Switch 2 Release Date, Specs and More: What We Know So Far

The Nintendo Switch has been one of the best-selling consoles of all time — and it could reach that accolade before next-generation consoles come out. The Switch came out in 2017, so Nintendo fans are eagerly awaiting a new console with improved hardware and modern releases of their favorite intellectual properties. How far off is the Switch 2?

The Facts

It’s critical to note that Nintendo has not confirmed their next console will be referred to as the Switch 2. However, this is the name fans have used when referring to the Switch’s successor. Fans also don’t know the release date for the console because Nintendo has not released anything concrete.

The only tangible evidence fans have of an upcoming console is a tweet from President of Nintendo, Shintaro Furukawa. This notice was released on May 7th, 2024, shortly after the announcement of their seasonal Nintendo Direct presentation. They confirmed news would arrive within this fiscal year, and no mention of it would appear during official presentations. 

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…

— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) May 7, 2024

The Hype

Ever since this announcement, fans have been waiting — and shaking their heads at promoting false rumors about a 2024 release. The holidays are drawing near, and Nintendo has a few upcoming games to promote ahead of them, like Mario & Luigi: Brothership. However, fans noted Nintendo’s fiscal year runs from April to March, meaning news of the Nintendo Switch 2, or the successor, should arrive before the end of March 2025. 

Time is running out, and Nintendo is known for being tight-lipped.

Recently, a Chinese social media app post went viral, claiming it contained unverified pictures of the Switch successor. The purported design is not far off from what Nintendo could be working on. Everything listed is within their scope, so has anything been close to validated?

The Potential Specs

Between leaks and patents, internet denizens have been watching Nintendo’s activity like a hawk. Every hardware-related notice feels like a signal to future hardware it is trying to protect or prepare for upcoming release.

Upgraded GPU and RAM

However, early playtesters were said to have experienced the Switch successor’s potential at Gamescom. Industry invitees were rumored to have played an enhanced version of The Legend of Zelda; Breath of the Wild with 60 frames-per-second and no loading times. 

It could mean Nintendo has finally invested in a better graphics processing unit (GPU) and random access memory (RAM). While Nintendo has done optimizations over the years to make the current Switch’s 4GB of RAM functional, many of its later titles experience lag when dealing with high-power tasks, like in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. 

Nintendo has never had the hardware to match competitors like Sony or Microsoft, but it could bump up its capabilities to at least 12GB to somewhat compare to the Playstation 5’s 16GB of DDR6 memory. Emails with Activision suggest specs will more likely align with the Xbox One or Playstation 4.

Multiple, Bigger Screens

After the historical success of the Nintendo DS line, a multiscreen console has become synonymous with Nintendo. Could this technology go from an exclusively portable console to the famous hybrid setup? 

Industry analysts suggest there may be some validity to the rumors about a larger screen. Rumor has it shipments are doubling in “amusement displays” with an eight-inch size. The screens are LCD and not OLED, according to an Osaka-based supplier that was “working closely” with the producer of a next-generation console. The company in question has worked with Nintendo previously.

A Taiwanese report has provided some credence on a dual-screen rumor, though it is not backed enough. Nintendo did issue a patent for a dual-screen device in 2023. However, patents are not necessarily Easter eggs for upcoming technologies. Many times, patents are a legal, administrative necessity to protect research and development. They may also be necessary if the patents expired and need renewed. The second screen would be a joy though, especially if Nintendo decides to add DS and 3DS titles to the Nintendo Switch Online library.

Controller Upgrades

What about the controllers? Nintendo has had famously controversial controllers, and the Joy-Cons for the Nintendo Switch degraded quickly over time with their famous drift problems. A patent may hint at more durable, hall effect analog sticks. Other rumors point at a potential magnetic connection instead of the slide-into-place setup the Switch has now. 

Battery Life

The other major wishlist item is extended battery life. The main source for this is a statement made on the Broken Silicon podcast, which the individual described as hearsay anyway. They said they heard the Switch 2 will be clocked “crazy low” when undocked and the reverse for when docked. This is a strategy to control battery life while heightening performance. 

The Release Titles

Hints on release games for the Switch 2 are nonexistent. Many rumors and claims are unfounded. However, the only likely candidate is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which releases on the Switch in 2025. The game looks stunning, so it isn’t impossible to imagine a dual release on both consoles, with the Switch successor boasting higher processing power and better graphics. 

While it is fruitless to guess what will be released, fans have made their voices known on what they think would suit its release success. These are the titles fans want the most:

• Mario Kart 9
• Super Mario Odyssey sequel
• New Animal Crossing entry
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker HD ports
• Expanded Nintendo Switch Online
• Third-party ports, like Baldur’s Gate III, Hades 2 or Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Almost every Nintendo console has had backwards compatibility in some way. So, it is likely the “release titles” will also include the ability to play every game you have on the Switch. 

Everything You Need to Know About the Switch 2

Gamers will have to continue to wait with bated breath. The announcement could arrive mere weeks before pre-order details, or Nintendo could be more gracious and do a several month hype-train. Until then, people can enjoy the rapidly spreading memes about how each Nintendo presentation and conference will not contain information regarding the Switch’s successor.