It’s been eight years since the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, and after a long and successful reign, it’s about time we find out more about its successor. We’ve seen updates to the current Switch with the OLED and Lite models, but it feels like we’re finally close to a proper Switch 2.
After becoming the 2nd best-selling console in history last year, it’s fair to say that Nintendo wants to keep things close to its chest. Yet, even with all the secrecy surrounding the possibility of a new Nintendo Switch, leaks have steadily trickled out these last few months and we’ve collected all the details we could find about the mystery follow-up ahead of its eventual official announcement and release.
What Will the Nintendo Switch 2 Look Like?
The look and design of the Switch 2 — as we’ll call it for now until an official announcement — is the subject of some of the heaviest leaks in recent weeks thanks to third-party accessory manufacturers who are releasing prototypes of their Switch 2 accessories. The most high-profile of these comes from accessories maker Genki, which showed off a recreation of the Switch 2 at this year’s CES which it claims is based off of the specs of a real Switch 2 that Genki says it’s seen and used – something it has since backtracked on.
IGN met with Genki at CES and looked at several details about the Switch 2 design we’ve seen in leaks recently, including Joy-Cons that attach magnetically to the tablet as opposed to slide on rails like in the current Switch. Genki CEO Eddie Tsai, who again claims to have based the company’s designs on a real Switch 2, also told The Verge there is an optical sensor that could potentially turn the Joy-Cons into something like a computer mouse.
Another new addition to the Switch 2 is a mysterious new “C” button on the right Joy-Con. There are some rumors that it could be related to some kind of camera function, but neither Genki nor any leaks have any real confirmation on what this new button does. Lastly, there is also a new USB port at the top of the Switch 2 that should let players charge the system in handheld mode if they prefer having the cable above the screen, rather than below it.
The Joy-Cons look to be the area of biggest change in the Switch 2. Alongside the magnetic attachments, in May 2023 a patent was filed with the United States Patent Office and published in September, which details a magnetic field for controls rather than the plastic circuit boards seen in the current generation console that could alleviate “Joy-Con drift.”
As for the form factor itself, based on the Genki model, the Switch 2 will be largely unchanged though it will be bigger. We brought a tape measure and found Genki’s Switch 2 model is 10.5” wide, 4.5” tall, .5” thick, and has an 8” screen. For comparison, the Switch OLED is 9.5” wide, 4.5” tall, also .5” thick, and has a 7” screen. The Switch 2 could also sport a U-shaped kickstand as opposed to the ones currently on the Switch and Switch OLED.
Switch 2 Specs and Performance
Less is known about the Switch 2’s internals, and therefore performance is still a mystery. Digital Foundry was able to confirm that the Switch 2 is running a custom version of Nvidia’s T234 mobile processor called the T239. Based on an octo-core ARM A78C CPU cluster and custom graphics unit based on Nvidia’s RTX 30-series Ampere architecture, Digital Foundry’s findings makes me think the Switch 2 will be more powerful than a PS4, but not comparable to current-gen consoles like the PS5.
Another wrinkle is that sources have told Digital Foundry that the custom Nvidia chip may not feature a Deep Learning Accelerator (DLA) which would limit DLSS upscaling to 1440p rather than 4K.
Lastly, per yet another leak, alleged retail listings shows the Switch 2 supports newer models of SD cards with faster transfer speeds and performance comparable to SSDs.
Switch 2 Launch Games
While the look and specs of the Switch 2 are all well and good, what about the games? Well, we know even less about the launch games for the Switch 2 than almost anything else about the console. So, let’s look at some of the games that launched with the first Switch, shall we?
Looking back, the first Switch launch titles were pretty paltry. Aside from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was truly a stunning game, the rest of the Switch’s launch offerings included games like 1-2-Switch, Just Dance 2017, Snipperclips, and Shovel Knight among others.
The launch “window” was a bit better with games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, and Splatoon 2, plus Super Mario Odyssey towards the end of the year.
Will the Switch 2 launch games be any better? It’s almost impossible to say. Nintendo still has some Switch games releasing in 2025 including Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but that is almost certainly going to be a cross-gen game in the same way Breath of the Wild was for the Wii U and Switch. But who’s to say if Metroid Prime 4 will be a launch game, or a launch window game?
Will the Switch 2 be Backwards Compatible?
Here’s one thing we do know: The Switch 2 will seemingly be backwards compatible.
Instead of a leak, this comes from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa himself in a statement released on Nintendo’s official X account. At the November 2024 Corporate Management Policy Briefing, Furukawa announced that “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.”
Furukawa also says that “Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well.”
This is Furukawa. At today’s Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…
— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024
While this statement isn’t fully revealing, at the very least it confirms that current Nintendo Switch games will be playable on the Switch 2, and the version of Nintendo Switch Online we know today will also be on the Switch 2. The finer details, like whether or not it’s as easy as playing our games straight from our current Nintendo Switch cartridge, or some digital transfer, is not clear.
Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
While Nintendo hasn’t yet announced any official follow-up to their incredibly successful Nintendo Switch console, a 2025 launch seems almost certain. We just don’t know when.
In February 2024, the Japanese publication Nikkei suggested that the proposed Nintendo Switch 2 would launch in March 2025 at the earliest, contradicting previous reports. While the article covered information we’ve heard before, like the proposed iterative design scheme, Nikkei did add that the 2025 date was likely due to the company stockpiling consoles to avoid scalping at launch. As any long-term Nintendo fan knows, procuring one of the company’s new consoles can be tricky business. Those who tried will remember how difficult it was to secure a Nintendo Switch at launch in 2017, with the console suffering from inflated pricing on the aftermarket due to crafty resellers.
Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed in an interview with Nikkei, and translated by VGC, that Nintendo will support the current-gen Switch until at least March 2025. This sentiment is also backed up by previous comments Furukawa made regarding the future of the Nintendo Switch in a financial briefing Q&A in 2022. In this interview, he committed to focusing on “building long-term relationships with our consumers (through Nintendo Accounts),” he went on to reiterate “, While continuing to release new Nintendo Switch software for consumers to enjoy, we aim to maintain relationships across hardware generations through services that utilize Nintendo Accounts and by providing opportunities for them to experience our IP through other non-gaming channels.”
Even with all the juicy gossip, it’s best not to hold your breath on what’s coming from the Japanese tech titan’s next console until there is an official announcement; fingers crossed we’ll get that confirmation soon.
Nintendo Switch 2 Price
There are plenty of Nintendo Switch models to consider while shopping right now, with pricing shifting dramatically depending on the version you’re looking to invest in. Looking forward to a potential Switch 2, inflation and internal specs, amongst other variables, will likely play a part in what we’ll pay for a new console at launch.
It’s hard to know what the pricing of this mystery device will be, but we’ve listed the RRP of the current range of Nintendo Switch models as a reference:
- Nintendo Switch Lite: $199.99
- Nintendo Switch: $299.99
- Nintendo Switch OLED: $349.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Models
With the range of Nintendo Switch consoles currently on the market, you may be left wondering if you’ll have the same number of choices to pick between when the next iteration rolls around.
The latest Nintendo Switch OLED model features a remarkable screen, and it feels like the future of the console, it being the most recent edition to Nintendo’s lineup. However, according to a VGC report, the next-gen Nintendo Switch may potentially feature an LCD screen instead.
The current array of Nintendo Switch models are numerous and were released over the console’s multi-year lifespan, so it’s reasonable to believe there may be several versions of a potential Nintendo Switch follow-up, too.
This piece was originally published on April 4, 2024. It has been updated on January 9, 2025.
