Exciting news yesterday in regards to Nintendo’s follow-up to the Switch (for argument’s sake let’s call it the Switch 2.) It has been confirmed the Switch 2 Development kits are now in the hands of Nintendo’s closest development partners and information leaks are trickling out online. I’m not a fan of clickbait and unfounded rumors, so let’s take a look at what information and facts we’ve seen, and talk about…
What we (think) we know about the Switch 2
It’s another portable console
Developers have confirmed the Switch 2 is a portable style console in a similar vein to the Nintendo Switch. With the emergence of portable gaming PC’s, Nintendo will have stiff competition against the ROG Handheld and Steam Deck, so it’s safe to assume the price point will be much cheaper than it’s competitors.
Sony and Microsoft are aware of its existence.
Microsoft seemingly confirmed the console in early July during their court case with the FTC for their Activision Blizzard Merger. Boss Phil Spencer acknowledged that the successor to the Switch is in development and that the Switch runs in a different console generation timeframe to the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
It uses a Cartridge System
Developers have confirmed that the Switch 2 uses a cartridge system. There’s no word if it’s the same cartridge technology yet, or a new proprietary system. Nintendo has previously reused cartridge technology with the DS and 3DS, allowing gamers to play an already vast library of games on newer hardware. Which brings us to…
It is highly likely it will be backward compatible with the existing Switch
At a recent shareholders meeting, Nintendo President and CEO Shuntaro Furukawa said that Nintendo was focussing on a smoother transition to future consoles by adopting an account system similar to that of Xbox Live. He went on to talk about utilizing the existing 290 million accounts to continue building relationships with gamers, instead of them having to restart with every new piece of hardware. With the exception of the Switch, more recent Nintendo hardware like the Wii and Wii U, as well as the DS and 3DS have had physical games backward compatibility. There seems to be a strong emphasis on players taking their digital games with them moving forward with Nintendo.
It’s coming out last quarter of 2024
Developers with the kits have said that the console will release in the final quarter of 2024. This would explain Nintendo’s strong support of the Switch in their latest Nintendo Direct, which many touted would be their last. Nintendo knows that they need to show such support for the remainder of the existing Switch’s life cycle, introducing some new IP’s as well as classic and fan-favorite games returning.
So there we have it! I’ll try to update you as soon as we hear more on the new Nintendo Switch console. I don’t think we will see anything official from Nintendo this side of the holiday season as they won’t want to impact seasonal sales. While I am excited about a new console, I’m really excited to see the next 12 months of games on the current Switch, and hoping I can deliver great content that you enjoy while covering them.
Happy Gaming!