Nintendo Switch 2: rumors, release date and new features
Sales of the NINTENDO Switch continue to impress long after the console's pandemic-era boom.
In the company's latest financial results, President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that the Switch console will remain Nintendo's “main business” in 2024.
Does this mean a Nintendo Switch 2 is planned for this year?
Rumors
Naturally, rumors are circulating about what features and appearance the Switch 2 will have compared to its predecessor.
Insiders believe Nintendo is aiming for a price of $399 (£349), to deliver a console with the quality players are looking for.
This would make the Switch 2 the most expensive Nintendo console of all time.
However, it remains cheaper than the Xbox Series X and PS5.
Spectators are wondering if Nintendo will change the style of game cartridges in the upcoming console.
The Japanese tech giant has done it before, most notably with the jump from the DS to the 3DS.
Even if the cartridge type is different, Nintendo has been willing to accept different types of cartridges in the past.
The Nintendo 3DS could accept both DS and 3DS games, and the DS even had a separate cartridge slot for Game Boy Advance games.
Date of publication
The Switch, which hit shelves in 2017, is reaching the end of its life cycle after almost seven years.
Looking at Nintendo's usual timeline and the typical cycle between developer kits and launch, it seems likely that the Switch 2 will release before the end of 2024.
Onlookers predict the launch date will coincide with Christmas, around the end of 2024.
Although new rumors from fanatic 'Nate The Hate' via GameRant suggest that a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal could happen as early as March.
This report was supported by Portuguese site Universe Nintendo, which claimed to have heard from publishing partners that Switch 2-related projects will also be revealed in March.
New functions
According to a new leak, the next Nintendo Switch console could be backwards compatible with current-gen games.
Fans had anticipated replacing game cartridges.
But it looks like the new Switch will support the original Switch's physical and digital games.
In addition, fans expect major upgrades to existing features.
They suspect that the Nintendo Switch 2 will have better TV-quality graphics on the handheld.
The Nintendo Switch currently delivers 720p on the handheld, which is at the low end of the HD range.
Although there is hope that this can be upgraded to the 1080p it sends to the television.
This could also go hand in hand with an improved resolution for the TV, as 1080p seems to be the minimum that modern gamers will accept.
Improving control options when using a single Joy-Con and the 'clunky' D-Pad is a popular request from gamers.
Build quality has improved with the Switch Lite, but adding this to the Switch 2 would be a game-changer.
Insiders have nod to a new internal storage size of 512GB, according to Tom's Guide, which would be a significant boost over the original Switch and Switch OLED's 32GB and 64GB respectively.
Then better battery life and improved Wi-Fi connectivity would of course be very welcome.
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