Nintendo, the revered video game company known for its innovative consoles, might have postponed the release of its much-anticipated successor to the Switch, currently dubbed by the internet as the “Switch 2”, to early 2025.
Initially anticipated to launch in late 2024, several industry insiders suggest a potential shift to early 2025.
Brazilian games journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe recently stated that Nintendo is now preparing to release the Switch 2 in early 2025 but still within FY2025. Since then, multiple other sources, including Bloomberg and Eurogamer, have made similar claims.
Nintendo’s potential delay of the still-unannounced console may have been spurred by the need to build a more robust launch lineup, which could potentially cause problems for the developers that have already aligned their schedules with the initial release window. This is especially problematic with the approaching Game Developers Conference in March offering a key showcase opportunity.
Furthermore, technical discussions center around the Switch 2’s chipset, specifically whether it will utilize an 8nm or 4nm process. Tech enthusiasts advocate for 4nm, favoring a balance of power, efficiency, and battery life crucial for a handheld device. However, Nintendo has a history of innovative use of older tech fuels speculation about potential surprises regarding the console’s performance.
Finally, a 2025 launch raises genuine concerns about the competition from a mid-generation upgrade like the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro and, potentially, next-generation consoles from Sony and Microsoft.
Admittedly, Nintendo did well with the Switch, which earned its place below the PS2 and the Nintendo DS as the third-best-selling video game console of all time. But Nintendo is risking too much by expecting its next console to remain competitive. Keep in mind that, by 2025, the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X will be nearly five years old already – a year older than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were when the Switch came out in 2017.
Plus, the increasingly homogenous nature of games outside of the Nintendo platform means that the next Nintendo console will have more competition than ever with portable PCs becoming a thing in recent years.
While a diverse and beloved library of first-party titles remains an advantage that Nintendo has on its competition, there’s only so much Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Pokémon can do.
Nevertheless, the Switch 2’s eventual release promises to be a significant event. Instead, the more valid question will now be, will the Switch 2 be more like the SNES and Game Boy Color – legendary follow-ups to equally historic consoles – or a Wii U, which is historically considered Nintendo’s worst console.
