Nintendo Switch 2: Everything we know so far
In May 2024, Nintendo announced it would share details of the successor to the Switch by the end of the fiscal year, in other words before the end of March 2025.
Speculation and rumours have been in overdrive since then with a handful of official announcements scattered in between them all.
Here’s the indy100 roundup of everything we know so far about the Nintendo Switch 2 console.
What official Switch 2 announcements have been made by Nintendo?
Nintendo confirmed at the start of November it is still on track to make an announcement on the Switch 2 before the end of March 2025 but fans have been venting frustration at the wait.
Shuntaro Furukawa, president at Nintendo, confirmed the console will have backwards compatibility with Nintendo Switch games although it’s not currently known if that means physical games will be playable on Switch 2 or it’s just downloadable software that will work.
Nintendo will release news of the successor to the Switch before the end of 2025 / Milton Rodney Buzon, iStock
When will Nintendo Switch 2 be released?
To be clear, the rest of this article contains content that has not been verified by Nintendo but has come up in leaks, rumours and speculation.
Rumour has it Nintendo is set to release the Switch 2 console in March.
A release window of “March” or “April” for it was mentioned by the CEO of a games accessory company who said the console is “done” and “ready” and that his company has access to versions of the hardware that are nearly completely finalised, according to a report.
When will Nintendo Switch 2 be announced?
It’s said the Switch 2 could be announced as soon as January.
It was recently ‘leaked’ that Nintendo is preparing for a “massive launch” with “roughly 2.5 times the volume from March 2017” when the original console went on sale.
It’s understood this is to avoid scalpers (people who buy and then resell products for a profit as they’re difficult to get) who capitalised on Switch consoles being limited in availability at launch in 2017.
Have there been any Nintendo Switch 2 images?
Images and renders of a Switch 2 console were leaked online in September. These were said to be “genuine” by tech experts.
Since then, an accessories company may have accidentally shared the first “official” look at what the console looks like.
Satisfye posted a trailer on YouTube for a product called Zengrip 2, which is a case for the Switch 2, but it was quickly deleted as it appeared to show off either a render or a very first look at the new console, reports Insider Gaming.
An image circulated from the trailer on social media; it’s quite blurry, making it difficult to spot any major details but it seems to be either a mock-up of a Switch 2, probably based on Nintendo-provided dimensions and leaks, or the real thing itself.
There’s been a look at what the console is likely to look like after a YouTube channel was sent a 3D printed version of one from a Chinese company making Switch 2 cases that claims to have the final design templates of the console.
The printed version shows the screen is around an inch bigger than the O-LED model, a USB-C port has been added to the top of the console and there is a slot for cartridges that is similar in size to the Switch.
It also showed no significant difference in terms of thickness, with smaller volume buttons in a more ergonomic location and the headphone jack is in the same place.
When compared to the size of the Steam Deck, the Switch 2 3D printed model has a larger screen yet is much smaller overall because of the size of its Joy-Cons.
What do the Joy-Cons look like?
A leak appears to have been posted online of what the Joy-Cons will look like.
While this has not been confirmed by Nintendo, a video appears to show while the Joy-Cons will be similar to the ones used on the current console, they will attach magnetically, there are two new buttons on the back of each controller and the SL and SR buttons are much bigger.
The 3D printed model also showed the Joy-Cons are bigger with a longer curved edge but the rear is the same – there’s also an extra button on the right one too.
Someone that claims to have already got their hands on the console says the Joy-Cons are magnetic and there will be a 13-pin connector that comes out of the console on each end to help connect them.
How much will Nintendo Switch 2 cost?
Nothing has been confirmed by Nintendo on this front yet but in the past few months, there have been a few different rumours that the console will cost around $400.
What games will release on Nintendo Switch 2?
The latest rumour is that Nintendo is working on a new Zeldatitle for the Switch 2 and this could be a brand new entry, a remake or a remaster.
According to GAMINGBible, a leaker known as Midori posted on X / Twitter (which has since been deleted) Nintendo has a project under the codename of Edward which is believed to be in development for the new console.
It’s not known why the post was deleted but fans are assuming this could relate to a new Zelda game as the codenames for these are often the likes of King or Richard.
The console’s first major game was leaked in its entirety due to a huge data hack at Pokemon developer Game Freak and that was Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the follow-up to spin-off Pokemon Legends: Arceus which was praised by players for a new take on the franchise.
Further leaks also revealed Pokemon HOME could be making a comeback but it “will have a different host and developer”.
Mario Kart 9 is rumoured to be announced with the console too.
After Metroid Prime 4 was announced to release in 2025 during a Nintendo Direct event in June, a video games expert said this could be a game that launches on both the Switch and Switch 2.
Someone who posts on Install Base as Matt, described on a Reddit post as a “lowkey trusted developer”, recently said: “Both Nintendo and third parties see Switch 2 AAA titles as a big potential growth driver.
“I’m not at all saying it’ll get everything always but I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised.”
What new features does the Nintendo Switch 2 have?
A series of images were posted in the Nintendo Switch 2 Subreddit claiming a Chinese accessories company shared the designs of a case it is making for the upcoming console and what its product will look like when used with the Switch 2.
Included in the leaked images are four details of features that look set to be ‘confirmed’ on the upcoming console.
Eagle-eyed Redditors have spotted a USB-C port on top of the console, a u-shaped kickstand, large speakers (which could also be much bigger vents) and the additional button on the right-hand controller has a ‘C’ on it, which could mean camera, cast, chat or something else.
What are the tech details of Nintendo Switch 2?
When leaked images of the Switch 2 console circulated in September, tech details were shared as part of that too.
Some of the key technical details the Switch 2 is claimed to have are that it will feature 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, two cooling fans and support for HDMI 2.1.
It’s understood the console will have the same connections as before though and the dock will have the same logo as the Switch but with the number ‘2’ on it.
What accessories are there for Nintendo Switch 2?
Accessories for Nintendo Switch 2 have seemingly already gone on sale revealing key details about its size.
According to a Famiboards post and a number of Reddit posts, Chinese retailer Alibaba is selling Switch 2 screen protectors and cases.
The protectors show the screen for the Switch 2 will be bigger than the original console and the console itself will therefore be larger.
Companies making or selling accessories for consoles usually get the measurements of them sent before release so their products can go on sale at the same time or soon afterwards.
But it seems Alibaba is keen to get the jump on the competition…
What is Nintendo Switch 2 called?
The CEO of a Japanese game industry consultancy and an analyst recently seemingly confirmed the console will actually be called Switch 2.
This has been backed up by the person who claims to have recently got their hands on the console.
Nintendo Switch 2 loading times ‘leaked’
There’s plenty of speculation around the upcoming release, and now a YouTuber believes they’ve spotted something intriguing about the Switch 2’s loading times.
There has been a leak from a job advert that the Switch 2 could be able to run a new line of microSD cards from Samsung, called SD Express, that would see transfer speeds of up to 800MB reached if that target can be met. Samsung’s reported current highest is 60MB and the fastest available anywhere at the moment is 150MB.
Youtuber SuperMetalDave64 posted a video which points to a Nintendo job listing. According to the video, Nintendo of America is looking to hire a PCB layout engineer experienced with SD Express flash storage.
Now, that’s potentially very significant when it comes to the Switch 2 loading times.
Because Nintendo is looking for someone with this specific expertise, the Switch 2 could feature SD Express storage which offers speeds of up to 985 MB/sec – essentially, it means the game will be much faster to load and the assets will be displayed in higher-resolution.
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