Nintendo Switch 2: The latest reveal date, release and design rumours
Here's the state of play on the upcoming Switch 2, which could be announced within days
The Switch 2 is the most anticipated piece of gaming hardware out there. And it has been for the last couple of years.
Want to know when it will be out, and what you can expect from it? Nintendo has told us very little so far, but here’s what we know based on the latest rumours and reports, plus official statements from the Mario makers themselves.
Nintendo Switch 2 reveal and release date
:let’s start with the one official piece of news. Nintendo has said it will announce plans for the Switch successor this financial year. And for Nintendo, that means by the end of March 31, 2025.
The latest best guess for a Switch 2’s release date is March 28. This comes courtesy of Italian website Uagna, which claimed both first-party and third-party Switch 2 accessories will go on sale on that date.
And why would you buy a console accessory if the machine itself isn’t available?
Nintendo is expected to reveal the Switch 2 some time before it actually becomes available. Among the best guesses when this might happen is January 8, as suggested by one Chinese leaker recently.
That leaker has a history of leaking Nintendo data too. The mere idea of being just days away from Nintendo lifting the lid on Switch 2 — it’s pretty exciting stuff.
Nintendo Switch 2 features and design
The last few months have been packed with reports on what the Switch 2 will look and feel like. Such leaks are hard for Nintendo to avoid at this point, what with having to inform third-party partners about its dimensions and design.
Your first reaction may be the Switch 2 looks quite a lot like its predecessor. Nintendo hasn’t done what it often does, in going truly “out there” with its console designs, as it did with the Wii U.
It’s not identical, of course, but Switch 2 renders suggest it has a central display section and detachable Joy-Con controllers.
The console will reportedly fix the stick drift issue many have had with the original Switch, though, using hall effect analogue sticks. That’s good news given how much Joy-Cons cost, and how rage-inducing stick drift can be.
How the Joy-Cons attach to the Switch 2 is being switched up as well, with a magnetic connection in place of the old rail-based system.
Renders of the dock show it’s a little different, a little slicker. But we’re still dealing with the same dual-mode console. You can use it handheld, you can use it docked.
Some claim the Nintendo Switch 2 will have power comparable with that of a PlayStation 4 Pro when docked — that console was sold in as the gateway to 4K gaming back in 2016.
It won’t reach that same power in handheld, though, in part thanks to a need to make the battery last longer than an hour or so. The current Switch processor is deliberately limited when running handheld, for the same reason.
The Switch 2 is rumoured to use an Nvidia brain, just like the first model, and may have an up-to-8-inch screen. Almost a year ago we heard the display would be an LCD rather that the pretty OLED of the top model today. But, as with all of these early reports, we’re dealing in speculation at the moment.
We'll be on the look out for Nintendo's announcement of its next launch event, which could be within days.
