Rumors surrounding Nintendo’s next-generation console, the Switch 2, are reaching fever pitch. A recent leak claims to reveal an upcoming game for the new console, ahead of Nintendo’s highly anticipated announcement event reportedly scheduled for the last week of October. Following President Shuntaro Furukawa’s confirmation of the console’s existence in May, many leaks and speculation have been coming up.
The latest developments have only added fuel to the fire, with photos of the alleged console surfacing in September and a major data hack at Pokemon developer game Freak revealing significant information about the upcoming Pokemon Legend: Z-A game. According to the leaked data, Pokemon Legends: Z-A was originally set to launch in the winter of 2024, which was previously believed to be the expected release window for Switch 2. Yet, the game has now been pushed back to 2025, potentially indicating a delayed Switch 2 release.
This news has sparked speculations among gamers and industry insiders, with many wondering if Nintendo is adjusting its release strategy for the new console. There are also rumors about Switch 2 being delayed until 2025. In May, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa announced that the company would reveal details about the Switch 2 “within this fiscal year.”
However, rumors suggest that the console’s release date has been pushed back to focus on developing stronger first-party titles and avoiding console shortages. The latest leak indicated that mass production, initially expected to begin in September, may not start as planned, fuelling speculation about another potential delay.
The gaming community has been speculating about the Switch 2’s release for years. Initially, rumors pointed to a 2021 release for the Nintendo Switch Pro, a supposedly souped-up version of the original Switch. Nevertheless, Nintendo released the Nintendo with OLED console in July 2021, a modest upgrade with a slightly larger OLED display.
In 2023, reports suggested that Nintendo Switch 2 would launch in late 2024. Video Games Chronicle (VGC) reported that development kits were distributed to key partner studios to “ensure it has ample stock available on day one and to avoid the kind of shortages seen with PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X/S.”
Eurogamer editor Tom Philips reported that Nintendo aimed to launch the system sooner than initially thought, potentially in late 2024, stating that Nintendo was keen to launch the system sooner if possible. On the other hand, during Nintendo’s earnings call in May 2023, president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that sales of the Switch were flagging, which added to speculation that the follow-up console would be released in 2024. He admitted that the switch’s sales were slowing down.
In February 2024, Nintendo’s plans appeared to shift. Furukawa stated that the current switch would remain the company’s main business coming in 2024 and declined to comment on new hardware plans, saying that the current switch would remain in the company’s focus.
Subsequent reports from Eurogamer, Bloomberg, and Video Games Chronicle (VGC) reveal that Nintendo had pushed back the Switch 2’s release date to early 2025. VGC sources indicated that the third-party game developers were briefed on an internal delay to allow Nintendo to prepare stronger first-party software.
Alleged prototype photos of the Nintendo Switch 2 surfaced online in September; according to tech gaming news site Digital Foundry, the leak appears to be genuine, based on shipment tracking out of Taiwan. The prototype is believed to date back to October 2023. The photo leaked has features like a larger 8-inch display with a slimmer bezel and redesigned magnetic Joy-con controllers with new SR and SL buttons.
Rearranged LED light placement and two USB-C ports on the top and bottom. There are also game cartridge slots seen at the top, which indicates compatibility with the existing Nintendo Switch games. There are also speculations surrounding the dual USB-C ports that suggest the uses, which include linking two switch consoles together and hooking up new accessories.
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