For a video crippled console that didn’t moreover travel retired successful 2024, nan Nintendo Switch’s successor near rather an impact.
Colloquially known arsenic nan Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo’s follow-up to its deed console-handheld hybrid had rampant speculation surrounding it nan full year. Even erstwhile Nintendo yet confirmed it would talk astir Switch 2 connected its ain terms, nan rumors did not slow down. While it now seems highly improbable that Nintendo will talk Switch 2 again earlier nan twelvemonth is over, 2024 will, successful my mind, everlastingly beryllium tied pinch ludicrous Switch 2 speculation.
It has been a drama of errors, pinch nan leaks and rumors for Nintendo Switch 2 ranging from preposterous to rather plausible. Before Nintendo shows disconnected its adjacent portion of gaming hardware, let’s stroll down representation lane and look backmost astatine nan biggest Switch 2 leaks, existent aliases not, that dropped passim 2024.
AI, GDC, and dreams of a 2024 launch
As 2024 began, fans had a emotion that this could yet beryllium nan twelvemonth Switch 2 was announced and released, particularly arsenic aggregate developers claimed successful an anonymous study that they were working connected games for nan platform. A dishonesty from an AI institution played into those sentiments almost immediately. Around nan clip of CES successful January 2024, Digital Trends spotted a property merchandise for an AI type of GameShark that claimed that nan Nintendo Switch 2 would beryllium released successful September 2024. It seemed suspicious that merchandise day confirmation would travel from a institution different than Nintendo, and Digital Trends quickly confirmed that nan institution made that each up.
The GameShark Switch 2 kerfuffle group a reside that permeated passim nan remainder of nan year. Bloomberg reported that Nintendo wanted to nutrient 10 cardinal consoles pinch an LCD surface wrong this fiscal twelvemonth and merchandise them. When Microsoft’s multiplatform plans started to leak successful February, location were rumors that immoderate of its games would extremity up connected nan Switch 2. Then, up of GDC 2024 successful March, a activity of caller rumors hit. Industry insider NateTheHate hyped up that Nintendo planned to reveal nan console up of GDC successful 2024 pursuing a modular Nintendo Direct successful February. It was besides reported that Nintendo’s adjacent gaming console would beryllium backward compatible pinch Switch games.
But earlier GDC moreover began, respective outlets claimed that Nintendo had internally delayed nan Switch 2 to nan first 4th of 2025. Eurogamer said this happened truthful Nintendo could create nan strongest crippled lineup imaginable for nan system, while Japanese outlet Nikkei claimed that a March 2025 motorboat was planned. GDC came and went, and nary announcement of nan Switch 2 happened. Was a uncover planned and canceled because of nan soul delay? Are reports of that soul hold moreover accurate? It’s improbable that we’ll ever study nan existent answers to those questions.
Nintendo joins nan fray
After a no-show of nan Switch 2 successful nan first 4th of 2024, Nintendo publicly commented connected its adjacent platform. In early May, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa posted nan pursuing connection to nan company’s firm X account: “We will make an announcement astir nan successor to Nintendo Switch wrong this fiscal year. It will person been complete 9 years since we announced nan beingness of Nintendo Switch backmost successful March 2015. We will beryllium holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding nan Nintendo Switch package lineup for nan second half of 2024, but please beryllium alert that location will beryllium nary mention of nan Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.”
This was nan first clip Nintendo publically acknowledged that a “successor to Nintendo Switch” was successful nan works, and it moreover gave fans nan knowledge that they’d study what it was by nan extremity of March 2025. That didn’t smother nan embers of Switch 2 rumors, though; it only added substance to nan flames. Now, leakers knew it was real, and much accusation started flying around. Rumors of questionable credibility would popular up connected sites for illustration Reddit and 4Chan, pinch 1 moreover claiming nan strategy is called ‘Nintendo Superior.”
Nintendo would occasionally springiness a sliver of information, for illustration confirming early rumors that Switch 2 would beryllium backward compatible pinch Switch games. As summertime turned into fall, journalists from outlets for illustration GamesIndustry.biz and Video Games Chronicle teased nan anticipation that nan Switch 2 would beryllium revealed successful September. That didn’t happen. Lots of sermon besides swirled astir a imaginable merchandise date. In fact, sites for illustration Eurogamer implied Switch 2 had been pushed backmost yet again and wouldn’t beryllium released earlier April 2025. While that whitethorn beryllium true, nan truth that merchandise day speculation for thing not moreover announced yet continues to beryllium truthful prevalent shows really hopeless fans are to get their hands connected Nintendo’s adjacent gaming device.
So close, yet truthful far
As nan extremity of nan twelvemonth approached and Nintendo’s model to denote Switch 2 earlier nan extremity of nan fiscal twelvemonth sewage tighter and tighter. Many wondered if nan announcement would hap astir nan aforesaid clip nan original Switch’s did (October) aliases astatine The Game Awards (December), but neither came to fruition. Nintendo’s determination not to uncover nan console drew each nan much attraction to leaks showcasing nan existent hardware arsenic hardware entered nan manufacturing phase.
In September, images of a expected factory prototype of nan Switch 2 emerged, revealing a creation akin to nan original Switch’s. This continued into December, erstwhile Reddit personification u/NextHandheld claimed to person their hands connected nan console and divulged much specifications astir its design. Even third-party manufacturers for illustration Satisfye and DBrand are giving america a amended thought of what nan Switch 2 will look for illustration by unveiling peripherals for nan still-unrevealed device.
From nan earliest days of January to nan last days of December, it has been intolerable to spell a week without proceeding immoderate benignant of Switch 2 rumors. The circus astir leaks, rumors, and speculation for nan Switch 2 has gotten hilarious astatine this point, pinch fans hopeless for immoderate morsels of accusation they tin get connected immoderate Nintendo is doing next. nan Switch 2 hasn’t been revealed yet, and it already feels for illustration nan gaming instrumentality has a legendary position successful a twelvemonth that it hasn’t moreover travel retired during. Who knows what benignant of effect nan Switch 2 will person erstwhile it’s successful players’ hands?
Hopefully, we study much astir nan Switch 2 from Nintendo sooner alternatively than later successful 2025 truthful this hubbub tin quiet down aliases go focused connected nan games heading to Nintendo’s adjacent platform.