Nintendo Switch 2 leaks are coming in thick and fast, but that could be about to end if the latest console announcement rumour is true.
Gaming podcast Nate the Hate claims Nintendo will announce the Switch 2 on January 16. Podcasts are not a typical source for gaming news but it has a solid history of having good information from its sources.
This follows incredibly realistic Switch 2 replicas that surfaced online and at CES, prompting speculation Nintendo is about to unveil its eagerly awaited new console.
The flurry of leaks aligned with what we have been hearing over the past year: the new gaming device will be a bigger and more powerful version of the bestselling Switch, with all the right upgrades.
Following a vivid 3D render of the upcoming console, a dummy unit surfaced at the CES technology show in early January. Created by separate Switch accessory makers, both mockups point to a larger handheld that can connect to the TV. They also have a slightly thicker build, an eight-inch screen and magnetic controller attachments.
Where are all these clones coming from? A high-profile leaker, who goes by the name of Kang online, has suggested that the official console is being sold on the Chinese black market.
Nintendo downplayed the CES leak, dismissing it as “unofficial”. However, the fuse has been well and truly lit. With new information emerging almost daily, the pressure is mounting on Nintendo to make an announcement soon.
Here’s what we know about the Switch 2, including its rumoured release date, specs and games.
A mock-up of the Nintendo Switch 2 inside a case that Dbrand says is based on a 3D scan of the actual console
Nintendo
So, when will the new console be for sale? Well, last May, Nintendo told the world to expect an announcement by March 31, 2025. Reuters reported that it later repeated that date on an investor call in November.
Others have waded in with their predictions. The latest came from Nate the Hate.
“I can share with you, right now, that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be revealed in the coming week…I have been told that the Switch 2 will be revealed on Thursday, January 16th,” the host said during the latest edition of the podcast, which YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer co-hosts.
Nate the Hate says this initial reveal will focus “almost exclusively” on the console, with almost no discussion of games coming to the Switch 2.
“Software is not going to be a focus,” he says. Games will instead be shown as part of a “software showcase” in late February or early March.
This is not too far off what we had with the original Switch. Nintendo unveiled the original Switch with a three-and-a-half-minute video intended to show how you played the console, rather than the breadth of its game library.
However, with the Switch 2 expected to be mostly similar to its predecessor in that respect, will Nintendo be able to have the same impact this time with such a video?
A Switch 2 dummy unit from accessory maker Genki
Genki
The Japanese newspaper Nikkei mentioned the same release date. However, according to Gamesindustry.biz, game developers have been told not to expect the Switch 2 to arrive before April 2025.
Switch 2 design and features
As mentioned above, various computer-generated images and display models have clarified the Switch 2’s design.
Canadian accessory maker Dbrand got the ball rolling last December with an in-motion render that it claimed was based on a 3D scan of the actual console. Based on its measurements, the Switch 2 will be 270mm wide, 116mm tall and 14mm thick, making it larger and taller than Nintendo’s Switch OLED and the base Switch.
The console’s screen will reportedly measure eight inches, with a subsequent render from Onleaks and 91 Mobiles suggesting it will be an OLED display, resulting in deeper blacks and far greater contrast.
In addition, gaming analyst James McWhirter from research firm Omdia told the Standard that the Switch 2’s larger screen could make it roughly the same height as the Steam Deck OLED, despite its eight-inch, 16:9 display.
Numerous sources have mentioned that the Joy-Cons will attach magnetically to either side of the device instead of sliding in as they currently do. Interestingly, the renders show that the controllers will be mostly black with a splash of colour (blue or orange based on the Joy-Con) on the thumbsticks and along the top panels that contain the shoulder button.
A similar design popped up in January for a Switch 2 Joy-Con with a dab of bright blue. McWhirter told the Standard that the new controllers would probably come with improvements such as increased durability and analogue triggers for enhanced sensitivity — potentially addressing issues including Joy-Con drift while adding precision for racers and platformers.
The larger size, combined with reports that it will almost certainly feature a custom Nvidia T239 chip, leads McWhirter to believe that the Switch 2 will require a bigger battery and heftier active cooling.
“There will be more grunt under the hood and we expect it will be more power-hungry,” he said of the new console.
Behind closed doors, Nintendo has reportedly demonstrated the new Switch running some impressive tech typically reserved for the latest consoles and PCs.
A leaked image of the Switch 2’s alleged motherboard containing its core hardware
According to VGC, the device packs Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. This allows it to boost a game’s visual resolution using AI, meaning it could upscale full HD to 4K quality. It is also said to have ray tracing enabled to produce incredibly realistic lighting effects.
The new processor will allow the Switch 2 to run more power-hungry games. In a secretive showcase last August, Nintendo reportedly fired up The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo — originally released to illustrate the power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2021.
Before you get too excited, that doesn’t mean the new Switch will rival those machines in terms of performance.
Nintendo reportedly showed developers an improved version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild made for its new console
Nintendo
Nintendo also allegedly showed the new console running an enhanced version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This could indicate that it will offer next-gen editions of existing games in the vein of the PS5.
Indeed, Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will run Switch games and support Switch Online. The latter is a subscription service that lets you play compatible games online and access a library of classic titles.
The Switch 2 might not just be bigger – it could also come with a heftier price tag.
VGC’s sources said the console would use cartridges and digital downloads, potentially increasing the cost of Nintendo console games. Similar price hikes have already taken place on Xbox and PS5.
Speaking of which, analyst Serkan Toto suggested the console will be a little more expensive than the current Switch, at $400, which may equate to UK pricing of £350 to £380.
In comparison, a Switch OLED currently costs £309.99 directly from Nintendo.