Nintendo Switch 2 rumors: Everything we know so far and what we want to see

Update, May 9, 2024 (06:50 AM ET): We’ve updated this Nintendo Switch 2 rumor hub with official confirmation that the console is coming. We’ve also added leaks around the device’s early specifications, size mockup, and corroboration for the launch timeline.

Original article: Even if you love it and still use it daily, there’s no denying that the Nintendo Switch is getting old. Launched in 2017, the hybrid console celebrated its seventh birthday in March, which means it’s getting close to retirement. With this in mind, one can’t help but wonder: where is the sequel, presumably called the Nintendo Switch 2?

Thankfully, Nintendo has confirmed that a successor is coming soon. There have also been some rumors and leaks surrounding the sequel to Nintendo’s best-selling home console. We’ve rounded up the most trustworthy of them here. Towards the end of the article, we also have a few wishlist items — things we hope to see but don’t have any evidence for quite yet.

Will there be a Nintendo Switch 2?

The Nintendo Switch is the company’s best-selling home console ever, with over 139 million units shipped to date. The only hardware Nintendo has released that has done better than the Switch is the Nintendo DS, which sold 154 million units. When you take this popularity into account, you can be relatively assured there will be a Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo has confirmed that it will announce a successor to the Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year, meaning that the Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) will be revealed no later than March 2025.

Since the announcement comes directly from the company, this is completely true and reliable as long as you believe their word.

Eurogamer reported on September 7, 2023, that Nintendo showcased the Switch 2 to developers behind closed doors at Gamescom. The outlet claimed that the firm showed a number of tech demos, including a higher resolution and frame rate version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild. But it stressed that there was no hint that this game would be re-released.

It was also reported by VGC that Nintendo showed off Epic’s The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, which was originally released to showcase the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. This doesn’t mean that the Switch 2 is as powerful as these consoles, however. The report says that the Switch 2 was relying on NVIDIA’s DLSS technology with advanced ray tracing enabled to upscale the resolution to the same level as current-gen consoles.

For the record, Nintendo President Mr. Shuntaro Furukawa shot down these rumors in November while speaking with the Japanese publication Mainichi. Specifically, Furukawa says the rumors are “inaccurate” and “untrue.” Take that as you will.

Will it be called ‘Nintendo Switch 2’ or something else?

Sony sticks to a reliable naming scheme for its consoles. The first PlayStation was followed up by a PlayStation 2. After that, we saw a PS3 and a PS4. Even today, the newest console is the Sony PlayStation 5. It’s all very logical and reliable.

Nintendo doesn’t go this route. In fact, since the launch of the original Nintendo Entertainment System in 1983, there has never been a “2” in a Nintendo console’s name. That includes handheld consoles as well. So, the likelihood of a sequel to the Switch landing with the official name of Nintendo Switch 2 is relatively low.

However, the Nintendo Switch is unlike anything the company has done before. Its ability to act as both a home console and a handheld sets it apart from Nintendo’s historical roster, and its runaway success has created some serious brand recognition for the word “Switch.” It’s possible the company could keep things simple and call the sequel a Switch 2. We think this won’t happen, though, and Nintendo will do something else. Some possible names could be Super Nintendo Switch, New Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Pro, or something really off the beaten path.

When might the Nintendo Switch 2 release date be?

So, when is the Nintendo Switch 2 coming out? Very soon.

As mentioned, Nintendo has officially teased that the company will make an announcement about the successor to the Nintendo Switch “within this fiscal year.” The current fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025, so the Switch 2 will definitely be announced between now and then, as per the company’s own words.

A report from Nikkei suggested that the Switch 2 could launch in March 2025. It’s said Nintendo delayed the launch to prevent hardware shortages and strengthen its software lineup. The outlet also points out that the launch could be delayed again depending on manufacturing issues and how many games are available, though it is important to note that the report was making this prediction before Nintendo’s official confirmation. If the console does get released in March 2025, it would mirror the launch of the OG Switch, which landed on March 3, 2017, a full eight years earlier.

