Nintendo may announce its next console this week, a successor to the Nintendo Switch, which was released in March 2017 and sold 150 million units. There’s just one problem. That said, we already know almost everything about it. There is little that Nintendo can announce at this point that will come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the rumors closely.
Nintendo Switch 2 leaks started trickling in last summer and escalated to a flood this month. Last week, CES Technology Trade Show In Las Vegas, accessory maker Genki arrived with a complete model of Nintendo’s next console, which they were happy to show off behind closed doors to explain their upcoming product. You can also see detailed renderings on Genki’s website. It’s a slightly larger and more powerful version of the Switch console we know and love, with controllers that attach magnetically to the side of the screen rather than sliding in and out. Play while docked to your TV or on the go.
This is a very un-Nintendo approach. Aside from the NES/SNES, all of Nintendo’s consoles ushered in a revolution in form factors. There was the N64, with its pioneering analog sticks and three-pronged controller. GameCube looks like a stubby toy. Wii, motion control remote control included. Its successor, the Wii U, added a screen in the center of the controller. With the exception of the dual-screen DS and its successor, the 3DS, which added stereoscopic 3D to the console’s capabilities, this is the first time Nintendo has produced two consecutive consoles that look and act the same. They even share a name and logo. The most reliable information currently indicates that it will be called Nintendo Switch 2.
I won’t repeat any more details that were leaked about the Switch 2. They are easy to search and within the next day or so you can clearly see what is true and what is false. Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will share its back catalog with the Switch. This will allow all players to enjoy all the games they have purchased over the past eight years on their new console. We also know it won’t be out until April (June is my money), as it’s scheduled to come out in Nintendo’s next fiscal year. However, this is an unusual situation. We know almost everything about the console from gaming’s most secretive company even before it’s officially announced. How did it happen?
When the PlayStation 5 was released in 2020, the biggest talking point at the time was that people wouldn’t be able to get their hands on the PlayStation 5. Some customers who pre-ordered the PS5 received a package containing a bag of rice instead, but it was swapped with a vendor who was having trouble with the delivery chain. On eBay and other resale platforms, consoles were selling for two to three times the retail price. The supply-demand gap has dogged gaming consoles for at least the first two years, caused in part by manufacturing challenges during the pandemic. Nintendo probably wanted to avoid a similar situation.
We know that Nintendo’s manufacturing partners have been manufacturing parts for this console for a long time, over a year. The company aims to maintain large amounts of inventory in preparation for product launches. This is one of the reasons why so much information was leaked in advance. Various companies are already involved in the production of the Switch 2, and units and some units have been out for quite some time.
Nintendo also hasn’t gone after leakers or legally shut anything down in the way you might expect. The company’s only response to this deluge of unauthorized information, given to Japan’s Sankei Shimbun last week, was that “these images and videos are not official.” This suggests that Nintendo itself thought this might be inevitable. The company is delaying the announcement of its next console for as long as possible to preserve the survival of the phenomenally successful Switch, and said it doesn’t think these leaks will significantly damage its sales outlook.
The Switch 2 announcement will likely contain some surprises. What’s surprising is the rather un-Nintendo nature of this iterative console, and the piecemeal nature of what we’re discovering about it. Stay tuned for official announcements coming soon for more details.
what to play
Effortless dad games for those who don’t want to spend time in the garden for a quiet January: It’s literally just mowing the grass. That’s exactly right. With a swipe, the small riding lawn mower eases its way through the ever-widening swathes of rough grass in your neighbor’s yard until the entire street is tidy. Cut the grass, collect hats, tap and admire different types of butterflies. It was my friend Patrick Klepek from the pro-gamer newsletter who brought this to my attention. cross play (We do a podcast together about navigating games with kids), and I was surprised to find myself playing it for a full 30 minutes straight. Am I getting old?
Available: iOS/Android
Estimated play time: 5 minutes or 1 hour, as long as you like
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