Nintendo Switch 2 rumors: Everything we know so far (Updated: January 17)

Update: January 17, 2025 (5:39 PM ET): We’ve updated this Nintendo Switch 2 rumor hub with information from Nintendo’s reveal trailer and rumors about the “C” button

Original article: Even if you love it and still use it daily, there’s no denying that the Nintendo Switch is getting old. Launched in 2017, the hybrid console celebrated its seventh birthday in March, which means it’s getting close to retirement. With this in mind, one can’t help but wonder: where is the sequel, presumably called the Nintendo Switch 2?

Thankfully, Nintendo has confirmed that a successor is coming soon. There have also been some rumors and leaks surrounding the sequel to Nintendo’s best-selling home console. We’ve rounded up the most trustworthy of them here. Towards the end of the article, we also have a few wishlist items — things we hope to see but don’t have any evidence for quite yet.

Will there be a Nintendo Switch 2?

The Nintendo Switch is the company’s best-selling home console ever, with over 143 million units shipped to date. The only hardware Nintendo has released that has done better than the Switch is the Nintendo DS, which sold 154 million units, making it possible (even likely) that the Switch could become Nintendo’s best-selling hardware of all time. When you take this popularity into account, you can be relatively assured there will be a Nintendo Switch 2.

We learned the codename of the next-gen console due to a sizable hack Pokemon developer Game Freak suffered in the middle of October 2024. According to a report from IGN, the hack contained details on unannounced games and projects and revealed that the Switch 2’s internal codename is “Ounce.”

Nintendo confirmed that it would announce a successor to the Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2025. It then proceeded to quietly release an announcement trailer on YouTube on January 16, 2025.

Will it be called ‘Nintendo Switch 2’ or something else?

Sony sticks to a reliable naming scheme for its consoles. The first PlayStation was followed up by a PlayStation 2. After that, we saw a PS3 and a PS4. Even today, the newest console is the Sony PlayStation 5. It’s all very logical and reliable.

Nintendo doesn’t go this route. In fact, since the launch of the original Nintendo Entertainment System in 1983, there has never been a “2” in a Nintendo console’s name. That includes handheld consoles as well as the 2DS, which isn’t a direct sequel to the DS but instead a variant of the 3DS. So, the likelihood of a sequel to the Switch landing with the official name Nintendo Switch 2 normally would’ve seemed relatively low.

Despite its history of bucking the numerical trend, the game maker chose to play it safe this generation and labeled the system the Nintendo Switch 2. Given how prominent the “2” is in the logo, it seems the company really wants to avoid repeating the mistake it made with the Wii U. For context, when the Wii U was released, the lack of a clear signifier in its branding that the system was an upgrade to the Wii confused consumers and is blamed for its poor sales.

When is the most likely Nintendo Switch 2 release date?

As mentioned, Nintendo has officially revealed the successor to the Nintendo Switch. However, an announcement and the actual launch are two different things.

Although the company has given us a look at the hardware, we still don’t know when we’ll be able to get one. The reveal trailer confirms that the release will happen in 2025 and that a Nintendo Direct is planned for April 2, but we don’t think April 2 will also be launch day.

Podcaster Nate the Hate, who accurately predicted the date the reveal trailer would be published, speculates that the launch may happen in May or June. Without any better information to go on, May or June sounds about right in our book.

What rumored specs and features could the Nintendo Switch 2 have?

We didn’t expect Nintendo to reinvent the wheel with a Switch sequel. The original Switch is a massive hit and a cultural touchstone. It was also known that Nintendo is being particularly cautious with this system launch to avoid the pitfalls that came with the Wii U. But what can we expect in terms of specs and features?

The new design

Although we got a reveal trailer, any details about the specs and features were absent. However, the video did do some comparison shots between the old and new hardware. We know that the new system is a decent bit larger than its predecessor. Exactly how much larger is still a question, but one of the most telling frames of the trailer is the shot below that shows the new Joy-Con next to the old Joy-Con.

You can also see that Nintendo opted to go for a more mature look, dropping the colorful exterior of the controllers for something more muted. Those colors now serve as highlights underneath the thumbstick and in the area that connects to console. The rails are now gone, so you’ll be snapping the controllers into place with the magnets located on both ends of the area instead of sliding them in. Along with increasing the size of the new Joy-Cons, Nintendo has also increased the size of the SL and SR buttons.

