I’m as surprised as you are that we are halfway through 2023 (eek) and Nintendo still hasn’t officially announced a successor to the now 7-year-old Nintendo Switch. Despite that, there has been plenty of rumour and speculation around the successor to a console that has sold over 125 million units.
For years there has been talk of a Switch Pro, a mid-generation update to the console, but unless Nintendo plans to keep the Switch until 2030 I think we are now past that point. Surely the next Nintendo hardware release will be a Switch 2 or perhaps something completely different? Here’s the latest.
Nintendo Switch 2 release date
This is one of the most hotly debated questions around the Switch 2, but there seem to be two camps: some believe we could see a 2023 release, while others are more convinced by 2024.
Those arguing the case for a 2023 launch include the UK government Competition and Market Authority who referred to an unnamed Nintendo device in reference to Microsoft’s proposed takeover of Activision Blizzard. Other sources point to Nintendo’s comparative silence on its Christmas release window as a sign it is readying a new console.
The evidence for 2024 seems to be stronger, especially considering we have heard so little from Nintendo itself about the Switch 2. One report claims that Nintendo President, Shuntaro Furukawa, hasn’t considered any new or upgraded hardware in financial reports until at least April 2024 – and with The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom just about to launch, it would make little sense to release the game on almost immediately outdated hardware.
Nintendo Switch 2 design
In terms of the design of the Switch 2, there’s little so far to go on (the pictures in this article are just concepts). There are some features we would like to see and that we think Nintendo should definitely aim to implement. For starters, a 4K display is nearly essential at this point... although there is an argument against it for the sake of battery life.
Under the hood, the Switch is well behind the PS5 and Xbox Series X and a significant processing power boost needs to make its way to the Switch 2. For too long now Switch ports of third-party games have been a poor relation.
With the likes of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally, Nintendo also has competition for portable gaming, so an increased battery life when not docked would be very welcome.
As for the Joycons? Just lose the drifting please. Although that was partly fixed in the not too distant past.
