Back in October 2016, when Nintendo unveiled the Switch, it was clear they were gearing up for something big. Fast forward nearly seven years, and it’s undeniable that their gamble paid off. The Nintendo Switch has climbed its way to become the third best-selling video game console in history. Despite this ongoing success, you might be taken aback to learn that Nintendo is gearing up for a new chapter. Historically, Nintendo has never gone more than seven years between home console launches. Given that the Switch made its debut on March 3, 2017, we’re looking at 2024 as its seventh anniversary.
Considering that, we’ve compiled all the rumored and officially confirmed details available about the Nintendo Switch 2, anticipating its probable reveal in the upcoming months. We’ll be including every bit of leaked information, speculative rumor, and official announcement that we’ve come across below.
Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
As previously mentioned, it’s been a pretty safe bet that a new iteration of the Switch would make its way onto the scene in 2024, following Nintendo’s track record of console launches. This expectation has gained further credibility from various reports, including one from Video Games Chronicle, which relies on insider sources suggesting that Nintendo is likely to drop its next console in the latter half of 2024.
Gaming industry consultant Dr. Serkan Toto weighed in, saying, “Looking at Nintendo’s financials, it seems evident that a new hardware release is due in 2024. Hardware sales are already projected to decline by 16.5% year-on-year in the current fiscal year, with software sales expected to drop by 15.9%. The most viable way to curb these losses in the upcoming fiscal year is by introducing a new device, and a release window in the second half of 2024 appears realistic to me.”
Notably, Nikkei Asia also shared a similar report, albeit with fewer specifics. According to a source close to Nintendo in May, “Development appears to be progressing smoothly, but we shouldn’t expect a product launch before at least the spring of next year.”
Adding to the speculation, during its latest Nintendo Direct live stream on September 14, Nintendo dropped what could be considered a hint about the release date of the Switch 2. The event featured updates on several upcoming games, including Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, slated for a summer 2024 debut. This particular release is the furthest out of any Switch game Nintendo has unveiled so far, fueling speculation that it might coincide with the launch of the rumored Switch 2, if all these whispers turn out to be accurate.
Nintendo Switch 2 Price
As of fall 2023, it’s quite likely that Nintendo hasn’t settled on the final price for their upcoming console. Nevertheless, that hasn’t put a stop to the ongoing rumor mill. One notable leaker, going by the name Zippo, recently shared a quote supposedly from an insider with insights into Nintendo’s plans:
“$399. That’s the ‘golden number’ they have in mind. It aligns with the capabilities of their new system, allows for a decent profit margin, and they believe it’s the right price point for their target audience. Not a penny more, not a penny less.”
If the Switch 2 lives up to the hype generated by various rumors, $399 might indeed be within the realm of possibility. Recall that the original Switch hit the market at $299 in 2017, while the OLED model carries a $349 price tag. At first glance, $399 might seem a bit steep for a hybrid console sporting an LCD display, but ultimately, it’s what’s packed inside that will determine whether this price tag is justified.
Nintendo Switch 2 Specs and Performance
In the aforementioned VGC article, the publication cited two sources who suggested that the upcoming Switch 2 will opt for an LCD display instead of OLED to keep costs down. These same sources also indicated that the new console would retain a cartridge slot for physical game distribution.
Adding to the mix, YouTuber RedGamingTech has been actively sharing videos in recent weeks, purportedly detailing the specifications of the Switch 2. In his most recent video, posted on September 15, he claims that the console will boast an 8-core Cortex-A78 CPU, a GPU equipped with 12 streaming multiprocessors (SM), 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 256GB of flash storage, and support for DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). With these specs, the new console aims to deliver performance within a range of approximately 10-20% of the Xbox Series S.
Furthermore, reports from both VGC and Eurogamer reveal that Nintendo showcased the Switch 2 to developers at this year’s Gamescom, held in late August. According to sources, Nintendo presented “an enhanced version of the original Switch launch title, Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” and also featured Epic Games’ impressive tech demo, The Matrix Awakens, built on Unreal Engine 5.
When considering the feasibility of running The Matrix Awakens on the Switch 2, Digital Foundry weighed in by saying, “The possibility of The Matrix Awakens on Switch 2 is there, but it’s akin to how Doom 2016 and The Witcher 3 were made possible through the ingenuity of expert programmers working with hardware limitations.”
Nintendo Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility
The big question on everyone’s mind is whether the Switch 2 will be backward compatible with all your existing Switch games. While the official stance is still a mystery, there have been some subtle hints from Nintendo that suggest you won’t have to bid farewell to your game library when you make the leap to the next-generation console.
Here’s what Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa shared with shareholders back in June:
“In the past, transitioning to a new generation meant relying solely on new hardware as our connection with customers, and every time we introduced a new console, we essentially had to rebuild our relationship with them.
However, the Nintendo Switch has allowed us to establish a more direct link with our diverse customer base through the Nintendo Account system. The Nintendo Account isn’t just for console users; it’s also accessible to customers on mobile devices, and we currently have over 290 million accounts.
As we move from the Nintendo Switch to the next-generation console, our goal is to ensure that customers can make a seamless transition while still making use of their Nintendo Accounts.”
In my view, requiring 130 million Switch owners to part with their game collections wouldn’t exactly qualify as a smooth transition. Let’s hope Nintendo shares that sentiment.
Nintendo Switch 2 Games
Nintendo has a knack for guarding its game secrets better than most others in the industry, so it’s essential to take all these rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism.
With that said, here’s what’s been floating around the rumor mill: In August, Zippo suggested that there’s a “brand new major Mario title in the works for Nintendo’s next system, which will use Unreal Engine 4.” This would presumably be the successor to Super Mario Odyssey, which made its debut a few months after the Switch.
Then, in September, TheRealImAHeroToo dropped a slew of leaks on Reddit, and one particular nugget stood out. According to this source, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is reported to “look and run like a PS5 game on the Switch 2 devkit” and could potentially be ready right at launch.
Remember, though, Nintendo is renowned for playing its cards close to the chest, so while these tidbits are intriguing, it’s wise to maintain a level of cautious optimism until official announcements roll in.