Two other notable changes to the controllers are the square button and the sensor next to the connecting port. In earlier leaks, this square button had a “C” on it, but it looks like that won’t be the case on the final design. It’s still unknown what this button is for. Something else that’s a mystery is the new sensor. It’s possible the sensor is connected to the controller add-on that was revealed, which leads to shots of both controllers scooting around on a surface. There have been mumblings about being able to use the Joy-Cons like a mouse and that sensor does look like the kind of sensor you’d see on a mouse.

Moving on to the console itself, we get some looks at the kickstand (that hopefully won’t be as fragile as the one on the Switch), the volume rocker, power button, and surprisingly a headphone jack. And just as it was rumored, it’s now confirmed that USB-C ports are on the top and bottom of the device.

Specs and features

Since this trailer didn’t dive into the specs, we’ll have just have to continue relying on leaks. According to the Reddit post, we’re dealing with a console that has an 8-inch screen, magnetic Joy-Cons, 12GB of RAM, support for HDMI 2.1, and 256GB of internal storage. Notably, other rumors contradict these leaked specs.

While you should remain skeptical of this leak, the images reportedly match what Nintendo’s partners have been told to expect, according to VGC‘s source who has not seen the Switch 2 but has been briefed on the plans. The details also appear to align with previous leaks suggesting an 8-inch display.

December turned out to be a fairly active time for Switch 2 leaks. First came a leak straight from dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz, who shared not only a 360-degree render of a travel case made with the Switch 2’s dimensions in mind, but also offered some additional details in an interview with The Verge. Ijaz reveals that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be larger and taller than the Switch OLED at 10.6 inches wide and 4.6 inches tall.

Not long after we got this information, we got the leak from the tipster who revealed the console name. In addition to revealing the name and logo, they corroborated much of what we’ve heard from Ijaz and other leaks. However, they also shared some more specific details like the ZL and ZR buttons may be slightly larger, the sticks may be Hall effect, the screen could be LCD, and the device may support 4K at 30fps.

They also claim that the dock also may have the same port setup as the first console, with two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI port, and an ethernet port.

As mentioned earlier, the Switch 2 has a new square button that previously had a “C” on it. Data miners found code in the latest version of the Nintendo Switch OS that refers to the new feature as “Campus.” It’s believed that pressing the button will bring up group and voice chat. The data miners claim it supports up to 12 Nintendo Switch Online users simultaneously, indicating it’s tied to a paid subscription.

Switch accounts

Whenever Nintendo switches (pun intended) to a new console, those consoles tend to have their own account systems. So unlike PlayStation and Xbox, where players carry their accounts over from generation to generation, Nintendo players typically need to create a new account. But that won’t be the case for the Switch’s successor.

Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser spoke with Inverse about the Switch’s future in October. While he didn’t confirm or deny the existence of a Switch 2, Bowser did talk about making the transition easier by allowing accounts to carry over to whatever comes next.

“Well, first, I can’t comment — or I won’t comment, I should say — on the rumors that are out there,” Bowser told the publication. “But one thing we’ve done with the Switch to help with that communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account.” He then said that the new overarching Nintendo Account would “allow us to communicate with our players if and when we make a transition to a new platform, to help ease that process or transition.”

As for why Nintendo is embracing this change of approach, Bowser stated:

“Our goal is to minimize the dip you typically see in the last year of one cycle and the beginning of another. I can’t speak to the possible features of a new platform, but the Nintendo Account is a strong basis for having that communication as we make the transition.”

So, it appears whenever the Switch 2 — or whatever the next console is — comes out, you’ll still have the same account as you did with the original Switch. This strongly suggests at least some level of backward compatibility.

A better processor

Inevitably, the Nintendo Switch 2 would need to be more powerful than the original. The need for better CPU/GPU performance is painfully evident for Switch games like Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and even The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. These titles sap so much from the Switch’s meager processor that dropped frames, glitches, and even outright crashes are common.

As such, we are confident Nintendo will include an upgraded processor with a Switch sequel. The system on a chip (SoC) in the Switch is based on the Tegra X1, which NVIDIA launched in 2015. Recently YouTube content creator Paul Eccleston put together a spec sheet that is supposedly made from info that combines his own sources with a report from the Korean United Daily News. In this report it is claimed the Switch’s successor will have a Cortex-A78AE processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal eMMC. This is a paltry amount of built-in storage but not out of character for Nintendo in the slightest, as the company has always had relatively low internal storage compared to its contemporaries.

Nintendo will also need to finely balance performance with power consumption due to the ostensibly portable nature of the Switch 2. Though the same spec sheet claims this won’t be an issue as the company will offer improved battery life which hints at a bigger battery and a possibly bulkier design.

