The leaks and rumors surrounding the Nintendo Switch 2 are churning out at a rapid pace. While Nintendo itself has yet to directly confirm the existence of a follow-up to its wildly popular Nintendo Switch console, there’s a growing expectation that the gaming titan is gearing up to reveal its next-gen hardware.
On a near-daily basis online tipsters, leakers and unverified sources are popping up with new scraps of information offering tantalizing hints about the Nintendo Switch 2’s specs, price and release date. However, with so many competing voices out there — not to mention plenty of rumors that directly contradict each other — cutting through the noise can be difficult.
I’ve spent the last six months combing the internet for Nintendo Switch 2 leaks, and below are the three rumors that I think will prove to be true, as well as one that I’m fairly confident will not. However, it’s important to note that these are just my personal opinions. None of these leaks should be taken as facts.
Hopefully, Nintendo doesn’t wait much longer before talking concrete Switch details so we can start discussing the console with genuine facts under our belt. But until then — and unfortunately, we have no clue when Nintendo might go public with its plan — these are the Nintendo Switch 2 rumors that I reckon are legitimate and one that I’m already dismissing.
An LCD display (True)
Perhaps the single most substantial Nintendo Switch 2 rumor right now, aside from the belief the console will launch in 2024, is that it will pack an LCD display on the main console unit. This would be a downgrade from the current Nintendo Switch OLED model and has even led one Tom’s Guide staffer to declare “I’m out” if this particular leak turns out to be accurate.
Multiple sources have suggested Nintendo will opt for LCD over OLED on the Switch 2 including Bloomberg, VGC and online tipster NateTheHate, and such overwhelming evidence from respectable sources makes this a rumor that’s fairly hard to dismiss.
It would make a lot of sense for Nintendo to revert to LCD. Firstly, it would ensure a cheaper price, which will be vital if Nintendo’s next console is going to rival the Steam Deck or PS5. Plus, a launch model with an LCD screen gives Nintendo the option of releasing a mid-generation refresh with an OLED upgrade to convince existing owners to double-dip. This strategy worked with the first-generation Switch.
New Mario Kart game (True)
Nintendo’s latest set of financial reports dropped this week. And while there was no mention of the Nintendo Switch 2, we did get an update on the lifetime sales of some of the best Nintendo Switch games. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shifting 20m units in less than a year is impressive, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe selling more than 60m copies is truly staggering.
This makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe not just the best-selling Switch game, but one of the best-selling games in history. A sequel is pretty much a given, and it could even be a Nintendo Switch 2 launch game. Remember that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a gussied-up port of the Wii U original that launched in the spring of 2014, so it’s been almost a decade since the last truly new Mario Kart game.
We might even have our first details courtesy of Zippo, an online leaker with a somewhat spotty track record. They claim the next Mario racing title will be called Mario Kart X, and it’s “one of the most expensive games Nintendo has ever put into production.” However, the source suggests that the next Mario Kart won’t be available at launch and will instead come a bit later on in 2025.
$399 launch price (True)
Nintendo hardware has traditionally launched at a lower price point than its main console rivals, PlayStation and Xbox, and a couple of recent leaks suggest that trend will continue with Nintendo Switch 2.
The latest rumors suggest that $399 is the “golden number” the Big N has in mind, and this would come in at $100 cheaper than the PS5 and Xbox Series X were at launch. Although, it should be noted both have subsequently been discounted to $399 during seasonal sales. And it would also cost more than the Xbox Series S.
Don't forget, since the original Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 handheld gaming has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance thanks to the Steam Deck, so this area has gaming is now even more competitive and a compelling price will be even more important.
The base Steam Deck model currently costs $399, with a more premium Steam Deck OLED variant starting from $549, and costing up to $649 if you want more storage. Nintendo Switch 2 launching for $399 would put it in a strong position to compete with both Valve’s popular portable PC device, as well as Sony and Microsoft’s more traditional consoles.
No backwards compatibility (False)
Perhaps there’s a little bit of wishful thinking playing into my dismissal of the report that Switch 2 won’t be backward compatible with the best Switch games. I firmly believe it would be a pretty significant blunder if Nintendo asked early adopters to build their library from scratch once again. Not to mention, a lack of backwards compatibility would lock some of the best games ever made to a single platform.
Because of the increased popularity of buying digital games, I expect whatever Nintendo is cooking up will be compatible with eShop purchases at the very least. However, I’m less confident the Switch 2 will play the current Switch's physical game cards.
Nevertheless, I’m really hoping that Nintendo will offer full backwards compatibility on its next console without any comprises. If the console doesn’t offer comprehensive backwards compatibility it might be hard to justify upgrading straight away, unless the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch lineup is truly spectacular.
More from Tom's Guide
