You don’t have to be an industry insider to know that the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon. Following the mammoth success of the Japanese gaming giant’s hybrid console, the hotly anticipated successor is on everyone’s minds, and with so many rumors and so much speculation circulating, we thought we’d bring all the important pre-launch details together in one place.
With the latest information, release date speculation, and some of our slightly unhinged maths, we’re here to cover every possible thing, whether it’s the Nintendo Switch 2 release date, various hardware possibilities, or what sort of other things may change it into something unique. If you can’t wait for something new, check out our list of the best portable gaming consoles for some awesome Switch alternatives.
Here’s everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2:
Nintendo Switch 2 release date speculation
In May 2024, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa announced on X (Twitter) that the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal is coming before the end of the 2024/2025 fiscal year. That means we’re going to see it before the end of March 2025. While still not offering a concrete release date, we assume this announcement from Furukawa means we’ll have a Switch 2 in our hands by the summer of next year, if not a little later.
While 2024 began with plenty of speculation pointing to a same-year release date for the Switch 2, by April more reports were emerging of internal delays at Nintendo, pushing the console back into 2025. We still don’t technically know if Nintendo delayed the launch or if the original rumors were slightly off, but either way, we should at least have an idea of when the console is arriving by the time the holidays roll around in 2024.
For context, Nintendo revealed the original Nintendo Switch in October 2016 before releasing the console in March 2017. That’s about six months between the reveal of the console and its arrival in stores. With that in mind, we think it’s fair to speculate a similar approach from Nintendo this time around. As Furukawa suggested, there was nothing on the console in the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, but we could still see an update before the year is out.
Nintendo Switch 2 launch title speculation
The arrival of new Nintendo Consoles often coincides with the release of new series entries for big-name Nintendo IPs like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and others. Nintendo could also take a risk and introduce a new IP to lead the line for the Nintendo Switch 2, but given the brand’s history and how much it relies on its big hitter names, we don’t think that’s likely.
Every Nintendo home console so far has arrived alongside a Mario or Zelda game. The NES launched with Super Mario Bros, the SNES with Super Mario World, and then the N64 had Super Mario 64.
The GameCube was a little different and arrived with Luigi’s Mansion, then we got Zelda: Twilight Princess on Wii, before getting New Super Mario Bros. U on the Wii U. Finally, the Nintendo Switch launched with Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey.
Now, it would seem like a good guess that we may get a new Mario or Zelda, but we’ve only just seen the release of Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, so it may be a little soon for another game in either of those series.
There’s plenty of speculation surrounding whether the upcoming Pokémon Legends game might be a launch title for Switch, but we’ve not seen Pokémon leading the line like that before. There’s also a chance that Metroid Prime 4 could be a big launch for the early Switch 2 era, with Nintendo revealing a 2025 release date during the Nintendo Direct in June 2024.
Are there any Nintendo Switch 2 leaks?
We’ve been hearing Nintendo Switch 2 release date rumors and supposed leaks for almost half of the original Switch’s lifetime, but it’s only in the last year or so that we started seeing believable leaks emerge. These leaks still didn’t turn out to hold any weight, as many predicted an early 2024 launch, which obviously didn’t happen. Still, there are a few leaks out there that point to what hardware we can expect for the Switch 2.
Here are all of the Nintendo Switch 2 rumors we’ve seen so far:
- Possible native 4K
- 4K upscaling capabilities patented by Nintendo
- 8-inch LCD screen
- In May 2023, Bloomberg revealed Sharp was supplying LCD panels for an upcoming gaming console
- Good stock availability on launch
- Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said that Nintendo plans to have plenty of stock available for any future console releases
- Demos at Gamescom 2023
- Eurogamer reported that Nintendo showed off some Nintendo Switch 2 demos behind closed doors at Gamescom 2023. An improved version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was apparently shown
- Dual-screen gaming device patent
- Nintendo has recently patented a dual-screen device with a detachable screen. A patent doesn’t guarantee a new product, but we absolutely love the way this looks
- Continued Switch support
- Nintendo confirmed in its financial results briefing that it “will continue to release new titles and content for Nintendo Switch without being bound by the traditional concept of the platform lifecycle.”