A leak by Brazilian streamer tvPH corroborates that the Switch 2 will be released in March 2025. This is in line with Nintendo’s official announcement and other leaks and gives the company lots of time to build up hype around the successor to one of its most popular products. A March 2025 announcement will also give room to game publishers who will be releasing or announcing games in the upcoming Nintendo Direct in June 2024.

What features and specs could the Nintendo Switch 2 have?

We don’t expect Nintendo to reinvent the wheel with a Switch sequel. The original Switch is a massive hit and a cultural touchstone. Hopefully, Nintendo won’t mess with this success. As with the jump from the Nintendo DS to the Nintendo 3DS, we expect the company to keep the core of what the Switch is and make it better rather than wildly revamping things as it tried to do from the Wii to the Wii U.

A new design?

The above patent images were filed by Nintendo in November 2022 and first spotted by GameRant. They appear to show a 3DS-inspired design for a handheld console. Like a 3DS, it has two displays — an upper and a lower. Additionally, there is an exterior display, which would undoubtedly be a unique addition to a gaming handheld.

Additionally, the patent shows the two halves of the console separating. This would also be a very unique design element. But why? Why would having two halves make any sense? Maybe for two-player games? It’s unclear from the limited amount of information we have thus far.

However, don’t assume that this patent image references the design for the Nintendo Switch 2. Companies patent things all the time “just in case,” with only a tiny number ever making it to the final product stage. The only thing that suggests this patent could be Switch-related is the timing. If Nintendo filed this in late 2022, that would make it right around the time the company probably started finalizing plans for the Switch sequel.

Elsewhere, rumors abound that the Switch 2 could be slightly bigger than current Switch models. Allegedly, it could have an 8-inch display, a full inch bigger than the 7-inch display on the Switch OLED, and 1.8 inches larger than the 6.2-inch display of the original.

Additionally, a recent rumor from April 2024 suggests the Switch 2’s Joy-Con could magnetically attach to the sides of the display, similar to the MSI Claw.

A reshared leak from CentroLeaks, citing Famiboards community member mjayer, includes a purported scale mockup of the Switch 2’s size based on leaked parts, comparing it to the original Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck.

Keep in mind that this is a size mockup, not a design mockup. The final product could look significantly different from this mockup, but it could retain similar dimensions. It is important to note that the mockup also deviates a fair bit from the patents that depicted a dual-display handheld console.

Switch accounts

Whenever Nintendo switches (pun intended) to a new console, those consoles tend to have their own account systems. So unlike PlayStation and Xbox, where players carry their accounts over from generation to generation, Nintendo players typically have to create a new account. But that won’t be the case for the Switch’s successor.

Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser spoke with Inverse about the Switch’s future in October. While he didn’t confirm or deny the existence of a Switch 2, Bowser did talk about making the transition easier by allowing accounts to carry over to whatever comes next.

“Well, first, I can’t comment — or I won’t comment, I should say — on the rumors that are out there,” Bowser told the publication. “But one thing we’ve done with the Switch to help with that communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account.” He then said that the new overarching Nintendo Account would “allow us to communicate with our players if and when we make a transition to a new platform, to help ease that process or transition.”

As for why Nintendo is embracing this change of approach, Bowser stated:

“Our goal is to minimize the dip you typically see in the last year of one cycle and the beginning of another. I can’t speak to the possible features of a new platform, but the Nintendo Account is a strong basis for having that communication as we make the transition.”

So, it appears whenever the Switch 2 — or whatever the next console is — comes out, you’ll still have the same account as you did with the original Switch. This strongly suggests at least some level of backward compatibility.

The leak from Brazilian streamer tvPH corroborates that the Switch 2 could retain backward compatibility with first-generation Switch games for both physical and digital copies.

A better processor

Inevitably, the Nintendo Switch 2 would need to be more powerful than the original. The need for better CPU/GPU performance is painfully evident for Switch games like Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and even The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. These titles sap so much from the Switch’s meager processor that dropped frames, glitches, and even outright crashes are common.

