is using an enhanced version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to show developers the technological capabilities of the system, but at this point there is no indication that Nintendo will release a version. of 2017.

But the question is whether the Switch 2 will be compatible with the original Switch games, and if so, whether they’ll benefit from the increased power of the new hardware. Imagine if you could insert your Breath of the Wild cartridge and see a much more luxurious version, similar to how PC games can adapt to their hardware.

It’s a lot of speculation at this point, but for those who followed the development of the original Switch before its release, many of the initial leaks and reports turned out to be true, eventually joining Nintendo’s triumphant return after the failure of the Wii U .

We’ll be following the Switch 2 story in the coming months as more details emerge, so stay tuned.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published on September 19, 2023 and was last updated on October 6.