Nintendo has been remarkably secretive about the upcoming successor to the Nintendo Switch, though it has been confirmed to be releasing in the relatively near future. Other confirmed details include the Switch 2’s backwards compatibility, and that it will retain the hybrid design of its predecessor.
Though commonly referred to as the Switch 2, the official name of Nintendo’s next console is yet to be revealed.
At the time of writing, the gaming community is in the midst of another great wave of Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, with many believing that the console is entering its mass production phase. It’s usually the case, especially in recent years thanks to supply shortages, that tech companies will attempt to nurture a surplus of hardware ahead of a product’s official release. This is typically done with the aim of avoiding the issue of insufficient stock for demand, and with how successful the Switch has been, it’s safe to say that there will be plenty of demand for its successor. These contextual elements are important to understand why recent information has been interpreted as it has.
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Why People Think the Nintendo Switch 2 Is Ramping Up Production
Nintendo Switch 2 Famiboards Leaks
Famiboards is an online forum that has long played host to various Nintendo hardware leaks, even before the age of the Switch. Recently, a user on the site going under the handle LiC obtained shipping data from a Vietnamese manufacturer known to produce hardware for Nintendo. According to the shipping info, NVIDIA shipped over 800,000 units of the T239 chipset to this manufacturer in September 2024. Additionally, LiC’s information highlights over 800,000 RAM modules and just under 300,000 UFS (Universal Flash Storage) components, which may also theoretically be used in the production of the Switch 2.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Nintendo’s next console will be powered by NVIDIA’s T chips, so this mass shipment of T239 chipsets to a Nintendo-affiliated manufacturer is certainly ripe for a specific interpretation. Of course, neither NVIDIA nor this Vietnamese manufacturer are exclusively tied to Nintendo—these components could possibly be for other technology, from other companies. But the sheer scale of these shipments, alongside the absence of an alternate explanation, certainly makes it seem plausible that these components are for Switch 2 production.
Is Nintendo Truly Ramping Up Switch 2 Production?
It’s always important to avoid jumping to conclusions when it comes to rumors and leaks, as even ostensibly reputable sources, or those with strong track records, can get things wrong. In a situation such as this, where rumors are predicated upon a series of assumptions and unconfirmed information, communities ought to be doubly cautious and hesitant to speak too confidently. Having said all that, there’s reason to believe that Nintendo is in fact beginning mass production of the Switch 2.
Though starting mass production before officially revealing a console may seem like putting the cart before the horse, it makes sense in light of the supply shortages that have plagued the games industry this decade. It can be easy to forget now, but the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles were notoriously difficult to find for months following their initial release, not only because of controversial practices like scalping, but also because of major component shortages, which allowed demand to outpace supply. Nintendo no doubt wishes to avoid this sort of situation when the Switch 2 becomes available and hype is at its most rabid.
It’s worth noting that an earlier leak from Famicom suggested precisely the opposite: that the Switch 2’s release window could be pushed back. This new information could supersede this previous leak, but if nothing else, the contradiction serves as a reminder of how fickle this sort of information can be.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.