When it comes to the Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called), there’s a sense of being so near and yet so far, especially if the latest reports are to be believed. We know Nintendo is working on it, we know it’s almost certainly got to launch in 2025, and yet without an official reveal or firm dates, the Nintendo Switch 2 still feels like a million miles away. Indeed, the latest on the Nintendo Switch 2 is that the console won’t launch before the end of the current fiscal year, which means an April 2025 release date at the very earliest! Perhaps if Nintendo gave fans a look at the console and some of its games it wouldn’t seem so bad, but until then, the news just keeps getting worse.
The report comes courtesy of Christopher Dring on a recent GamesIndustry.biz podcast. According to Dring, the Switch 2 is unlikely to launch during the current fiscal year, although some developers are hopeful that we’ll get an April/May release date.
While part of me thinks that Nintendo would almost be better served waiting until the end of 2025 to launch the device, an April/May launch would at least give the company enough time to deal with any potential stock issues.
Previous rumours suggest that Nintendo’s new console will launch with an impressive 12GB of RAM.
It’s also believed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will support Ray-tracing technology for superior lighting and shadows. Nintendo Switch 2 will also use faster chips developed by Samsung.
Specifically, the Switch 2 will reportedly use Samsung’s fifth-generation V-NAND chips, which have a 1.4 GB/s data transfer rate.
Needless to say, this is a massive step up from the current Nintendo Switch, even if it’s not necessarily the most up to date Samsung chip.
In terms of games, there’s a good chance the upcoming Metroid Prime sequel could launch as a cross-generation title for both the Switch and its successor.
Nintendo has done this with games like Twilight Princess back on the Gamecube and Wii, as well as Breath of the Wild on the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.
Speaking of Breath of the Wild, there are reports that Nintendo showcased the power of the Switch 2 with a demo for the highly-rated Legend of Zelda release.
The Switch 2 version featured enhanced visuals, and was reportedly running at 60 frames-per-second in 4K.
Also, seeing as how Super Mario Odyssey launched all the way back in 2017, it feels like a brand new 3D Mario game is long overdue.