As such, we are confident Nintendo would include an upgraded processor with a Switch sequel. The system on a chip (SoC) in the Switch is based on the Tegra X1, which NVIDIA launched in 2015. We’d expect Nintendo to repeat this strategy for the Switch 2 and base its next-gen SoC on another, newer NVIDIA product. Keeping hardware similar would make backward compatibility easier and prevent third-party developers from needing to adapt to a new architecture.

Nintendo would also need to finely balance performance with power consumption due to the ostensibly portable nature of the Switch 2. Then again, it can’t afford to go too conservative as it did with the Wii U, as a lack of horsepower was one of the reasons why it became the firm’s worst-selling home console.

Thankfully, a rumor suggests Nintendo could answer all our prayers in this regard. Unfortunately, the rumor stems from a shaky source — 4chan — so take it all with a huge grain of salt. Regardless, the rumor states that Nintendo and NVIDIA could be working on the next Switch’s processor, tentatively known as T239. Allegedly, this processor is capable of 4K output using HDMI 2.1. It would support backward compatibility with the original Switch’s library and could even upscale those games.

Most interestingly, though, is the rumor that the T239 can be programmed by game developers to be either better for performance or battery life. In other words, a developer could choose to sap every ounce of power from the chip for a graphically demanding game (which would churn through battery life) or tone things down for processing and make battery life the focus. This would make a lot of sense as some Switch games really need a processing boost, while others don’t. That ability to choose would be a killer feature.

Most recently, we’ve heard that the performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 could be on par with a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. This comes from an Activision employee with direct knowledge of Nintendo’s plans, which came to light through heavily redacted documents unearthed for the Activision-Microsoft litigation. This makes us feel pretty confident that the Switch 2 will be much more powerful than the original.

Other possible Nintendo Switch 2 specs

Outside of the SoC, we’d expect the Switch 2 to come with the same or better specs as the original Switch. Note that we’re not saying the Switch OLED here. It doesn’t look like there will be total parity between that model and the Switch 2.

There is some evidence that Nintendo could skip the OLED panel in 2024/2025. According to Bloomberg, Sharp is working on LCD panels for an upcoming “gaming console.” Sharp makes the LCD panels for the current Switch and Switch Lite, so it’s very possible these LCDs are for a Switch 2. If so, the Switch 2 could be more like the original Switch than the Switch OLED. Of course, Sharp could be working on a wholly different gaming console, so this one is up in the air. But VGC’s sources, in the report mentioned earlier, back this up by saying Nintendo may opt for an LCD panel to save on costs.

To supplement its lack of processing power compared to Sony and Microsoft’s consoles, it’s possible Nintendo could turn to NVIDIA’s DLSS upscaling technology. As mentioned earlier, Nintendo showed off a demo to developers where DLSS was used to help a game perform to the level of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Community members at Famiboards, a discussion forum for Nintendo games and consoles, have been tracking shipment and customs data between Nintendo, NVIDIA, and other companies in an attempt to find hints of the Switch 2’s specifications. Famiboards forum member LiC claims to have analyzed the various shipment listings and concludes that the Nintendo Switch 2 could have 12GB of RAM, coming from 2x 6GB LPDDR5X modules capable of 7,500MT/s transfer speed. Further, the internal storage could be 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

Launch games

The rumor mill appears pretty confident that the Switch successor could support backward compatibility with current Switch titles. That would be terrific news, as it would enable you to continue playing your favorites from the past seven years without needing to keep your original Switch.

One “new” game we do think might launch with the Switch 2 is Hi-Fi Rush. Per a report from Insider Gaming, the Xbox/Windows-exclusive title is confirmed to be coming to other consoles, including the PlayStation 5. However, the Switch was curiously left out of this announcement, and IG thinks it might be because it’s actually coming to the Switch 2. If so, we likely wouldn’t hear confirmation until deep into 2024.

