Nintendo Switch 2: Everything You Need to Know

Nintendo, known for being secretive, has always kept fans on their toes about what’s coming next. As the Nintendo Switch 2 reached its seventh birthday in March 2024, it’s natural to ask questions about the lifespan of this beloved console. After all, seven years is quite long for a generation, and with sales now falling and the technology powering the Switch showing its age, the time feels ripe for change. 

Behind the scenes, Nintendo is said to be gearing up for the release of a new machine, reportedly sharing briefing sessions with partners and distributing development kits. Although some information has already started to leak, much remains unknown about the form this new console will take or when fans can expect to hear official news or even buy the product.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Nintendo, given the enormous success of the Switch as the third best-selling console of all time, surpassed only by the PlayStation 2 and the iconic DS handheld. This creates a unique mix of opportunity and risk. Historically, Nintendo has struggled to follow up its successful formats, as seen in the flop of the Wii U and the relative disappointment of the 3DS in sales terms. 

The company’s usual insistence on bold hardware innovation has often alienated its audience, even as it pushes creative boundaries. Many fans wonder if Nintendo will stick with the tradition of inventing something completely different or deliver a powerful upgrade to the Switch’s proven formula. Whatever happens, the gaming world waits with bated breath for what Nintendo will try next.

Latest News on the Nintendo Switch 2

On Nov. 5, Nintendo officially confirmed that its next console will be backward-compatible with existing Switch software. Fans will be excited to know that the Nintendo Switch Online service will also carry forward onto the new machine, ensuring continuity.

However, some early reports that suggested the new system might support certain Switch accessories, like Joy-Con controllers, have not been verified yet. For those eager for more details, the full report provides deeper insights into this announcement.

Discussing the compatibility, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa explained that further updates on the successor to the Nintendo Switch, including detailed information about its compatibility, would be shared at a later date. In a separate press conference, Furukawa clarified there was no change to Nintendo’s plans to fully announce its new console before the end of March 2025.

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What Will Nintendo Switch 2 Name Its Next-Gen Console?

Will Nintendo’s next-gen console really be called Switch 2? The answer for now is that we don’t know. Historically, it’s worth noting that Nintendo has never named its systems in numerical sequence, even for direct follow-ups to a previous generation. Examples include the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Game Boy Advance, and the Nintendo 3DS, each of which offered unique branding.

Some speculate that a name like Super Nintendo Switch or even Super Switch could have a nice ring to it. However, for now, “Switch 2” remains a serviceable shorthand for discussion, and it’s the term we’ve chosen to use in this article while we wait for official confirmation.

When does Will announce the Switch 2?

Nintendo has promised to fully reveal its next console before the end of its current fiscal year, which concludes in March 2025. This means the announcement could theoretically happen any time between now and March 31, 2025. However, this extended timeline has sparked constant speculation, with many anticipating news to break soon.

Adding to the mystery, Nintendo has also been teasing smaller projects, like its quirky Alarmo alarm clock and the Nintendo Music app, fueling even more industry gossip about when the big reveal might occur. That said, many observers conclude that a 2024 announcement is highly unlikely, as Nintendo appears wary of drawing attention away from the Switch and its games during the crucial end-of-year shopping season.

Instead, the early months of 2025 seem more plausible, offering an opportunity for Nintendo to unveil the console while keeping focus on current products during the holiday rush. Still, this approach leaves a short window for Nintendo to promote the new machine before its expected launch in March 2025 or the following months. With the clock ticking, fans are eager to see how the company will balance secrecy with building excitement for the next era of gaming.

Will the Switch 2 Be Another Hybrid Handheld Console?

The answer to whether the Switch 2 will retain its hybrid handheld console identity appears to be a resounding yes. Reporting from VGC, based on multiple sources and insights from dev kits sent to partner studios, indicates the system will function in portable mode, similar to the Nintendo Switch. This was later corroborated by Nikkei, with further confirmation of software backward compatibility, reinforcing the idea of a familiar form factor and feature set for the new console.

Key features include detachable Joy-Con controllers, now equipped with a magnetic attachment system and additional buttons, along with a dock that resembles the one included with the original Switch. However, there’s no official word on whether Nintendo plans to release a handheld-only variant like the Switch Lite. Early signs suggest that Nintendo is keen to follow in the footsteps of the wildly successful 140-million-plus-selling Switch.

