Status: 24/09/2023, 05:07 a.m.
By: Daniel Neubert
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For months, there have been various rumors and leaks about the Switch 2 release. Now more information about the details of the hardware has been circulated.
Hamburg – The Nintendo Switch is one of the most successful consoles of the Japanese video game giant. Since its release in 2017, the console has sold over 129 million copies. It is not surprising that the company is now working behind the scenes on a successor console to mega-success. In recent weeks and months, however, rumors and leaks about the "Nintendo Switch 2" have been piling up. Now more information about the console has been revealed.
| Video game console: | Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Nintendo |
| Year of publication: | March 2017 |
| Variants of the hybrid Nintendo console: | Switch (2019 revision), OLED model (2021), Switch Lite (2019) |
| Copies sold: | approx. 110 million units |
Switch 2: New details about release and hardware
What is it all about? For a few months now, there has been new information and leaks about the Nintendo Switch 2 non-stop. In the "Nate the Hate" podcast, in which, among others, industry insider and developer Dimitris Giannakis (aka. "Modern Vintage Gamer"), the latest leaks and rumors were now discussed and classified. Among other things, it was about the display of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the release period of the console. While many details about the console cannot yet be definitively confirmed, insiders describe the new information as "informed speculation" in the podcast. Overall, the podcast enjoys a status in the industry that should not be underestimated.
A bigger screen for the Nintendo Switch 2? The screen of the first Nintendo Switch had a size of about 6.2 inches, while the small variant Nintendo Switch Lite only had a screen diagonal of 5.5 inches. However, according to the "Nate the Hate" podcast, the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to launch directly with an 8-inch screen, which would be a significant leap.
Switch 2: Insider talks about release, display, storage and backward compatibility © Nintendo | Pixabay | Nintendo Switch Up Concept by Olivier Raymond
OLED or LCD displays? One of the most interesting questions at the moment is with which screen technology the Nintendo Switch 2 will come onto the market. After Nintendo only released a revised model of the console in 2021 with the "Nintendo Switch OLED", many gamers would be happy to have an OLED screen in the console again. In contrast to the cheaper LCD technology, OLED offers visibly better black levels and a more intense and better color reproduction.
In the podcast, however, the two experts assume that the Nintendo Switch 2 will only be launched with a standard LCD display. This forecast would also coincide with Nintendo's business model, as the company always sells its hardware at a profit by using cheaper technology. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, which always have to heavily subsidize their consoles, Nintendo has relied on this strategy for decades. However, it is conceivable that after the Nintendo Switch 2 release, a new model of the Switch 2 will also offer OLED technology in the future.
Switch 2: Can games from the old Nintendo Switch also be played on it?
Will the Nintendo Switch 2 be backwards compatible? So far, it is still unclear whether the new console will also support the old games of the Nitendo Switch. In the past, there were always consoles from Nintendo, (for example, the Nintendo 3DS), which could also play old titles. However, backward compatibility with old systems is always a technical challenge and cannot be implemented for every system. In the podcast, however, the experts are sure that Nintendo will find a solution for the Switch 2 release, as consumers are now expecting this feature.
What storage format is used? According to all previous rumors, the Nintendo Switch 2 will also rely on physical games in memory card format again. However, the format of the cards is to change, according to speculation it could be "3D Nand" memory, a new flash memory cell technology.
As for the internal console storage, the Nintendo Switch only had 32 gigabytes of storage on board. However, as games get bigger and bigger, the console storage of the Switch 2 will also have to grow at release. According to the insider in the podcast, there is talk of a model with up to 512 gigabytes of system memory.
Switch 2: When will the console be released?
When will the Nintendo Switch 2 be released? The information about the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is increasing. Meanwhile, it seems set that Nintendo will not release the Switch 2 until March 2024. Many insiders believe that the new console will be released in the second half of 2024.
This statement is also considered realistic by the experts, as Nintendo could bring the new console to the stores in time for the Christmas business. However, an announcement of the Switch 2 could take place very soon. There is also some information about the performance of the Switch 2.
