Switch 2 unmasked in new images ahead of release of all-new Nintendo console next week

Nintendo Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all-time, successfully merging Nintendo's handheld and home console divisions into a single hybrid gadget. However, the record sales increase pressure on a potential successor

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Aaron Brown

By Aaron Brown


Published: 19/09/2024

- 10:38

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All-new Switch Lite is coming next week, but something bigger is in the works at Nintendo

  • Nintendo has already confirmed the launch of an all-new Switch Lite
  • The Hyrule Edition console will debut on September 26, 2024
  • It's timed to launch alongside the latest Legend of Zelda title
  • Leaksters shared images purporting to show the Switch successor
  • It has a similar overall design, but a larger screen and 2 USB-C ports
  • Tipsters claim it'll have at least 256GB of built-in storage
  • Backwards compatibility seems all-but guaranteed

Could this be our first glimpse of the Nintendo Switch 2?

The feverishly-anticipated successor to the Nintendo Switch, one of the best-selling consoles of all-time, has appeared in a series of leaked renders shared on social media. If the renders are accurate, the incoming console appears to be a subtle evolutionof what made the Switch such a hit, rather than a radical redesign.

Nintendo has not officially confirmed anything about the so-called Switch 2, but the Japanese gaming firm promised in May that an announcement about the follow-up to the Nintendo Switch would be made in the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2025.

The arrival of these leaked images arrived amid growing speculation about the an upcoming announcement from Nintendo. Earlier this month, reports suggested that full-scale production of the Switch 2 had already started, with billions invested into a new supply chain to produce the next-generation console.

The leaked images appear to be a CAD, or Computer Aided Design, sometimes referred to as a 3D model, that allows designers and engineers to create to-scale computer models of parts or electronics to aid in complex assemblies, manufacturing, and to allow partners — like case manufacturers — to get a headstart on production ahead of a release.

If the Switch 2 leaks are genuine, the overall design of the console appears largely unchanged. It'll have a tablet-like body with detachable controllers, which can be used for local multiplayer with two people.

This time around, it appears the console will boast a larger 8-inch screen, compared to the 6.2-inch display on the original Switch and the 7-inch screen on the OLED Model. On the back, these leaked CAD images show the same kickstand design found on the Switch OLED Model, which stretched across the entire back-plate of the console, suggesting Nintendo may retain some popular design features from its current line-up.

The Joy-Con controllers, which can be used attached or wirelessly, look set to connect to the frame of the console with magnets, rather than sliding into place on rails — like the current model. Whether these magnets are strong enough to keep the Joy-Con controllers in place in a particularly stressful boss battle in The Legend of Zelda or an unfair red shell in Mario Kart remains to be seen.

An additional USB-C port is visible on the top of the device, alongside the one at the bottom, potentially allowing for dual-screen setups or more comfortable charging during gameplay. Meanwhile, the overall button layout remains strikingly similar to the existing Switch, suggesting a degree of continuity in the user experience.

That's sure to be very important as Nintendo is rumoured to enable backwards compatibility on the Switch 2.

The leaked renders appear to show a game card slot running on the top-edge of the console, suggesting that it'll be able to accommodate the same SD card-like cartridges used by the current generation of Switch.

Alongside the leaked images, tipsters shared some specifications for the Switch 2. According to these unverified sources, the new console will boast 12GB of RAM, a significant upgrade from the 4GB in the current model, while internal storage will be increased to 256GB, addressing a common complaint about the original Switch's limited 32GB capacity.

Previous rumours suggest the internal improvements could bring the Switch 2 closer to the performance levels of the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X ...while still maintaining Nintendo's unique hybrid console design.

Support for HDMI 2.1 is also mentioned in the latest leaks, potentially allowing for a higher frame-rate when outputting to a modern television. According to Chinese peripheral maker Mobapad, the Switch 2 handheld will offer 1080p visuals, with connecting it to a television unlocks 4K Ultra HD output to a compatible telly.

If accurate, these specifications would represent a serious performance boost over the current Nintendo Switch, which is starting to look a little underpowered seven years after its launch. Of course, none of these details are confirmed, so take all of the above with a (generous) pinch of salt.

It's unclear when we'll get official confirmation from Nintendo.

The Tokyo Games Show, shceduled to begin later this month in Japan, has been suggested as a potential venue for Nintendo to make a big announcement. However, Nintendo has traditionally held its own Direct presentations to showcase major releases, especially new consoles.

While leaksters originally suggested Nintendo would launch its new console later this year, some sources now point to a potential delay pushing back the release into early 2025. This is apparently to ensure that Nintendo has enough games ready to support the launch with some of its biggest franchises, including Super Mario, Mario Kart, and The Legend of Zelda. It's unclear why Nintendo would announce its follow-up to the Switch before the busy Christmas shopping period but not put it on sale until early 2025.

Nintendo has a new Switch Lite coming later this month, and two new bundles for its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch — OLED Model with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to boost sales over Christmas.

If previous years are anything to go by, Nintendo usually holds a major announcement in September. So we could find out about its plans for the so-called Nintendo Switch 2 in a few days.

Christopher Dring of GamesIndustry.biz sparked further speculation with a tweet about "industry whispers" regarding "something Switch 2-related happening this month". Other journalists, including VGC's Andy Robinson, corroborated these rumours, though all cautioned against absolute certainty.

mario and luigi pictured in screenshot from upcoming brothership nintendo switch game

Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood is the first all-new entry in the turn-based Mario & Luigi series since Paper Jam back in 2015. The incoming Switch game looks set to bring an inventive new art style and plenty of platforming action

NINTENDO PRESS OFFICE

The original Switch was unveiled in October 2016 with a surprise three-minute teaser trailer. Given that this home-cum-portable console has gone on to sell over 143.4 million units worldwide, it seems logical Nintendo would want to follow a very similar strategy for the sequel. However, other experts have cautioned that we're unlikely to hear about the Switch 2 this side of Christmas as an announcement could hurt sales of the original console during the critical holiday sales period.

The Switch 2 will be a pivotal movement for Nintendo. With the original Switch having sold over 143 million consoles worldwide, it's fast approaching the Nintendo DS as the company's best-selling console ever.

However, the Japanese firm has a reputation of fumbling the follow-up to its biggest hit, with the Wii U — the successor to the Nintendo Wii, a global phenomenon that sold 101.63 million units — managing just 13.56 million.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Pricing for the new console remains a complete unknown. The original Nintendo Switch launched at £259.99, whilst the OLED Model debuted at £309.99 four years later.

Whatever happens with the next console generation, Nintendo has already announced a flood of new titles to bolster the current Switch during its final Christmas shopping rush. In the coming months, it will launch a new original Legend of Zelda game, dubbed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the next mainline entry in the Mario Party series, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and a revival of the Mario and Luigi RPG series that debuted on Game Boy with Mario & Luigi: Brothership.

More games, including a remaster of Donkey Kong Country Returns and a new entry in the puzzle-adventure Professor Layton series have been confirmed for next year too, suggesting that Nintendo could support the millions of Nintendo Switch owners with new content for some time — even after the announcement of its successor.

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