The Switch 2 might also be slightly bigger. A 2024 report from a Japanese analyst suggests the console will boast an 8-inch screen, compared to the original Switch’s 6.2 inches and the Switch OLED model’s 7 inches. If true, this change could enhance its usability while maintaining the portable nature that fans love.

When Will the Switch 2 Be Released?

Nintendo hasn’t officially indicated the release date for the Switch 2, but there are some clues. Originally, multiple sources reported that the console was planned to debut in the second half of 2024, but it now seems the company is targeting a launch in the first half of 2025. Brazilian games journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe first broke the news about the slip in 2025, citing sources who said they were working on games set to launch alongside the console.

Eurogamer and VGC corroborated these reports, while Nikkei stated that Nintendo aims for a March 2025 launch to avoid hardware shortages and ensure a strong lineup of titles, though a slip beyond March remains possible.This timing does mean the Switch 2 will miss the 2024 holiday season, but the delay might benefit Nintendo in the long run.

By avoiding a rushed release, the company can stockpile key first-party titles, as noted by VGC sources, giving the console a stronger start. Fans are eager to see what new games and innovations the company has planned for its next big launch.

Will the Switch 2 Be Backward-Compatible?

The Switch 2 will indeed be backward-compatible, according to Nintendo, which has confirmed that Switch software will also be playable on the successor to the Nintendo Switch. The announcement also confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online, the online multiplayer service with its library of retro games, will be available on the next console. This news is a big relief for users who have been hoping and expecting to carry forward their game libraries, a norm seen in Xbox and PlayStation systems.

While Nintendo hasn’t specified exactly how backward compatibility will function, it stated that Nintendo Accounts will carry over to the new console, allowing players to retain access to the Switch software they already own. This strongly suggests that digital purchases will transfer automatically, giving users continued access to their games.

What remains unclear is whether the Switch 2 will support physical cartridge games. Earlier reports from peripheral manufacturers hinted that the console might be backward-compatible with physical cartridges and Switch accessories, such as the Pro Controller and Joy-Cons. However, no official confirmation has been provided yet.

Historically, Nintendo has a decent, though not flawless, record for supporting backward compatibility. The Wii played GameCube games, the Wii U supported Wii games, the Game Boy Advance worked with the Game Boy, and the 3DS played DS games.

However, the original Switch broke from tradition with its new game cartridge format, which enforced a clean break from earlier systems. This allowed Nintendo to mint money by rereleasing games like the 64-million-selling Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

With the Switch 2, Nintendo seems poised to strike a balance, giving players both the continuity of their current libraries and potentially new innovations. Fans are eager to see how this commitment to backward compatibility will evolve in the coming months.

Will the Switch 2 Be Digital-Only or Use Cartridges?

When it comes to the Switch 2, Nintendo is unlikely to adopt a digital-only approach. Of all the console manufacturers, Nintendo’s ties to the retail industry are the strongest, even outpacing Sony’s. This close connection to physical game distribution makes it extremely unlikely that Nintendo would fully shift away from physical media, even if doing so might seem logical for a portable machine.

A recent VGC report added weight to this expectation, noting that the new console will feature a cartridge slot for physical releases. This inclusion is considered as close to a dead cert as possible, further indicating that Nintendo values the availability of games in physical formats alongside digital options.

Additionally, the inclusion of a cartridge slot supports the idea that the Switch 2 will have a similar form factor to the original Switch. This decision reflects Nintendo’s commitment to maintaining a balance between innovation and tradition, ensuring the console appeals to a broad range of players who value both physical and digital gaming options.

How Powerful Will the Switch 2 Be? Will It Be Able to Play New AAA Games?

The power of the Switch 2 is beginning to take shape, thanks to Microsoft’s legal battles over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, along with demos shown to partners at Gamescom. These developments are giving us insight into how capable the Switch 2’s hardware will be, though official details are still sparse.

Internal emails from the FTC v. Microsoft case revealed that Activision executives met with Nintendo in December 2022 to discuss the console’s performance, coming away with the impression that it would be close to “Gen8 platforms”, similar to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Although Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick stated that no tech specs had been shared, this still provides a preliminary benchmark.

