Nintendo's Switch 2 Could Be Released Sooner Than Expected According To New Insights
It has been seven years since Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch console, establishing itself as a pioneer of the handheld game console scene. The Switch has been very well received during its tenure as Nintendo's headliner console, with around 132 million units sold.
That said, the console is getting on in years, with other major consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 outstepping it in processing power, and newcomers like the Steam Deck challenging its hybrid throne. It may finally be time for the Switch to bow out and make room for the next generation, and based on new reports, that time could be just around the corner for Nintendo.
According to an analyst report picked up by Bloomberg, we may see the launch of the unofficially dubbed "Switch 2" some time this year. While such rumors have been coming and going for multiple years now, this one may hold some weight. The report in question comes from Omdia analyst Hiroshi Hayase, who had been conducting market research on "amusement displays," or small and medium-sized device displays used primarily in the manufacture of personal electronics.
Hayase claims that Nintendo will be doubling existing shipments of amusement displays as it releases new consoles. This meshes with a 2023 Bloomberg report from Sharp Corp., an Osaka-based company that previously worked with Nintendo on manufacturing, stating that orders were increasing on display panels for an in-progress console.
New or upgraded?
According to Hayase's report, this new console would launch with an 8-inch LCD screen. For reference, the base model of the Nintendo Switch utilizes a 6.2-inch screen, while the Switch OLED model utilizes a 7-inch screen.
A screen of such impressive size would not only be a distinctive upgrade over both of the existing Switch models, but would make an impressive statement against one of the chief competitors in the hybrid scene, the Steam Deck. Compared to this hypothetical Switch 2, the Steam Deck's screen only measures in at 7 inches and 7.4 inches for the base and OLED models, respectively.
The big question is whether or not this hypothetical console would be an entirely new product, or another iteration on the existing Switch framework like the Switch OLED. When asked for comment on the report, a Nintendo spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company has nothing to say on the matter at the time. Given the Switch's age, it would be a good time to release something with more power, but only time will tell if this is the year when the rumors come true.