The rumor mill is ablaze with Nintendo Switch 2 information, yet Nintendo has only confirmed a certain few details.
After more than seven years of great service (and over 146 million consoles sold), Nintendo is finally ready to send the original Switch off into the night, with a new modern machine from the Japanese gaming giant.
An official announcement for the new console has yet to be revealed, but fans think it could be imminent.
What Has Nintendo Confirmed About the Switch 2?
The Nintendo Switch 2 Will Be Revealed Before the End of March
While an official reveal (and eventual release date) for the Switch 2 remains a mystery, Nintendo has said the console will be announced at least before the end of March.
In May 2024, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa posted on X (formerly Twitter), revealing, "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year" (which ends March 31, 2025):
"This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."
He reiterated this during an investors call in November 2024, telling shareholders the Switch 2 was still planned to be revealed at least before the end of March 2025 (via Reuters).
Where and when this will actually happen remains unknown, some have speculated that it could be imminent. It could be so soon, in fact, that recent reports suggested an official reveal may have been pushed up thanks to alleged leaks of the console (read more about Nintendo Switch 2's release plans here).
As for when it may come out, many have speculated that it will likely be sometime in 2025.
The Switch 2 Will Be Backwards Compatible
For those worried the Switch 2 may leave the original Switch in the rearview, that does not look to be the case.
In November 2024, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa again took to social media, sharing on X that the "Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch:"
"This is Furukawa. At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date."
This does not mean the company will continue making original Switch games beyond the launch of the Switch 2, but that all the games from the first console will be playable on the new one.
One game some have speculated could come to both the Switch and the Switch 2 is Metroid Prime 4, which was at the center of recent rumors regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 launch lineup.
Nintendo Switch Online Will Continue Going Forward
The only feature confirmed to appear on the Nintendo Switch 2 is the currently available Nintendo Online service.
Nintendo Online has not only allowed gamers to play their favorite games against players around the world for a monthly fee, but it has also made available a vast library of classic titles from legacy consoles (like the NES, Nintendo 64, and SEGA Genesis, among others).
In President Furukawa's mention of Switch 1 titled being compatible with the company's next-gen device, he also wrote that "Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well."
Nothing further has been confirmed about Switch Online's presence on the new console, but fans can likely expect much of the same — including access to the newly launched Nintendo Music mobile app.
As for if there will be new consoles added to the Switch Online's catalog of classic titles, that remains to be seen; however, fans have speculated that it will likely include more games over time, and possibly even the addition of new consoles like the Nintendo Gamecube or DS.
The Nintendo Switch 2 still has not publicly listed a release date.
