The Nintendo Switch 2 has long been rumored, and 2024 could be the year it is finally released.
Nintendo's next home console (colloquially named the Switch 2) has big shoes to fill, following up on the last seven years of success seen by the Switch family of consoles.
The Nintendo Switch has sold over 132 million units worldwide (via Game Rant) since its March 2017 launch, but the hybrid gaming machine is starting to show its age as Nintendo's biggest competitors Sony and Microsoft continue to push their next-generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
When Will the Nintendo Switch 2 Be Released?
Seeing as the Nintendo Switch 2 has yet to be officially unveiled, no release information has been made public.
However, there has been some indication behind the scenes that Nintendo's next-gen gaming machine is coming sooner rather than later.
Some insiders seem to believe the Nintendo Switch 2 will likely be released in fall 2024, but some think it could be surprise dropped as early as March.
According to a report published by the Chinese investment site MonkeyDJ (via Tom's Guide), production on Nintendo's new system is well underway with sales for metal case manufacturer Hongzhun (one subsidiary said to be helping assemble the Switch 2) expected to peak in early 2024.
As the calendar flips, that Q1 2024 release seems less likely though.
In July 2023, VGC wrote that Nintendo had already issued development kits to studios working on games for the system, but the gaming giant may be holding its hardware launch for the latter half of 2024 to stockpile units to avoid any form of product scarcity upon release.
Given the Nintendo Switch's thin software lineup for 2024 - mostly headlined by remakes and smaller spin-offs - it would be safe to assume the Switch 2 is being primed for that fall 2024 release window (likely in October or November).
As for when fans will hear about the Switch 2 for the first time, it is only a matter of time.
The Nintendo Switch was initially revealed on October 19, 2016 (136 days/4.5 months before its March 3, 2017 launch).
If the Switch 2 follows a similar release strategy, gamers can expect to hear about Nintendo's new machine sometime this summer.
Nintendo usually likes to line its major announcements with one of its Nintendo Direct streaming events. One of these has traditionally happened during the (now-defunct) E3 gaming expo in early June, which would be the perfect time to announce the new console.
Switch 2 Tech Leaks Explained
Nintendo has kept the exact specifications of its incoming Switch 2 close to the vest, but leaks have made their way online, seemingly hinting at what the new machine will be capable of.
The biggest, most prominent of these leaks has to do with the console's screen. Back in late July 2023, VGC's Andy Robinson reported the Switch 2 would sport an LCD screen, and not the OLED screen of the Switch OLED.
This is said to be a cost-cutting measure for Nintendo as the gaming giant looks to push the tech of the console in other areas.
The biggest barrier Nintendo is supposedly looking to break with its next-gen console comes in its visuals.
As reported by Digital Foundry (via Eurogamer), the Switch 2 is rumored to use Nvidia's new T239 chip, allowing the console potential ray-tracing capabilities as well as the use of DLSS 3.1 upscaling.
While these specs are not quite up to par with the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S the use of DLSS would allow Nintendo (and other developers) to use AI to upscale games, making them look and run better on the under-powered console.
How Much Will the Switch 2 Cost?
Given the reported bump up in specs from the original Nintendo Switch 2, gamers can expect to fork over a pretty penny for the next-gen hybrid console.
Discord leaker SoldierDelta wrote in October 2023 (via WCCFTech), that Nintendo was targeting a $449 price point for the Switch 2, with a reported $400 digital-only model coming at the same time.
This would be a hefty bump from the $299 launch price of the first Switch console but would make the machine still competitive against some recent entrants into the hybrid gaming market including the Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally.
There has been no confirmation of this two-pronged release approach for the Switch 2, but it would not be the first time Nintendo has launched more than one version of a new console at the same time.
The gaming giant released the Wii U in 2012 with two different SKUs; however, those simply offered more or less internal memory as opposed to a digital-only/physical-game-ready split.
What Games Are Coming to the Switch 2?
As gamers head into 2024, much of the Nintendo release calendar remains a mystery.
After the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (rumored to release sometime this spring/summer), the slate from the console manufacturer remains largely blank, which likely means it has some heavy hitters waiting in the wings for the Switch 2 launch.
No games have been officially slated to come to the console as of yet, but one in particular feels all but guaranteed to be there on launch day.
Retro Studios' long-coming Metroid Prime 4 feels like a prime candidate for a Switch 2 launch title.
Prime 4 was originally unveiled back in June 2017 but quickly went quiet after that. The title then reemerged in 2019, being said to have switched developers from Bandai Namco to Metroid Prime developers Retro Studios.
By the time the Switch 2 is released, it will have been more than five years since that development restart. So, it feels about time for Nintendo to unleash the long-awaited title.
Another game that has been rumored to be coming to the Switch 2 is a new 3D Mario title. Super Mario Odyssey will turn seven years old in 2024, and the Mario team has been working on something since then.
Insider Zippo wrote on their blog in September 2023 (per Comicbook), that they had heard a new 3D Mario game would release in 2024, serving as a "day one Switch 2 game." The title was described as a wholly open-world Mario affair (a first for the Mario franchise) and would be the "first game that we will see running on their shiny new system:"
"This will be the game for Nintendo next year. Mario will be a day one Switch 2 game, and I would bet serious amounts of money that this will be the very first game that we will see running on their shiny new system. This will be the first 3D Mario game to be a launch title since 1996's Super Mario 64, which means this is a big freaking deal. Expect a very strong launch lineup from Nintendo and third parties alike."
Nintendo has yet to announce said Mario title, but given the time since Odyssey's release, it would not be all that surprising if the plucky plumber made an appearance at launch.
The Nintendo Switch 2 currently has not yet been officially announced.
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