The Swap is Nintendo’s best-selling residence console of all time, and extensively beloved for its wealthy library of video games—a dramatic flip from the middling Wii U earlier than it. But it surely’s been seven years for the reason that Swap launched, and followers are getting antsy for Nintendo’s subsequent large factor.
Fortunately, it might not be far off. Rumors and reviews level to a Swap successor that may pack in additional energy than the unique whereas sustaining its successful mix of residence console and handheld performance. We’ll name it the Swap 2 for now.
Reviews recommend that main sport builders have already been proven the brand new {hardware}, which—if true—could recommend a not-too-distant launch window. Right here’s all the pieces we’ve heard up to now about Nintendo’s subsequent handheld sport console, and keep tuned as we’ll replace this story commonly with new particulars and hopefully future official bulletins, too.
What’s the Nintendo Swap 2?
Nothing’s official but, however leaks and reviews from main publications level to a extra highly effective sport system that maintains the identical convertible method. Nintendo’s present Swap is actually a conveyable console that may be plugged right into a dock and performed in your TV, though the Swap Lite variant is only handheld.
Bloomberg reported in Might 2023 that show producer Sharp was engaged on screens for an upcoming handheld console. Sharp has labored with Nintendo earlier than, and Nintendo is by far the most important participant nonetheless making moveable gadgets which are purely centered on enjoying video video games—though Sony has a brand new PlayStation Portal that may play video games from a paired PlayStation 5, plus Valve’s Steam Deck is widespread amongst PC die-hards.
And Nintendo is clearly fascinated about what’s subsequent. In response to a fan query in June 2023, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated, “As for the transition from Nintendo Swap to the next-generation machine, we need to do as a lot as doable with the intention to easily transition our clients, whereas using the Nintendo Account.”
However for now, Nintendo seems content material to concentrate on the unique Swap and maintain again particulars on the subsequent {hardware} till it is good and prepared. In November, Furukawa stated on an earnings name that “rumors are circulating primarily on the web as in the event that they have been public info, however they’re inaccurate.”
Apparently, many builders have admitted to engaged on Swap 2 video games, even when they are not prepared to place their names to it but. For the 2024 Recreation Builders Convention (GDC) State of the Recreation Business survey (through VGC), launched in January 2024, about 8% of the three,000 respondents admitted that they are presently engaged on video games for Nintendo’s subsequent console.
That is about 250 folks, however we do not know what their roles are or what number of completely different studios they work for. Even so, it should not be shocking, given the rising wave of leaks and reviews.
When will the Nintendo Swap 2 come out?
Nintendo has but to formally announce a next-generation Swap, however reviews till just lately have persistently pointed to a late 2024 launch goal—which might be about seven-and-a-half years after the unique. Now, nevertheless, there’s reporting that implies an early 2025 launch is extra possible.
A July 2023 report from VGC factors to a launch goal of the second half of 2024 for brand new {hardware}, citing a number of sources accustomed to Nintendo’s plans. The report means that Nintendo is raring to keep away from the forms of {hardware} shortages seen with many previous console launches, and the Swap successor is more likely to see vital demand, given the recognition of the unique.
In October 2023, a leaker—who WCCF Tech stated has beforehand shared dependable info—claimed that the next-generation Swap is being focused for a September 24, 2024 launch, though they declare that Nintendo has pegged November 3, 2024 is one other potential date.
At CES 2024, peripheral maker Altec Lansing introduced a brand new model of the GameShark cheat code software program software known as AI Shark, and wrote that the “official launch is deliberate to coincide with the Nintendo Swap 2 in September 2024.”
Unsurprisingly, this set off some alarms amongst avid gamers and the gaming press. Altec Lansing gave Digital Tendencies a extra obscure “fall 2024” after it inquired, and the corporate advised Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier that they have been “simply guessing” in regards to the date, in his phrases. However even trade gamers assume a fall launch is now possible.
Including gasoline to the fireplace is a Nikkei Asia report about Nintendo’s surging inventory worth, which notes that buyers seem like enticed by “the anticipated launch of a brand new online game console following its Nintendo Swap megahit.”
That aforementioned leaker pegs the value level for the Swap 2 at $449 for the bottom mannequin and $400 for a model that’s totally digital with out cartridge help. By comparability, the unique Swap launched for $300 in 2017, with the purely handheld Swap Lite rolling out for $200 in 2019. With some premium enhancements (together with a bigger, bolder display screen), the Nintendo Swap OLED mannequin shipped for $350 in 2021.
The VGC report means that Nintendo could use LCD screens as a substitute of OLED panels to maintain down prices, but it surely doesn’t point out what sort of worth level Nintendo is focusing on with its subsequent console. Nintendo’s final three console methods have averted utilizing the newest, cutting-edge tech to maintain costs down. Will that maintain true once more this time round?
