Please note that this post is tagged as a rumor.
Next-gen Nintendo is now targeting 2024 release
The site VideoGamesChronicles claims that development kits were already distributed to key partners.
Nintendo Switch Zelda Edition, Source: Nintendo
The handheld gaming console has witnessed a surge in interest from gamers since the initial release of Switch. Competing companies are not oblivious to this trend and are introducing various devices featuring cloud gaming capabilities or native high-end CPUs, which the current Switch lacks. Reportedly, gamers can anticipate the arrival of a successor to the Nintendo Switch next year which might fill the gaps that other companies have exploited.
The hardware inside the existing Switch is now relatively outdated, being based on the NVIDIA Tegra X1 Soc manufactured using either 20nm or 16nm process. It combines ARM Cortex A57/53 cores with NVIDIA Maxwell GPU and 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, specs that are easily surpassed by modern mobile SoCs.
According to the report, the new Switch is expected to maintain its portability feature, but it may lack the OLED screen introduced in the 2021 version, possibly to reduce costs and allocate resources for more internal memory. Currently, the console offers either 32GB or 64GB of storage. The report does not clarify whether the new version will be backwards compatible with existing devices, but omitting this feature would likely be met with disappointment.
Nintendo Switch 2 rumors (according to VCG):
- Development kits already with key partners
- Release targeting 2H 2024
- May lack OLED screen in favor of LCD
- Should still support cartridges
Rumors are accumulating that the Nintendo Switch 2 could be equipped with a new NVIDIA SoC. Earlier speculations suggested that the new device would benefit significantly from upscaling technology, resulting in higher fidelity gaming. Additionally, the docking station, which boosts hardware performance and enables higher resolution output, is expected to benefit greatly from the use of DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling).
The current version of the console has already sold over 125 million units, despite being released more than 6 years ago. This update cycle is significantly longer compared to Nintendo’s previous transitions from the Wii to Wii U and Wii U to Switch, as noted by The Verge.
Source: VideoGamesChronicles
