Nintendo has yet even to tease the Nintendo Switch 2 but a new rumor suggests a reveal could be coming in January 2025. The claim comes via the popular Nintendo news channel Nintendo Prime which discovered the rumors on the Chinese forum Weibo and the Famiboards gaming forum.
Nintendo hasn't responded to the latest claims, although the console maker has already confirmed plans to announce the Nintendo Switch's success within this fiscal year. Nintendo's fiscal year concludes on March 31, 2025.
The latest rumor provides a more updated timeline with a January 2025 reveal followed by the system's actual launch in March 2025.
Much of the Nintendo Switch 2 remains a mystery as far as hardware. However, Nintendo has confirmed the system will offer backward compatibility as well as the same Nintendo Switch Online service that is currently available on the Nintendo Switch. This is a digital service that allows Switch owners to play classic Nintendo games from the NES and SNES libraries and access online multiplayer and cloud saving. The Expansion Pack unlocks the libraries of classic Nintendo 64 and SEGA Genesis games.
Meanwhile, back in September, leaked renders revealed that the Switch 2 will offer a similar design to the current Switch but with some small tweaks to the Joy-Concontrollers and an additional USB-C port on the top of the system. The renderings suggested a continuation of the hybrid gaming console with an 8-inch screen, which would be larger than the original Switch's 7.2-inch screen and the OLED Switch's 7-inch screen. The images also showed a different placement for the LEDs on the Joy-Con controllers which would attach magnetically to the console.
Despite the lack of hardware details, the Switch 2 is expected to boast a significantly higher amount of RAM and more internal storage for games. This could allow for the Nintendo Switch to finally get new AAA games around the same time they launch for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, something that isn't always the case for the current Nintendo Switch.
Although the Nintendo Switch lacks power compared to its competitors, it more than makes up for it with an impressive library of games. Nintendo's first-party titles are second to none and have helped the Switch become Nintendo's best-selling home console. As of September 2024, the Switch had shipped over 146 million units worldwide. It's currently the third-best-selling game console of all time, trailing only the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS.
What do you hope to see from the Nintendo Switch 2 when revealed?