In a Nikkei interview posted in early October 2023 (through VGC), Furukawa affirmed that Nintendo will proceed to help the unique Swap with new software program by means of not less than the fiscal yr that ends in March 2025. Fairly possible, if the Swap 2 is certainly set to roll out in late 2024, we’ll most likely proceed to see new Swap video games for years to return. However Nintendo itself could shift gears shortly to the brand new {hardware} whereas third-party publishers proceed to wager on the Swap’s sizable viewers.
In February 2024, reviews started surfacing that recommended that the Swap 2 will as a substitute launch in Q1 2025 as a substitute of on the finish of this yr. VGC reported {that a} Brazilian journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe broke the information through a YouTube video, after which Eurogamer reviews that it confirmed the shift with builders engaged on video games. Nintendo reportedly advised builders to plan for Q1 2025 as a substitute of late this yr.
What is going to the Nintendo Swap 2 appear to be?
Leaks and rumors have largely pointed to an analogous handheld-meets-home-console method for the Swap 2, however there’s nonetheless room for doubtlessly substantial design adjustments inside that form of mannequin.
A Nintendo patent utility, filed in November 2022 however solely revealed publicly in October 2023 (and first reported by Recreation Rant) factors to a twin convertible machine that remembers the corporate’s earlier Nintendo DS and 3DS handhelds.
Nonetheless, there is a completely different angle right here—it is apparently convertible, letting gamers select to make use of the machine with a single display screen, with two stacked screens, and even to disconnect them and use them individually. Since they’re wirelessly linked, that might doubtlessly open up the opportunity of two-player gaming utilizing a single separated piece of {hardware}.
After all, a patent utility doesn’t suggest that Nintendo is unquestionably going this route for the next-generation Swap. Who is aware of? Perhaps Nintendo is considering reviving the sensationally widespread DS line. Or perhaps it is simply an concept that may by no means really be used, like so many tech large patent purposes through the years.
In April 2024, an adjunct producer named Mobapad wrote in a weblog put up that it realized that the Swap 2 can have magnetically-attached Pleasure-Con controllers, slightly than the snap-on controllers of the unique Swap. The “magnetic suction” that Mobapad reported might be enabled by means of electropermanent magnets, Polygon suggests, maybe with an on-off swap to connect or take away them from the machine.
How highly effective will the Nintendo Swap 2 be?
Persevering with the above thread, reviews recommend that Nintendo will certainly not attempt to compete with the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Sequence X because the standard-bearers for residence consoles and as a substitute ship a gaming expertise with a bit much less constancy. Even so, it appears like a big enchancment over the Swap.
In September 2023, leaked paperwork from main sport writer Activision confirmed that the corporate had evaluated the {hardware} in late 2022, in the end surmising that the Swap successor can have related energy to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One {hardware}.
Whereas these are 10-year-old residence consoles, it nonetheless could be a notable step up from what the unique Swap can deal with. The Swap’s hybrid home-plus-handheld mannequin additionally implies that Nintendo has to bear in mind a slim kind issue and battery life expectations, so it’s unlikely that we’d even see a Swap-like machine with top-end internals at an affordable worth. VGC additionally reported that the Swap 2 is anticipated to maintain a cartridge port for bodily video games.
Eurogamer reported that Nintendo confirmed off non-public tech demos for the Swap 2 to builders on the Gamescom convention in August 2023, and that it used an upgraded model of 2017’s hit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as an indication of the brand new {hardware}’s capabilities.
VGC supported that report and added that Nintendo additionally used Epic Video games’ The Matrix Awakens tech demo for Unreal Engine 5, with capabilities like ray tracing (sensible lighting results) and AI-driven visible upscaling tips enabled. One other rumor factors to the usage of “ray reconstruction,” a much less hardware-intensive approach of delivering ray tracing results with the assistance of AI, through Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5 tech.
All advised, this will likely level to {hardware} that’s really extra succesful than the PS4 or Xbox One, even when it doesn’t fairly match the benchmarks of the current-gen PlayStation 5 or Xbox Sequence X. It might be comparatively properly outfitted when it comes to RAM, nevertheless, with famous leaker Felipe Lima suggesting that the machine with have 12GB onboard—that is greater than the Xbox Sequence S console at 10GB.
A February 2024 report from Reuters cites a supply claiming that the Swap 2 will use a customized Nvidia chip, very like the unique Swap {hardware} did.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furakawa suggests you should not consider all the pieces that is been reported in regards to the Swap successor, nevertheless, saying in November 2023 that reviews that {hardware} was demonstrated for builders are “unfaithful.” However he could be enjoying coy till Nintendo is really prepared to point out its hand.
In accordance with a January 2024 report from Bloomberg, Omdia analyst Hiroshi Hayase says that Nintendo has picked a large 8-inch show for the Swap 2, and the show will use LCD tech as different reviews have beforehand famous. Nintendo declined remark. The present Swap OLED mannequin has a 7-inch display screen, so this may be bigger than any unique Swap machine.
