While far from official, the Nintendo Switch 2 rumors are starting to pick up pace. Given the Nintendo Switch is six years old and based on aging hardware, it's likely that the Japanese gaming giant is working on a replacement console.
And that console is likely to be the Switch 2. While Nintendo tends to introduce wholly new consoles for home use that build upon the features and power of their successors. Or go for something completely new (see the N64 to GameCube years), it has been more iterative with its handheld machines. As such, we’d be rather confident that the next big games machine from Nintendo will be the Switch 2, even if that isn’t the given name.
We’re hoping to see big improvements in power, an OLED display as standard, and the ability to output in 4K to keep up with the best TVs you can buy right now.
So with that in mind, here’s what we think we know so far about the Nintendo Switch 2, as well as what we’d like to see.
Nintendo Switch 2 latest news (Updated May 30)
- We discuss how the Nintendo Switch 2 needs backwards compatibility, just not in the way you think.
- Rumors have suggested that the Nintendo Switch 2 may not be backwards compatible, but this could be a major mistake for the upcoming hardware.
- The Nintendo Switch 2 could get an LCD display from Sharp, but if that's the case it could be dissipating since we already have the Switch OLED.
- Nintendo's annual fiscal year report confirms there will be no Switch 2 this year.
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom looks like it could be the swansong for the Switch and could be a sign we need the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 potential release date and price
Given a pair of recent rumors have popped up hinting at and teasing the existence of a Switch 2, we would cautiously suggest a second-generation Switch could arrive over the next 12 months; it's apparently set to be released around the same time as the PS5 Pro.
While we had originally hoped Nintendo's latest hardware could arrive in 2023, during the company's annual financial report president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed there are no plans to release any hardware during the next fiscal year. This means we should not expect the Switch 2 until sometime after March 2024.
This is disappointing as the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on May 12 appeared to be an ideal time to release new hardware. Unfortunately, it seems that we'll have to enjoy Link's latest adventure on the pre-existing Switch console lineup as the Switch 2's release is not imminent.
As for price, the Nintendo Switch OLED comes in at $349 / £309 / AU$539. So we would hazard a guess and say a next-gen Switch would sit around that price point, especially if it does indeed make use of an OLED display.
Nintendo Switch 2 specs
We can expect Nintendo to stick with a system-on-a-chip from Nvidia, likely some next-generation take on the aged Tegra X1 chip found in the current Switch. We’d not be surprised if Nintendo got a custom chipset from Nvidia as well, given the success and scope of the Switch.
But advancements by AMD, as seen with the Valve Stream Deck, could put Team Red with an outside chance of providing the silicon for a next-generation Switch. But we’d still err on the side of Nvidia.
In fact, after a chaotic rumor tipping a Tegra chip based on Samsubg's 5-nanometer process node, which was then refuted by the tipster it originated from, we feel that the Nintendo Switch 2 will definitely have some form of Nvidia chip at its heart.
It would be difficult to guess at potential power or clock speeds. But we’d like to hope that Nintendo taps into enough CPU and GPU power to deliver a next-gen gaming experience.
There were murmurs of a potential co-processor chip to live in the dock of a Switch 2 or the once-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro. This extra chip would be used to boost the console's power and video output when docked and connected to a 4K TV. Such a feature would be neat, but rumors around it have fallen quiet.
On the display side, we can see the Switch 2 going for an OLED panel, much like that of the Switch OLED. But hopefully, a boost in refresh rates would be good, say taking the 60Hz display and boosting it to 120Hz; as seen in the best phones. There are no rumors to support this, but we’ve got our fingers crossed.
However, Sharp, which makes the current Switch displays, has said it's working on a new LCD panel for a "new gaming console" — that could be the Switch 2. If that is the case then it could be disappointing as the Switch 2 may come with more dated screen tech than the Switch OLED. There's a chance Sharp could be referring to another as-yet-unannounced console. But we're a little concerned the Switch 2 might not use OLED panels as standard.
With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of a Kingdom, there are concerns (at the time of writing) that the current Switch could struggle to keep a smooth frame rate. Early hands-on experiences have flagged a few choppy moments. As such, this could be the biggest sign that we'll need a Nintendo Switch 2 sooner than later if we expect future games to keep up with modern resolutions and graphics.
Nintendo Switch 2 features
There’s precious little in the way of hints about Nintendo Switch 2's features, but we can apply some educated guesswork.
If the Switch 2 sticks to the same control scheme as the Switch, we’d like to see it improve the Joy-Cons so they suffer less from potential stick drifting and have analog triggers for more precise control in the likes of racing games. Some tweaks to the ergonomics — if Nintendo does indeed stick with the Switch’s core design — would also be appreciated with the Switch 2.
And we’d like to see a boost in battery life, as the Switch tends to run out of juice in a handful of hours when running games like Breath of the Wild. A bigger battery would certainly help make it a more viable gaming machine for things like long international flights.
One other feature we'd like to see is improved WI-Fi connectivity for the Nintendo Switch 2. It might not be the first upgrade that springs to mind, but better Wi-Fi can be a dramatic upgrade when it comes to things like game streaming or simply downloading games at speed.
Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility
One feature we really hope to see in the Nintendo Switch 2 is backwards compatibility, especially given the appetite we’ve seen for such capabilities on the PS5 and Xbox Series X; hopefully, running older Switch games on newer hardware would result in a performance boost and improved visual fidelity.
Rather worrying, is a new rumor has claimed that backwards compatibility for Switch games might not happen for the Switch 2. That would be a bit disappointing and would need Nintendo to have a stellar launch lineup for a next-gen Switch if it won't rely on its older and established game library.
We have also argued that backwards compatibility will need to extend to the Switch Joy-Cons as well. Backup Joy-Cons can be an expensive extra for the current Switch, so if they are rendered moot with the Switch 2, that could be rather disappointing, And we’d hope other existing Switch accessories like the Ring Fit Adventure and external controllers would also be usable with the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 outlook
As explained, it's still early days on these Switch 2 rumors, with not a lot of hard and fast information floating around. Nintendo is famously tight-lipped about what it’s working on, so we can’t expect to see a myriad of leaks anytime soon.
But the time is arguably nigh for a new and more powerful Switch or overall Nintendo console. And the Nintendo Switch 2 could be the answer.
