New Rumors Surrounding the Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date Surface
Update: Heading into the new year, a developing story gamers have had their eyes on is Nintendo's plan for a successor to the Switch -- which is currently expected to be named the Switch 2. While rumors regarding its release date, and even an idea of what its design may feature, have come and gone, the rumor mill has started up once again thanks to none other than video game cheat specialists Gameshark and its rebrand into AI Shark.
Earlier today, Digital Trends reported that a press release from the new AI company shared that "the official launch [of AI Shark] is planned to coincide with the Nintendo Switch 2 in September 2024.” While it would be odd for AI Shark to have this information in advance, and reporter Jason Schreier later confirmed with an AI Shark spokesperson that this was a mere guess, it serves as the latest lead regarding the console's launch. Stay tuned for updates as we anxiously await official word from Nintendo.
Original Story: Nintendo may be gearing up for its next generation of console gaming: sources with apparent knowledge of the company's plans recently told VGC that the yet-to-be named console would be releasing in the second half of 2024 and that it would be portable, just like the Switch.
These two key tidbits shared by the unnamed sources don't provide a ton to go on, but they are more than customers have heard from Nintendo itself. The company has been tight-lipped about its future plans in the console sphere, with Kotaku noting that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa deflected investor questions about if the Switch, which released in 2017, was approaching the end of its life cycle, instead noting the staying power of the Switch's biggest titles.
Other news from these anonymous sources includes that the unnamed console may have two screen options: a more premium OLED and a more cost-sensitive LCD and that it'll also have a cartridge slot for physical games instead of going fully digital. There's currently no word on if it'll be backward compatible.
The Switch has sold over 125 million units in its six years on the market, and is still capable of supporting A-list titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but it's also struggled to keep pace with other, more powerful consoles from Xbox and PlayStation, as games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have been choppy and bug-riddled.
Stay tuned regarding more info on the new console as it's made available, and for more gaming news check out the latest Mortal Kombat I trailer.