Mobapad additionally factors to an 8-inch show, which it says it’s upgraded from 720p HD decision on the unique Swap to 1080p Full HD decision on the successor.
What video games will the Nintendo Swap 2 have?
You may wager that we’ll see Nintendo’s tried-and-true franchises like Tremendous Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, and plenty of others within the combine earlier than lengthy. And there are already rumors circulating about different large video games headed to Swap 2.
A leaker known as Zippo, who Tom’s Information describes as having a “affordable observe report” with earlier scoops, says that Nintendo is making ready an enormous new 3D Tremendous Mario sport to launch with the Swap 2 in 2024. Will it’s a sequel to the sensible Tremendous Mario Odyssey on Swap or one thing completely new? We do not know simply but.
Zippo additionally claims that Nintendo will debut a brand new Mario Kart sport in 2025 that may reportedly be known as Mario Kart X. Wait, “X” as in 10? Whereas Mario Kart 8 was the final large mainline entry on Wii U after which ported to Swap, the cell sport Mario Kart Tour might successfully be known as the ninth entry. Zippo describes the brand new Mario Kart as “one of the costly video games Nintendo has ever put into manufacturing,” so there could also be lots driving on it.
The identical leaker beforehand stated that Nintendo’s EPD Tokyo studio is engaged on a brand new Donkey Kong sport that is slated for the corporate’s subsequent console. In September 2023, a leaker and unbiased journalist who goes by “Necro” Felipe Lima stated that the as-yet-unannounced Far Cry 7—the rumored subsequent entry in Ubisoft’s widespread open-world shooter sequence—will launch on the Swap successor similtaneously different platforms. Insider Gaming pegs the Far Cry 7 launch for fall 2025, so it might be after the Swap 2 is already launched.
After Rockstar Video games’ latest official reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is presently introduced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Sequence X and S, it begs the query: Will it come to Swap 2, too? And maybe extra pressingly, will the Swap 2 be highly effective sufficient to run it?
There isn’t any official phrase for now, in fact, and there would not be till Nintendo really reveals its subsequent console. However within the meantime, the technical specialists at Digital Foundry are doubtful that the Swap 2 can have sufficient energy to deal with Rockstar’s subsequent large sport—not less than primarily based on the leaks up to now.
“I’d like to say it will occur. I don’t assume it is going to, realistically,” stated Digital Foundry founder Richard Leadbetter in a YouTube video (through IGN). “It’s a cell chipset. We’ve seen plenty of superb issues on the Swap 1. Swap 2 goes to be lots higher, a correct generational leap, and forward-looking in some ways. However the stuff they appear to be rolling out for GTA 6 is presumably past that.”
“It appears a step past,” he added, “and out of character with what we find out about Rockstar’s M.O.”
What about Digital Arts? EA has been an inconsistent Nintendo platform supporter through the years, so it is unclear whether or not the key writer will embrace the Swap 2 after a half-hearted launch technique on the unique Swap.
When requested in January 2024 how it will method Nintendo’s subsequent console, EA CEO Andrew Wilson needed to tiptoe across the query, responding that he would “completely not touch upon something that has not been introduced or acknowledge it in any approach.” However broadly, Eurogamer reviews, he stated the corporate is happy for “new platforms” as a approach to convey new forms of video games to much more gamers.
As talked about above, Nintendo is reportedly utilizing an upgraded model of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to showcase the system’s tech capabilities to builders, however there’s no sense at this level that Nintendo will really launch an enhanced port of the 2017 smash.
But it surely begs the query of whether or not the Swap 2 will probably be backward-compatible with unique Swap video games, and if that’s the case, whether or not they’ll profit from the elevated energy of the brand new {hardware}. Think about should you might pop in your Breath of the Wild cartridge and see a way more lavish rendition, much like how PC video games can scale to match their {hardware}.
Current reviews shared by Eurogamer in February 2024 recommend that Nintendo will provide simply that, letting customers play their unique Swap video games (each bodily and digital) within the Swap 2 {hardware} with enhancements. Builders will reportedly must replace their video games to unlock such upgrades, nevertheless, which suggests not each sport will essentially reap the benefits of the Swap 2’s improved energy. Mobapad’s report additionally suggests backwards compatibility with each bodily and digital video games.
It’s plenty of hypothesis for now, however for individuals who adopted the event of the unique Swap forward of its launch, most of the early leaks and reviews proved to be true—and in the end coalesced into Nintendo’s triumphant return after the Wii U flop.
We’ll observe the Swap 2 story within the coming months as an increasing number of particulars emerge, so watch this area.
Editor’s word: This story was initially revealed on September 19, 2023 and final up to date on April 29, 2024.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa
