A new Nintendo console is on the horizon, with the company confirming its existence and that it will seemingly continue to build on the success of the Switch when it launches.
As the Switch is now seven years old and has sold more than 141 million units since launching in March 2017, Nintendo is finally ready to look to the future for its games and hardware. Even before Nintendo confirmed that the next console will be officially announced soon, plenty of leaks and tracked details have already given us a potential look at what the next generation of Nintendo could look—and run—like.
Nintendo Switch 2 hardware details: All leaks and potential specs
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been long rumored to be using an updated Nvidia SoC (system-on-chip,) specifically a custom version of Nvidia’s T239 processor, with tools like deep learning super sampling (DLSS) and other image upscaling technology. This would essentially allow the console to offer higher frame rates and resolutions, potentially even upscaled to 4K, while technically boasting weaker internals than modern platforms, thanks to how the support features will alleviate stress from the hardware itself.
A recent investigation from part trackers also noted the following details that could be included in the final console specs:
- 12GB of RAM for memory
- Up from 4GB RAM in the original Switch.
- 256GB UFS (Universal Flash Storage) 3.1 internal storage
- UFS 3.1 boasts speeds comparable to NVME SSDs used in other modern consoles.
- An overall size ranging between the Switch OLED and Steam Deck
With this information, multiple sources are pointing to the Switch 2 being capable of performance somewhere between the ballpark of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox Series S. A video breakdown where Digital Foundry detailed performance for the Nvidia T239 was noted as being mostly accurate for potential Switch 2 performance in these listings.
And, while it is still unconfirmed, it is widely expected that the Switch 2 will be fully backward compatible with the original Switch for both physical and digital games.
What will Nintendo call the Switch 2?
Nintendo has never stuck to conventional naming conventions for its consoles, and one only needs to look at the New Nintendo 3DS debacle or Wii U era to see problems that might stem from that missing structure. But it looks like the company is not risking anything when it comes to the Switch’s successor.
On top of generally calling its next console the Switch’s successor in its announcement and discussions thus far, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa this console is best referred to as the “Switch next model.” With how successful the Switch has been coming from the Wii U’s utter flop on the console market, It makes perfect sense that Nintendo would want to keep its win streak rolling with similar branding.
So, while we will likely need to wait for more details closer to when Nintendo is ready to announce the console in full, the likelihood is that we will see a name closer to a Switch 2 or Super Switch rather than something completely fresh.
Potential Nintendo Switch 2 release window
Nintendo has not confirmed a release date for the Switch 2 yet. But a window for the console’s full announcement is already locked in.
Nintendo said the Switch’s successor will be unveiled “within this fiscal year.” For Nintendo, this means we should hear about it before March 31, 2025—which lines up with previous reports of an internal delay beyond 2024.
This does not mean the console will be released within that same timeframe. Based on how the Switch’s reveal was handled, we could see the new hardware revealed before the end of 2024 ahead of a March 2025 launch to line up with the Switch’s eighth anniversary.
What games could be on the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch?
We have no current timeline for Nintendo releases outside of 2024, which means the Switch 2 could have a loaded lineup of games set up for its first potential year on the market.
Prominent leaker Zippo has claimed a new Super Mario title could launch with the Switch 2, which could be the follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey or an entirely original 3D entry following the Switch’s 2017 hit. There have also been claims an enhanced version of certain games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild could be included in a launch lineup of sorts, but it’s unclear if this would be a new release or closer to something along the lines of an upgraded Nintendo Selects line where older games are re-released with some new branding and a potential discount. Other potential titles for this lineup could include Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Super Mario Odysse,y just based on the fact they also dropped in 2017.
Top of the wishlist for many gamers would be a new Mario Kart title, with it now being nine years since Mario Kart 8 launched and six years since Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. A new Pokémon title could also come at launch to supercharge the system out of the gates, with Pokémon Legends: Z-A potentially on the table.
Published: May 21, 2024 06:20 am