Nintendo Switch 2 leaker just tipped price and launch date

Nintendo switch oledn handheld display
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Sony has made a bit of a splash this week with the PS5 Pro announcement and it's outrageous $700/£700 price point. While a lot of gamers will be weighing up whether they should buy or skip the most powerful PlayStation ever, there's another gaming goliath on the horizon.

I'm talking, of course, about the Nintendo Switch 2 and the ever-increasing rumors it's getting ready to launch and take its place among the best handheld game consoles. Case in point: Discord user moistycharlie dropped a tantalizing note on the GTA VI server suggesting the Big N's next machine is merely weeks away. 

Hat tip to Reddit for screenshotting this one, but the claim is Nintendo's Switch 2 will be announced early next month with a base price of $400. And moistycharlie thinks the console will also come in two different SKUs.

Switch 2 leak rumor

(Image credit: Discord)

Should you believe this leak, withdraw $400 from your checking account and book October off work? Of course not; this is the internet we're talking about. 

On the other hand, the reason we're bringing this particular leak to your attention is that this same user correctly predicted the announcement date and price of the PS5 Pro before it happened. But as the old adage goes, past performance does not indicate future success — so be wary.

The notion of two SKUs seems to be a solid bet. It could form the basis of two Switch 2 devices, one that's digital only and another, perhaps more expensive version, with a slot for physical cartridges. Both PlayStation and Xbox have adopted this approach as the world moves increasingly towards digital downloads.

That $400 price point (which'll likely be a straight £400 in the U.K and a similar AU$ price in Australia) is an interesting discussion topic, though. The original Switch launched at $299 with an LCD screen and 32GB of on-board storage. The follow-up OLED edition nudged that price up to $349. So it wouldn't seem out of the question for Nintendo to spike the price higher with the increased specs of the Switch 2 to $400.

Nintendo has long since abandoned an arms race with PlayStation or Xbox in terms of power. But there's no denying that coming hot on the heels of the PS5 Pro with a new console that's nearly half the price with a string of first-party exclusives could go win Nintendo a few extra players.

You can keep up with the very latest Nintendo Switch 2 news in our dedicated rumors hub here.

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Jeff Parsons
UK Editor In Chief

Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent. Rising early and heading straight for the coffee machine, Jeff loves nothing more than dialling into the zeitgeist of the day’s tech news.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s travelled the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops. A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing away the dust.

  • patrick1987park
    Sounds like a lot of bs on that one. Two different models because a card slot takes as much space as a disc drive? Highly doubt it.
    Reply
  • ineedanewusername
    Author has a lot to say about the price increase but there WAS 25.8% cumulative inflation since 2017, so at $400, the new Switch would be...a whopping $15 extra.
    Reply
  • ckatt
    The idea of no cartridge slot is laughable. Card slots are small and cheap, unlike optical drives. More than likely the we could see SKUs with or without a dock or some other accessories. Much like the wiiU launched with 2 SKUs
    Reply