Fresh rumours are swirling about Nintendo’s next-generation console, tentatively dubbed the Nintendo Switch 2 by fans. According to a report by Bloomberg, analyst Hiroshi Hayase of research firm Omdia claims the successor to the nearly 7-year-old Nintendo Switch will launch later this year.
Hayase specializes in display market research and bases his predictions on supply chain checks. He states the Switch 2 will feature an 8-inch LCD screen, a noticeable jump from the 6.2-inch and 7-inch displays found on the original Switch and Switch OLED models.
An 8-inch screen would be the largest ever featured on a Nintendo portable console. Hayase also forecasts the boosted production of the rumoured Switch 2 will lead to a doubling of amusement display shipments in 2024.
While Nintendo itself has yet even to confirm the existence of new hardware, the Switch 2 is widely anticipated by industry watchers. 2023 saw several reports pointing to a late 2024 launch. Other reports from last year claimed development kits for the device were already in the hands of Nintendo’s partner studios. The site also suggested the Switch 2 would retain Switch-like portability and cartridge support while possibly utilizing an LCD panel to keep costs down versus pricier OLED tech.
A recent patent filing also hinted at potential improvements for the console’s detachable Joy-Con controllers, including new magnetic sensors to address well-publicized drift issues. As with past Nintendo handheld generations, the Switch 2 is expected to be an iteration rather than a dramatic overhaul of the existing Switch formula. Analyst Dr. Serkan Toto predicts a $400 price point, placing it $100 above the Switch at launch.
First released in 2017, the record-breaking popular Nintendo Switch has sold over 132 million units to date. Nintendo will likely want to leverage that massive install base when transitioning fans to new hardware.
With the purported Switch 2 still only rumour currently, Nintendo has a full slate of games set for the current Switch models in 2024. Headliners include the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remaster, a brand new Princess Peach platformer, and the latest entries in franchises like Fire Emblem, Pikmin 4, and Advance Wars.
Fans eagerly await an official announcement from Nintendo on what’s next for the Switch line. But in the meantime, they can look forward to another jam-packed year of exciting releases for the diminutive device that could, with potential for the new console to launch later this year.
