Ever since Nintendo acknowledged its existence back in May 2024, the successor to the Nintendo Switch, often called the Switch 2 by fans, has been shrouded in mystery. Only three things have been officially confirmed about the elusive next-gen console so far: it will be backwards compatible with the current Switch, have Nintendo Switch Online functionality, and be announced sometime between now and March 2025. Even though the Switch 2 is supposedly only a few months away from being revealed, one may think, given how silent Nintendo has been on the matter, that it isn’t going to be shown off anytime soon.
While Nintendo has given a broad idea of when the Switch 2 will be unveiled, it hasn’t provided any hints about its release date. For a while, many fans believed that the upcoming system would be announced in late 2024 and launched in the first half of 2025. Now that the year is almost over, however, this outcome seems less and less likely. Most industry pundits currently surmise that the Switch 2 will be revealed early next year and, as a result, may not hit store shelves until mid-to-late 2025. Having to wait an entire year for the Switch’s successor to be released would be incredibly disappointing, but fortunately, this may not be the case. According to a new rumor, Nintendo may launch its next console far earlier than some may expect.
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Every Possible Switch 2 Game Revealed So Far
The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t been officially revealed yet, but there are already a few games that have seemingly been confirmed for the system.
The Switch 2 May Launch Sooner than Expected
A New Rumor Suggests That the Switch 2 Will Come Out in the First Quarter of 2025
Stephen Georg, a long-time streamer on YouTube and Twitch, recently made some comments on Twitter that caught the attention of many Nintendo fans. On November 22, Georg tweeted out that he had received an e-mail from a developer about an upcoming game, which apparently included a line that hinted at a potential release window for the Switch 2. According to Georg, the e-mail said that the unspecified game would be released in “Q1 2025 on PC (Steam), Xbox One & Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch(es)!” The fact that the statement used the term “Nintendo Switch” in plural form and not singular, Georg suggested, was a sign that it was referring to the Switch 2.
“…rolling out Q1 2025 on PC (Steam), Xbox One & Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and… Nintendo Switch(es)!”
If the game this e-mail is alluding to does come out on the Switch 2 the same day it launches on other platforms, then that indicates that the console will be released within the first three months of 2025. This, assuming it’s true, means that the marketing cycle for Nintendo’s next-gen system is going to be very short, which is quite unusual. Consoles are typically announced several months before their initial debuts. The original Nintendo Switch was revealed around 5 months ahead of its launch, while the Xbox Series X/S was unveiled nearly a year before its worldwide release.
The Switch 2 Being Released in Early 2025 Seems Unlikely, But It’s Not Out of the Question
Normally, it wouldn’t make sense at all for a company to launch a console with only a few months of pre-release marketing. In the case of the Switch 2, however, it may not be that unreasonable. Unless some unexpected circumstances arise, Nintendo’s next system is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit. The current Nintendo Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, so it’s likely that its follow-up will be at least somewhat successful. Because of this, it’s possible that Nintendo thinks the Switch 2 doesn’t need a massive marketing campaign and believes it is okay to release the system only two to three months after it’s formally announced.
While the idea of Nintendo releasing its next console in the first quarter of 2025 seems pretty far-fetched, it’s not outside the realm of possibility. Even still, it’s important to keep in mind that Stephen Georg’s claims about the Nintendo Switch‘s successor have not been corroborated by reputable insiders just yet, so it’s best to take them with a large grain of salt.
Nintendo Switch
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Weight
- .88 lbs
- Storage
- 32 GB
- Display
- 6.2-inch LCD Screen / 1280 x 720
- Battery
- Approximately 4.5 – 9 hours