By Sagar V. Mankar Are you ready to bid farewell to the Nintendo Switch as we know it? Nintendo has finally confirmed that its highly anticipated next-generation console, the successor to the wildly popular Nintendo Switch, will be unveiled before April 2025.
During the company’s end-of-year financial results presentation, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa dropped a tantalizing hint about the Switch’s successor.
He stated that the announcement of the next-generation Nintendo Switch console will take place “within this fiscal year,” which means we can expect the big reveal before March 31st, 2025.
Furukawa’s statement aligns perfectly with the rumored launch window for the Switch 2, which is currently speculated to be Q1 2025.
However, he clarified that the upcoming Nintendo Direct in June 2024 will focus solely on the software (gaming) lineup for the latter half of 2024, not the hardware (Switch2 he means).
Nintendo’s Financial Forecast and Switch Sales
While Nintendo remains tight-lipped about specific details regarding the Switch 2, the company’s financial forecast provides some interesting insights.
For the upcoming fiscal year, Nintendo anticipates a slowdown in Switch console sales, projecting to sell 13.5 million units compared to the 15.7 million units sold in the previous year.
Furthermore, the company expects a 39% decrease in net profit and a 19% drop in revenue.
Despite these projected declines, the number of active players on the Switch platform has steadily increased, reaching a record high of 123 million annual players between April 2023 and March 2024 – the highest since the Switch’s launch.
What Can We Expect from the Nintendo Switch 2?
While the company’s president doesn’t reveal anything except “successor” he did hint at one potential feature in the new console.
At the same investor calls, he said that the successor will continue to utilize the Nintendo Account system, hinting at potential backward compatibility with existing Switch games and services.
However, the official name, release date, hardware specifications, and game lineup are still unknown.
Rumors suggest the console, unofficially dubbed the “Nintendo Switch 2,” will offer enhanced power and improvements over the current model, but Nintendo is known for keeping surprises up its sleeve, leaving fans eagerly anticipating further revelations.
Here are some potential rumours and leaks:
Broken Silicon podcast (Moore’s Law Is Dead and The Phawx):
- Improved performance while docked, but potentially lower performance in handheld mode.
- Expected to have Xbox Series S-level ray-tracing capabilities.
- Battery life will be “clocked faster than we expect” when docked, but “crazy low” when undocked.
- Nintendo aims to extend battery life compared to the original Switch, while also allowing for a low RPM fan.
Vandal (Spanish website) Report:
- Joy-Con controllers that connect to the main console using magnets, rather than sliding into rails
- Larger 8-inch screen size
- Overall larger device size, but not as big as the Steam Deck
- Compatibility with current Nintendo Switch Pro controllers
- Possible lack of compatibility with original Joy-Con controllers
- Robust games lineup at launch
- Specs and hardware capabilities already being demonstrated to developers
Other:
- Reuters says NVIDIA is building a new unit to craft custom chips, notably for Nintendo’s next system
- Backward compatibility being worked on according to Bloomberg, but may not be fully supported
- Potential launch titles: new 3D open-world Mario, largest Mario Kart ever, enhanced Bayonetta trilogy, new Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy 7 Remake
- Likely to cost around $399, slightly higher than the Switch OLED model
- Buttons may take inspiration from Super Nintendo controller colors
- 512GB internal storage, up from 64GB on Switch OLED
- OLED or LCD display panel, with rumors pointing towards OLED
- Support for 4K resolution when docked on compatible TVs
- Potential for higher frame rates up to 120fps, ray tracing, and improved physics/AI
- Detachable Joy-Cons with better ergonomics, weight balancing, battery efficiency, and durability
However, these rumors should be taken with a grain of salt until Nintendo provides official confirmation.
What’s Nintendo’s Strategy for the Current Switch Generation?
Despite the anticipated arrival of the Switch 2, Nintendo hasn’t given up on the current generation of Switch consoles just yet.
In its forecast, the company stated its intention to “try to not only put one system in every home, but several in every home, or even one for every person.“
This strategy suggests that Nintendo plans to continue supporting and promoting the existing Switch models alongside the new generation, potentially offering a more affordable entry point for gamers while catering to the high-end market with the Switch 2.
Source: The Verge