It’s been over six years since the launch of the original Nintendo Switch and the popular console is long due for an upgrade. Unsurprisingly, the company is working on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is expected to arrive with improved performance and a better display. With the rising competition from other handheld consoles like the ASUS ROG Ally and the MSI Claw, gamers have big expectations from Nintendo.
As the rumour mill for the Nintendo Switch 2 has been churning for a while now, let’s summarize all the information we know about the upcoming console from the Japanese video game giant.
Nintendo Switch 2: Custom Nvidia Chip, OLED Screen Expected
As per a report by Reuters, the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is said to feature a custom Nvidia chip as an upgrade to the Nvidia Tegra X1 chip present on the original Switch. Popular tipster Nate the Hate further added that the Switch 2 could support DLSS 3.5 and AI Ray Reconstruction for ray tracing. With these upgrades, the performance of the console may become on par with the Play Station 5 and the Xbox Series X.
While Nintendo has declined to comment on any type of rumours related to the Switch, the company is more likely to continue its partnership with Nvidia given its dominance in the GPU market. Nvidia has also been working with companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to design custom chips for AI and cloud, and a similar approach is expected with Nintendo.
According to Bloomberg, the next Nintendo Switch will reportedly feature an 8-inch LCD screen instead of having an OLED panel. Although this sounds like a drawback, using LCD screens will help the company price the Switch more competitively. It also gives Nintendo an option to release an OLED version at a later stage, just like how they did with the original Switch.
Nintendo is also expected to upgrade the refresh rate to 120Hz. The original Nintendo Switch and the OLED version are both limited to 60Hz. However, this change depends on factors like the processing capabilities of the console, overall power consumption, and most importantly cost.
Nintendo Switch 2: Physical Games Support
The upcoming Nintendo Switch is also expected to retain support for the physical game card slot. This would also enable backwards compatibility of games on the new console. However, the exact list of compatible games will depend on the company’s decisions.
Given the track record of Nintendo, the game giant has always provided its notable titles of Zelda and Super Mario during the launch of its new console. Given the popularity of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, we can expect it to be available on the upcoming Switch on day one itself.
Other possible games during the launch could be Metroid Prime 4 and Smash Bros. Nintendo is expected to provide several big titles on its new console, given the huge success in the handheld gaming console segment. For reference, the company has sold over 140 million units of the Nintendo Switch since its launch in 2017.
Nintendo Switch 2: Expected Launch Date and Pricing
Nintendo has pulled a page from Apple’s book and is being very secretive over the release details of its next console. The latest reports from Nikkei suggest that the next Nintendo Switch will launch in March 2025.
There have also been multiple speculations over the name of the next Nintendo Switch. Some reports mention that the upcoming console could be called the Super Nintendo Switch, while others believe that the name would be Nintendo Switch Pro. Nevertheless, the next Switch is surely going to be welcomed warmly by gamers.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to be priced around the $400 mark in international markets. Nintendo does not sell its consoles officially in India and gamers in the country have to import the Switch from overseas. It will be interesting to see if Nintendo brings its next Switch to the Indian market.
