The existence of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a mystery, but several signs point to its upcoming release. Read on to see all confirmed information, professional industry analysis, theories, and guesses for the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 Confirmed Information
Release Date, Specs, and Even Existence Remain Unconfirmed
Nearly 7 years since the launch of the original Switch, there has yet to be any official information regarding a Switch 2 from Nintendo at all. Though there have been a few variations of the Switch such as the Lite version and the OLED Model, they are only differentiated mostly by their screen sizes, storage sizes, and play modes. The Switch has yet to receive any significant hardware upgrades that could bolster its game-running capabilities for future titles, which has had fans clamoring for a Switch 2 for the longest time.
- [1] screenshot taken from official Nintendo website
However, Nintendo remains tight-lipped about any of the sort, and no information about a Switch successor has come out. There was a rumor of the Switch 2 being showcased behind the scenes to developers in Gamescom last year, as well as a registered patent pertaining to a dual-screen console, but Nintendo directly addressed these claims and denied the showcase’s existence, as well as explaining the patent as a routine procedure.
It’s not even known that Nintendo’s console will be an iteration of the Switch! It could very well be a wholly different console altogether! That seems very unlikely however, as the Switch has gained massive household popularity to the point that it has sold over 132.46 million units, according to Nintendo’s sales data, making the Switch Nintendo’s second top-selling console of all time just behind the Nintendo DS.
Lastly, previous Nintendo consoles have always come in pairs. The Nintendo DS was succeeded by the Nintendo 3DS, and the Nintendo Wii was succeeded by the Nintendo Wii U. If we’re to follow the pattern of history, then it can be speculated that the next Nintendo console to be an iteration of the previous, and to carry on the Switch name. Besides, it would be remiss for Nintendo to not carry over the iconic branding over to the next if there is to become one.
Nintendo Switch 2 Rumors and Speculation
For this section, we’ll be covering any rumors and speculations about the Nintendo Switch, ranging from industry analysis, inference from past interviews, and observing previous patterns.
Switch 2 Name
Before we get started, we should start trying to guess a potential name for the Switch 2 itself. The Gameboy became the Gameboy Advanced; the DS became the 3DS; and the Wii became the Wii U. So it’s natural to assume that the Switch 2 will have a moniker to differentiate it from the original.
We at Game8 have pooled our suggestions down to a good list of candidates for the name of the Switch 2.
● Nintendo Switch Two
● Super Nintendo Switch
● Nintendo Switch Plus
● NEW Nintendo Switch
● Nintendo Switch Advanced
● Nintendo Switch U2
● Nintendo Switch X|S
● Nintendo Sw2tch
Okay, perhaps we could just stick to "Switch 2?"
Switch 2 Specs
Screen
According to a report by Takashi Mochizuki and Yuki Furukawa from Bloomberg, Nintendo will announce a new console that will feature an 8-inch LCD screen. This is derived from the analysis of industry professional Hiroshi Hayase from analyst and consultancy firm Omidia. Hayase has looked into "small and medium displays and he bases annual forecasts on checks with companies in the supply chain." In line with this, Sharp Corp., a Japanese electronics company based in Osaka, announced in the middle of 2023 that they were "supplying liquid crystal displays to an ‘upcoming’ gaming console.’"
Though this all sounds very promising, it must be stated that analysts have been theorizing about the Switch 2’s release for years now by using screen orders as evidence, yet nothing ever comes to fruition. As such, this should still be taken with a massive grain of salt for nothing is confirmed until Nintendo itself reveals it.
CPU/GPU
There are currently no speculations for the potential CPU or GPU of the Switch 2. We can only be assured that it should be more powerful than the current capabilities of its NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor. However, it becoming anywhere near as powerful as modern home consoles such as the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X|S would be nigh impossible, as there would be a great tradeoff in size, weight, and power consumption that the Switch perfectly balances on. Foregoing the aforementioned qualities-of-life would go against how Nintendo has developed their portable consoles for decades.
Controllers
The Joy-Cons have become equally iconic as the Switch itself, and so we all expect that for the Switch 2, it will still retain detachable controllers. The only question that remains would be in what way could they still be upgraded further, or what faults remain (such as the ever-eternal Joy-Con drift).
Storage
The base Switch launched with a 32GB internal storage, with a microSD slot for expanded external storage. The latest Switch OLED version has a starting internal storage of 64GB. This could be a hint that the Switch 2 could very well start out at 64GB as well.
Battery Life
Both the base Switch and the OLED version have approximate battery lives of 4.5-9 hours, where it will heavily depend on the game being played. As the hardware will most likely become more powerful, the battery life will be tanked. A better Lithium-ion battery for the Switch 2 could be installed, but staying as a handheld, the 4.5-9 hour duration might decrease even a little to 3.5-8 hours.
Switch 2 Release Date
According to the Bloomberg article by Mochisuki and Furukawa, expectations and speculations regarding the Switch 2’s release date fall onto late 2024, most likely around the holiday season.
Evidence that could point to this would be how Nintendo still plans to have new releases for the Switch until 2025. The next launch of the Switch 2 near the start of 2025 makes that year the transitionary period for the base Switch. This passing-of-the-torch scenario would be similar to the transition from the Nintendo DS to the Nintendo 3DS, where the DS was set to have its 7-year anniversary when the 3DS came out.
Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility
Although there has been no confirmation about backwards compatibility between the potential Switch 2 and the base Switch, it would make sense to assume it to be implemented, as it was similarly possible for DS games to be played on the 3DS. It would be in line with how the Wii U can play base Wii games as well.
More evidence to support this would be direct statements from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa. In the 83rd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders Q&A, the third question he was asked was regarding "measures for a transition to the next generation console." Furukawa responds in length, but the key detail he mentions would be the importance of the existing Nintendo Accounts and the connection they directly provide to their customers. "The Nintendo Account is not only a console-based account, but also a mobile app-based account." The amount of accounts has risen to a staggering 290 million worldwide, and so the company strives to ensure a smooth transition from the previous generation to the next.
This line of thinking implies that backwards compatibility is definitely on the table for Nintendo’s next console generation.
Switch 2 Price
From Nintendo’s history of console prices at launch, we estimate that the Switch 2 will cost from $349.99 to $399.99. Going back to the pairs of consoles Nintendo has released in the DS/3DS and the Wii/Wii U, we can make out a potential price range.
| Console | Launch Price |
|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | $149.99 |
| Nintendo 3DS | $249.99 |
| Nintendo Wii | $249.99 |
| Nintendo Wii U | $299.99 |
| Nintendo Switch | $299.99 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 (Tentative Name) |
??? |
From the pattern, we can posit that the Nintendo Switch will be at least $50 more expensive, but will not exceed $100 more.
Sources:
[1] Nintendo Switch Variations Comparisons
Nintendo Denies Rumors of Switch 2 Showcase at Gamescom
Nintendo Dedicated Video Games Sales Units
Nintendo Technical Specs
Bloomberg | Nintendo’s Next Switch Coming This Year With LCD, Omdia Says
Nintendo’s 83rd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders Q&A
