Nintendo Switch 2 rumoured for 2024 release
It's either a badly kept secret or one of the biggest gaming hoaxes of all time, but either way, it doesn't look like Nintendo is ready to reveal the Nintendo Switch 2 just yet. Unlike Microsoft and Sony giving their consoles a spruce-up midway through their life cycle, the Nintendo Switch has been left as it has been for six years - save for the OLED model and handheld-only Lite.
Since it arrived on the scene in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has consistently topped the charts as the best-selling console month after month, with PlayStation and Xbox struggling to keep up. Not bad, especially considering we've had the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S since. So, imagine the potential of a Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 rumoured for 2024
Click to enlargeIt wasn't long ago that we heard a rumour of dev kits for a Switch successor being in the hands of developers. This suggested that the release of the Switch 2 would still be several years away, but according to VGC, this isn't the case. Following up on whispers of a Q1 2024 release, the site has some more information.
Apparently, the Switch 2 will release in 2024 but will be saved for the second half. To avoid the problems that plagued the PS5 and Xbox Series, Nintendo reportedly has a backlog of systems to ensure there aren't any stock issues.
As for what you can expect in terms of design, VGC reports the Switch 2 will be portable like its predecessor. Two sources said the Switch 2 could launch with an LCD screen instead of the premium OLED, and while this is done to keep costs down, it'll also help put more money into expanding the console's storage.
Could the Nintendo Switch 2 really release in 2024?
Click to enlargeSpeaking to VGC, industry consultant Dr Serkan Toto says 2024 launch makes sense for Nintendo, with a projected double-digit decline in Switch sales in 2023. "I would generally say that looking at Nintendo's financials, it seems clear that it’s time for a new piece of hardware in 2024," said Toto.
"Hardware is already projected to fall 16.5% year-on-year in the current fiscal, while the minus for software is expected to hit 15.9%...The only way to stop these losses from totally ballooning next fiscal is a new device, and the second half of 2024 sounds like a realistic release window to me."
Elsewhere, ReedPop's head of games B2B, Christopher Dring, reiterated it fits Nintendo's trend of launching consoles "mid-cycle" when compared to PlayStation and Xbox: A second-half 2024 release for Switch 2 would be nearly four years after PS5 and Xbox Series X and S, so we would see a similar 'mid-cycle' launch for Nintendo."
Then again, there's been plenty of chatter about the Switch 2 over the years, with nothing ever coming to fruition. We've already had two Nintendo Direct presentations in 2023, and while we've waited for that last-minute announcement of a new Switch, we've been left disappointed. We'll believe it when we see it.