However, the “Gen8” comparison may be an understatement for the Switch 2’s capabilities. According to Eurogamer and VGC reports from the behind-closed-doors Gamescom demos, Nintendo showcased hardware running Unreal Engine 5‘s Matrix Awakens demo with ray tracing and visuals that were on par with Sony’s and Microsoft’s current-gen consoles.

This shows that the Switch 2 could handle demanding graphical features, though it may not quite match the raw power of the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Nintendo seems to be using clever techniques to optimize performance, relying on Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology, which leverages AI to enhance resolution while maintaining smooth performance.

Despite these innovations, the Switch 2 likely won’t match the power of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. However, the combination of Unreal Engine 5, ray tracing, and DLSS indicates that Nintendo is aiming to close the gap and potentially make it easier for developers to port their home console releases onto the Switch 2.

Reports from Reuters and Digital Foundry suggest the console will use a custom Nvidia chip that can support both ray tracing and DLSS, positioning the Switch 2 as a serious competitor in terms of performance.

In addition, at Gamescom, Nintendo demonstrated an improved version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, showing higher resolution and frame rate than the current Switch model. This shows the Switch 2 will likely bring noticeable improvements in graphics.

Reports from fans analyzing customs and shipping data suggest that the Switch 2 will feature a substantial upgrade in both RAM (up to 12 GB from 4 GB) and storage (rising to 256 GB from 32 GB), giving the console more room to store games and handle demanding applications.

However, the Switch 2 will also have a tech downgrade: it seems that the console will use an LCD screen instead of the OLED screen seen in the current top-of-the-range Switch model, likely as a cost-cutting measure. Despite this, the overall Switch 2 experience is shaping up to offer a notable leap forward in performance and capabilities.

What Games Will Be Available for Switch 2?

While the enhanced Breath of the Wild demo has created buzz, there was no indication that this enhanced version of the game would be a commercial product—though it wouldn’t be surprising if Nintendo decided to make it one. The most likely Switch 2 launch game is Metroid Prime 4, slated for a 2025 release.

Nintendo might even opt for a cross-gen release for both the Switch and its successor, following the approach it took with Breath of the Wild for Wii U/Switch or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for GameCube/Wii.

Aside from Metroid Prime 4, there are two notable gaps in Nintendo’s lineup: a new Mario Kart and a new 3D Super Mario game. It’s been over nine years since the last full-fledged Mario Kart entry, and despite the success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Mario Kart development team has been relatively silent since the release of Arms in 2017. However, with the launch of a new platform, the stage is set for Mario Kart 9 to make its debut.

Similarly, the absence of a new 3D Mario game since the release of Super Mario Odyssey in 2017 suggests that Nintendo will likely bring one to its next platform. Given the success of Odyssey and the early release of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the Switch’s lifecycle, it seems reasonable to expect a similar early release of a 3D Mario title for the Switch 2.

Techrinkle will update this blog with new details.

FAQ’s

Will the Nintendo Switch 2 Be backward compatible?

The question of whether the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backward compatible is still uncertain, though there are hints from some Nintendo executives suggesting the company is considering it. Nintendo’s past consoles, such as the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii, have often featured backward compatibility with their direct predecessors, so there is a strong possibility that Nintendo will follow this trend with the Switch 2.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 Coming Soon?

We now know that the successor to the Nintendo Switch will be officially unveiled within its fiscal year. While this doesn’t guarantee the Switch 2 is coming soon, it does mean that we will receive more concrete information soon.

Could the Nintendo Switch 2 Have VR Support?

While Nintendo has dabbled with virtual reality (VR) through its Nintendo Labo initiative, creating a full-fledged VR experience similar to Sony’s PSVR 2 would require beefy hardware. It’s not entirely impossible, but it’s unlikely that Nintendo will release a handheld gaming system with VR support, especially considering the challenges involved.

Could the Nintendo Switch 2 Support 4K?

While both Sony and Microsoft are making strides in the 4K market, Nintendo sees little need to follow suit. Philippe Lavoué, Nintendo France’s General Manager, mentioned that 4K technology has not been widely adopted and therefore it would be premature for Nintendo to dive into 4K at this stage.