The Nintendo Switch 2 is scheduled to be released near the end of 2024 or in the first quarter of 2025.
According to reports, the Nintendo Switch 2 will have upgraded hardware, including a larger 8-inch 120Hz display, improved magnetic Joycons, new buttons, backward compatibility, and more.
The Nintendo Switch has sold more than 140 million units since its release in 2017, making it the best handheld platform of its generation.
Despite what looks to be a significant breach of confidentiality, an accessories company is eager to share ‘firsthand information’ about the Switch 2 with everyone.
Mobapad, a Chinese manufacturer of Nintendo Switch accessories, released a slew of “Switch 2” details on Sunday, claiming to have received them straight from Nintendo. Despite the obvious risks to its business connection with Nintendo, Mobapad is sharing information and encouraging others to speculate about the rumored system.
The third-party manufacturer of Joy-Cons asserted that larger Joy-Cons that magnetically adhere to the console’s edges will be included in Nintendo’s much-discussed, but now officially confirmed, next-generation handheld. According to reports, these redesigned controllers will have a new “function button” under the “home” button on the right Joy-Con and a third button on the top corners. It looks that owners of the Switch 2 will be able to keep utilizing their original Pro Controller and Switch Joy-Cons. The interoperability of the previous Joy-Cons with the new controllers can depend only on Bluetooth if they attach using a different technique.
The Nintendo Switch 2 might include an 8-inch 1080P OLED display.
Additionally, according to Mobapad, new cartridges might not work with the original Switch system, but the Switch 2’s cartridge slot would support physical Switch game cartridges. The screen would feature a 1080p resolution and measure 8 inches from corner to corner, according to earlier speculations. It appears that updates are also being made to the Switch dock, with “minor changes in look while improving efficiency and enabling 4K resolution.”
There is also the prospect of an LCD version, with both screens expected to be brighter and more vivid than the current model. As prior rumors claimed, they may also support 120Hz, reducing input lag and enabling for more rapid controls.
The Joycons have been updated and will now attach to the console magnetically rather than via the sliding rail mechanism, making them more reliable. It is much larger, and the SL and SR buttons are now metal. Aside from the new magnetic suction mechanism, the controller will include two new buttons in addition to the L, ZL, R, and ZR shoulder buttons. A new button has been added beneath the “HOME” key on the right Joy-con.
The Nintendo Switch 2 may also support backward compatibility with its Joy-cons, though it is unclear how this would work given that there is no sliding mechanism. Its compatibility will also extend to prior titles, with physical and digital library support, which is fantastic news for Switch owners.
The accessory maker, which produces some of Switch customers’ favorite third-party controllers, believes this is only a portion of the hardware information it has received. In a blog post published on the Chinese video-sharing site Bilibili, Mobapad asks Switch users to speculate on the purpose of the new Joy-Con buttons. There appears to be no mention of Mobapad’s massive breach of confidentiality by blatantly disclosing this information to the public—assuming it obtained it from Nintendo or one of Nintendo’s top manufacturing partners.
Nonetheless, Mobapad’s professional faux pas appears to confirm a smaller leak from late last week. Vandal, a Spanish gaming news outlet known for properly reporting Switch information, said it learned about the Switch 2’s magnetic Joy-Cons via peripheral vendors. Last summer, the site also disclosed that select game developers have received development kits for the Switch 2, adding legitimacy to what was previously simply a rumor.