Summary
Now that theNintendo Switch’s successor is all but confirmed,speculation turns to when fans can expect the console to drop and it may still be a while yet. Following Nintendo’s announcement that it would be shedding more light on its next piece of hardware before the end of the current fiscal year, many have attempted to pin down exactly when the so-called Switch 2 could arrive. Nothing is set in stone but a new report suggests that it likelywon’t be released any time soon.
PerEurogamer, reputable video game journalist Chris Dring noted that after speaking with several developers,many told him that Nintendo has explicitly stated that they can’t expect the Switch 2 to launch this financial year. This dashes some of the common rumors that claimed that Nintendo would announce the system in the summer before actually shipping it closer to the holiday season. Based on that insight, it’s fair to say that the earliest the Switch 2 could debut is in April 2025 but whether or not that’s the case remains to be seen.
Following In The Switch’s Footsteps
A Steady Ramp-Up And A Speedy Exit
Should Nintendo follow the trajectory it set for the previous Switch announcement,there’s a good chance the company will unveil the successor in late 2024 before confirming a mid-2025 release dateyear next year. The current iteration of the device was officially announced in October 2016 before eventually releasing in March 2017, stunning everyone who expected it to be available for the holiday season. There’s no telling whether the previous strategy will be used for the Switch 2 but releasing it in a quiet period to avoid potential competition is a viable tactic.
The Switch 2 has a great deal to live up given that the hybrid device is one of the most popular consoles Nintendo has ever produced. Despite its massive install base,the device is showing its ageasits current system specifications are dwarfed by the likes of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. That hasn’t impacted sales though as Nintendo has wisely placed more emphasis on deliveringinnovative, well-designed gamesover powerful hardware.
Rumors abound that the next version of theNintendo Switchwill sport a significant power boost. Some claim that when docked,it will be able to support upscaled 4K resolutions but this has yet to be confirmed. Others insist Nintendo isleaning more into handheld modeby equipping the device with a larger battery but this, much like every other report, has yet to be validated by a company official.