Regardless of the status of Hi-Fi Rush, you should expect at least one launch title from Nintendo’s various first-party franchises. This could be Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Metroid, or any other, but it is unlikely Nintendo would launch a new console without a first-party exclusive attached.

What could the Nintendo Switch 2 price be?

One reason for the runaway success of the original Switch is its price. At $299, it is significantly less expensive than a PlayStation 5 and the same price as an Xbox Series S. However, that does not mean the Switch 2 would be priced similarly.

If Nintendo does keep the original Switch in production when it launches a follow-up console — which is very possible considering Nintendo’s official statements on its continuing support for the original Switch — it could easily justify charging more for the Switch 2. For example, Nintendo could price a Switch 2 at $399. In fact, a reliable source, VGC, points to that number in a recent leak from January 2024.

That’s expensive, yes, but still $100 less than an Xbox Series X and the same price as the original digital-only version of the PlayStation 5 (the slimmed-down version of the digital PS5 got a price increase in late 2023). The success of the Switch has perhaps earned Nintendo the right to charge more, especially if it sees a ton of spec upgrades.

If you think about it, that hypothetical $399 price would make a lot of sense. On the low end, you’d have the Switch Lite at $199. The original Switch would remain at $299, and the Switch OLED Model would be an upsell at its current price of $349. The Switch 2 could top the list as the newest and best model. Of course, Nintendo could make the Switch 2 feel more premium by eliminating the original Switch and dropping the Switch OLED Model to $299, too.

Regardless, we do not expect the Switch 2 to cost the same as the original at launch since both products will likely exist simultaneously. We might see price drops for existing Switch models, but the Switch 2 is going to be better and more powerful, so there’s a good chance it will be more expensive.

Additionally, games will likely be more expensive. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom controversially launched at $70, which is $10 more than the average first-party Switch game. This may have been a test run, as VGC says Switch 2 games might be at $70 as a default.

Nintendo Switch 2: What we want to see

A performance-boosting dock

The Switch’s dock is incredibly simplistic. Really, it’s just a plastic box with an HDMI adapter attached. The Switch OLED model slightly increases complexity by incorporating an Ethernet port, but it’s still just an adapter box. We’d love to see the Nintendo Switch 2 have a dock that also increases the power of the Switch itself.

The dock could act the same way as an eGPU, boosting the graphical abilities of the Switch when it’s connected. This could allow for higher refresh rates, higher resolutions (4K please!), better audio, etc., when playing the Switch 2 on your television. When you take it out of the dock to use it in handheld mode, the performance would drop — but it wouldn’t matter on that tiny screen. Obviously, this would increase the cost of the Switch 2 significantly, but it would make the console so much better. Even if this is a “Dock Pro” that’s sold separately, we’d love to see Nintendo do this.

Support for higher refresh rates

Whether playing on your TV or in handheld mode, all three current Switch models are capped at 60Hz. The Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5 — both three years old at this point — support higher refresh rates. Even budget Android smartphones have 90Hz displays nowadays, so Nintendo needs to get with the times. We’d love to see 90Hz in handheld mode and 120Hz when docked. This would make the Switch 2 more of a modern console and would make it more future-proof. It would also help differentiate the Switch 2 and the original Switch models.

Better Joy-Con

Without a doubt, the weakest aspect of the original Switch is the Joy-Con controllers. The rumble tech is cool, and the multiple control options are neat, but the stubby sticks, questionable ergonomics, and cheap, tiny buttons leave much to be desired when using the Switch on the go. Nintendo probably isn’t going to reinvent the wheel with a Switch 2, so the sequel console will probably have Joy-Con that are very similar in design to the originals. But there’s a ton of room for improvement there. Besides, Nintendo would need to avoid the “Joy-Con drift” debacle that still pervades to this day with Switch hardware. Once again, this could also be a simple differentiator for why the Switch 2 is more expensive than other Switch models.

Have any Nintendo Switch 2 leaks to share with us? Send us a tip, and we’ll check it out.