The Nintendo Switch 2 could hit sooner than expected, if recent rumors prove true, as some developers have reportedly received development kits for Nintendo’s next console. Although the Nintendo Switch is still setting sales records six years after launch, there have been calls for a successor as developers run up against the technical limits of the handheld’s aging hardware.
Nintendo Switch 2 development kits have reportedly been sent to some developers
According to a new story by Video Games Chronicle (which was corroborated by Eurogamer), some partner studios have received development kits for a Nintendo Switch successor ahead of a planned launch in the second half of 2024. Sources claim that the long-awaited follow-up to the Nintendo Switch will be playable in handheld mode like its predecessor. Rumors also indicate Nintendo is working to ensure that the Switch’s successor won’t face the same shortages seen by other consoles in recent years.
Unfortunate for those hopeful that the handheld would retain the brilliant screen found on the Nintendo Switch OLED, the rumors also suggest the console will launch with an LCD screen. This is an understandable cost-cutting measure, but likely a disappointment to those who have grown accustomed to the latest Switch model.
Nintendo has remained largely silent regarding its progress on a successor to the Switch. However, a late 2024 release would be in line with other recent rumors about the elusive console.
According to a report from Japanese finance paper Nikkei in May, development on Nintendo’s next console is “progressing well.” That same report suggested a follow-up to the Nintendo Switch wouldn’t launch until spring 2024 at the earliest, which would match the timeline told to VGC by its sources. Releasing mid-cycle ahead of the launch of the next consoles from Microsoft and Sony would also follow historical trends for Nintendo.
While this isn’t the first Nintendo Switch 2 rumor to make the rounds this year, the fact that it came from reputable industry sources lends it credence. Unless these recent rumors are confirmed, though, take it all with a grain of salt.
