Highlights
- Rumor suggests that the next Nintendo console, the Switch 2, might be launched around the anniversary of its predecessor in March 2024.
- The alleged Switch 2 presentation at Gamescom 2023 revealed new details, including the claim that it will have more RAM than the Xbox Series S.
- The Switch 2 prototype showcased an updated version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running at 4K resolution and 60fps, implying possible backward compatibility.
The launch of the next Nintendo console, widely dubbed the Switch 2, might happen around the upcoming anniversary of its predecessor, according to a newly emerged rumor. The claim originates from yet another report detailing Nintendo's alleged Switch 2 presentation at Gamescom 2023.
The much-rumored closed-door exhibit was already cited as the source of several unofficial information tidbits detailing Nintendo's next-gen console, including the claim that the Switch 2 will have more RAM than the Xbox Series S. Known leaker Nate the Hate just published a new episode of his eponymous podcast that includes the most in-depth account of the alleged presentation to date, including a number of previously unreported details on the upcoming Switch follow-up.
The highlight of the hour-long episode is the claim that "there was a lot of talk at Gamescom about March 2024" as Nintendo's planned launch window for the console. Even taking that leak at face value doesn't necessarily imply that the Switch 2 will actually be available for purchase come next March, as Nintendo could merely be planning its unveiling in that rumored period. For context, the Switch was officially announced in late October 2016, about four and a half months before hitting the market. The reveals of the Wii and Wii U were similarly detached from their commercial debuts, as well.
Nate the Hate's report also corroborates the recent rumor that the Switch 2 prototype presented at Gamescom 2023 was shown playing an updated version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Moreover, it clarifies that the game was running at a 4K resolution in 60 frames per second, presumably in TV mode. For reference, Breath of the Wild runs at a 1080p resolution in 30fps on a docked Switch, though its frame rate sometimes dips in the low 20s, as is the case with Tears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo's alleged decision to use the biggest launch title from the Switch to demonstrate the capabilities of its successor suggests that the next console will offer backward compatibility. However, the Breath of the Wild part of the Gamescom presentation has been repeatedly described as merely a tech demo that does not necessarily imply such a feature. Nintendo historically offered backward compatibility whenever possible, but opted against doing so with the Switch, likely due to the fact that the Wii U Optical Disc (WUP-006) format was inherently incompatible with the portable nature of its latest system.
Some fans were still disappointed that the Switch wasn't backward-compatible with the past digital releases for the Wii U and 3DS. And while Nintendo Switch Online did eventually bring some of the company's classics to its hit hybrid console, many described the subscription service as merely aggravating the underlying issue, bemoaning the fact that they were expected to pay for the same – largely decades-old – games yet again. And while it remains to be seen whether the Switch 2 resolves those backward compatibility problems or adds to them, some insiders are now clearly convinced that more information on that front will follow no later than around the seventh anniversary of its predecessor.