- Ray tracing
- Wccftech has reported that during the latest episode of Nate the Hate’s podcast, an insider mentioned the Nintendo Switch 2 may have ray tracing thanks to NVIDIA’s Ray Reconstruction tech
- First-party games going out of print
- Nintendeal on Twitter started Tweeting out information on first-party Nintendo games being out of print and a Resetera thread highlighted even more games. This could be for an upcoming Switch Selects line or to be replaced with a Nintendo Switch 2 SKU
- Nvidia’s Tegra X1 chip
- According to a Reuters report, the Nintendo Switch 2 will house a custom Nvidia chip. Rumors also suggest devs can enhance their OG Switch games to take advantage of the added processing power
- Backward compatibility
- Centro Leaks shared a translated rumor from Universo Nintendo that suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backward-compatible
- Q1 2025 release date
- In February 2024, game journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe suggested a Q1 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 release date, with multiple outlets reporting on and corroborating the story.
- Switch 2 dev kit upgrade
- In March 2024, X leaker Nash Weedle reported that Switch 2 dev kits are getting upgrades from Nintendo to allow developers to go “one step further.”
- Magnetic Joy-Cons
- Vandal shared the news that the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons use magnets to attach to the console rather than adopting the rail system of the original Switch. The same report also detailed a larger display for the Switch 2 but didn’t include any specific dimensions.
- 12GB RAM
- According to reports in May 2024, the Switch 2 is coming with 12GB RAM, which is more than the PS4 or Xbox Series S.
These are all rumors, so take it with a grain of salt. There are also rumors the console may not be backward compatible, among a bunch of other things. We’ll keep an eye on every development and keep you up to date on all the latest.
Nintendo Switch 2 price prediction
There’s no news on how much the Nintendo Switch 2 will cost, but we can make educated guesses. Given that Nintendo tends to try and aim for a competitive price point, Pocket Tactics expects the Nintendo Switch 2 to cost around $300-$350. It could be more expensive than that, but we assume Nintendo wants to continue to retail at a lower price point than the high-end Sony and Xbox consoles, as well as handheld competition from the likes of the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally.
The other reason for this price estimate is the rumor that the Nintendo Switch 2 comes with an LCD panel. For Nintendo to not include an OLED panel like the latest model of the Switch seems odd, and is most likely only for cost-saving reasons. This is conjecture, sure, but it makes sense to us.
Nintendo Switch 2 colors speculation
This far ahead of the release date, we still have no idea what colors to expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to come in. The original Switch is available with red and blue Joy-Cons, or grey, while the OLED version launched with white Joy-Cons, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see any of those options available when the Nintendo Switch 2 arrives. This is just speculation, though, and there’s nothing to say Nintendo couldn’t try something new.
None of the leaks or rumors we’ve seen so far surrounding the Switch 2 relate to the color of the console, so we’re not sure what to expect. If we find out any news details or hear any new rumors, we’ll be sure to update this article with the latest information.
Nintendo Switch 2 battery life speculation
Despite plenty of specs rumors, we still have no idea what to expect from the Switch 2 in terms of battery life. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see some improvement on the original, but it’s worth keeping in mind that upgraded hardware might demand more power, so it’s not a given that we can expect countless hours of battery life from a Nintendo Switch successor.
We’ve seen some unsubstantiated rumors, with tipsters suggesting anything from 3-6 hours of battery life to 9-12, but these sources are questionable at best. We’re hoping for the latter, but that might require some compromises in terms of performance or graphics. As soon as we hear anything that sounds even slightly trustworthy, we’ll update this page with that information.
For more beyond the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our guide to the best Switch games and all the new Switch games to find something to play in the meantime. Or, if you’re more of a mobile gamer, grab some freebies with our guides to Squad Busters codes, Coin Master free spins, and free Monopoly Go dice.