Most recently, we’ve heard that the performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 could be on par with a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. This comes from an Activision employee with direct knowledge of Nintendo’s plans, which came to light through heavily redacted documents unearthed for the Activision-Microsoft litigation. This makes us feel pretty confident that the Switch 2 will be much more powerful than the original and it an upgrade to nearly Xbox One quality graphics feels reasonable even for a system designed with portability in mind.

Launch games

The rumor mill was pretty confident that the Switch successor would support backward compatibility. Thankfully, Nintendo confirmed this would be true. However, not every Switch title will be playable and the company says it will give details on “the Nintendo website at a later date.” We suspect the games that won’t be supported are Labo, Ring Fit, and any other games that use a peripheral that requires the original Joy-Cons.

In the reveal trailer, we got a glimpse at what appeared to be a new Mario Kart game. It’s likely safe to assume this will be one of the launch titles for the console. YouTuber Nate the Hate also believes that a new Mario Kart game will be available at launch and adds that a 3D Mario game could come during holiday season 2025. He went on to suggest that we may see Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Metal Gear Sold Delta ported over to the console as well.

Another possibility could be the critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush. Per a report from Insider Gaming, the former Xbox exclusive may head to the Switch 2 now that it has gone multi-platform. When Hi-Fi Rush was announced to be coming to PlayStation 5, the Switch was curiously left out of this announcement, and IG thinks it might be because it’s actually coming to the Switch 2. If so, we likely wouldn’t hear confirmation until the scheduled Switch 2 software-focused Nintendo Direct on April 2, at the earliest.

In the Game Freak data breach mentioned earlier, we learned that there is a 10th-generation mainline Pokemon game with the codename “Gaia.” There are reportedly two versions of the game, one with the designation “K” and the other “N.” This suggests Nintendo plans to release one version for the Switch and another for the next-gen successor. It’s unknown if this game will be ready by or around the time the Switch 2 launches. Meanwhile, it’s unknown if the already-announced Pokemon Legends: Z-A will also come to Switch 2, but the leak says it has the codename “Ikkaku.” There was also mention of a game codenamed “Synapse,” which is said to be an MMO-like Pokemon game in co-development with another studio.

What could the Nintendo Switch 2 price be?

One reason for the runaway success of the original Switch is its price. At $299, it is significantly less expensive than a PlayStation 5 and the same price as an Xbox Series S. However, that does not mean the Switch 2 would be priced similarly.

If Nintendo does keep the original Switch in production when it launches a follow-up console — which is very possible considering Nintendo’s official statements on its continuing support for the original Switch — it could easily justify charging more for the Switch 2. For example, Nintendo could price a Switch 2 at $399. In fact, a reliable source, VGC, points to that number in a recent leak from January 2024.

That’s expensive, yes, but still $100 less than an Xbox Series X and the same price as the original digital-only version of the PlayStation 5 (the slimmed-down version of the digital PS5 got a price increase in late 2023). The success of the Switch has perhaps earned Nintendo the right to charge more, especially if it sees a ton of spec upgrades.

If you think about it, that hypothetical $399 price would make a lot of sense. On the low end, you’d have the Switch Lite at $199. The original Switch would remain at $299, and the Switch OLED Model would be an upsell at its current price of $349. The Switch 2 could top the list as the newest and best model at $399. Of course, Nintendo could make the Switch 2 feel more premium by eliminating the original Switch and dropping the Switch OLED Model to $299, too.

Regardless, we do not expect the Switch 2 to cost the same as the original at launch since both products will likely exist simultaneously.

In fact, it’s very possible the Switch Lite could continue on for a while longer with a focus on smaller games and more DS-like experiences, which is a lot of like what we frankly saw from the OG Switch and Switch Lite in 2024 anyhow.

Additionally, games will likely be more expensive. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom controversially launched at $70, which is $10 more than the average first-party Switch game. This may have been a test run, as VGC says Switch 2 games might be at $70 as a default.

Should you wait for the Nintendo Switch 2?

At this point, yes, if you are thinking about a Nintendo Switch this late in the game, we’d wait for a Switch 2 unless you’re willing to buy used. The only exception is maybe the Switch Lite, as it’s very likely a Switch Lite 2 won’t come until further down the road.

Simply put, the Switch is too old to spend full price on, and it’s very likely the system will see step discounts next year when its successor arrives.

Of course, if you have young kids who have just come of age for gaming and don’t want to wait another year, the Switch is still a great system. Just be aware it’s showing its age hard.

Have any Nintendo Switch 2 leaks to share with us? Send us a tip, and we’ll check it out.