Nintendo Switch is one of the biggest consoles in the world right now. It arguably outweighed its rivals in terms of popularity and quality titles in less than half the time. That’s not an easy task, and speaks to the quality and determination of Nintendo’s worlds and characters. However, the console is certainly underpowered compared to the competition.
So – could we see a more powerful successor in 2021? Rumours and speculation ran rampant prior to the launch of Nintendo Switch Lite, which many hoped would be a more powerful and capable console. But, aside from improved battery and an excellent form factor, it failed to deliver on that front.
Because of this players remain hungry for a more powerful rendition of the Nintendo Switch, or perhaps a new console altogether that builds on everything we love about the hybrid system. News is on thin on the ground right now, but that hasn’t stopped us from diving into everything and breaking down exactly what we want to see.
Trusted Reviews has compiled everything you need to know about Nintendo Switch 2 including all the latest news, release date, rumours, specs, games and more.
Nintendo Switch 2 news – A 4K model in reportedly in the works
Bloomberg has released yet another report surrounding a successor to the Nintendo Switch. This one claims that the Japanese company is planning to purchase new IPS panels from Samsung which would act as the main display in a new Nintendo Switch model. The resolution when portable will remain at 720p, likely to save battery, but when docked it will now be capable of 4K resolutions.
Full production is rumoured to begin in June alongside a planned release date for later in 2021. The console will maintain its 7-inch screen, so could become a standard replacement for the original Switch which has currently been on the market for over four years now. If this report rings true, we can expect some form of announcement from Nintendo in the coming months.
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Nintendo Switch 2 release date – When is it coming out?
Given the original Nintendo Switch only launched in March 2017, followed by the Lite in 2019, it could be a handful of years until we see a true successor emerge onto scene. Nintendo will likely want to follow a lifespan similar to its other systems, with Wii and Wii U both sticking around for roughly five years or so.
Related: Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games
Nintendo Switch 2 specs – How powerful will it be?
The Nintendo Switch 2 is yet to be announced so there are no details on specifications. The current Switch runs on a version of the Nvidia Tegra X1 – so we’d expect to see an upgraded version of this.
Nintendo’s hybrid console is far from marketed as a gaming powerhouse but – because of the popularity of the console – many game developers have looked to port their not insubstantial titles to the console e.g. Overwatch and The Witcher 3.
While The Witcher 3 hasn’t gotten a bad reception on the Switch, it did have to be significantly downgraded for the console and Overwatch was far less successful.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will – undoubtedly – have a faster processor than the original but some may hope it comes with an extra kick to enable the next-generation to more comfortably run power-intensive games. If the power of the Nintendo Switch 2 is significantly increased – however – it could affect battery.
Battery life is already a bit of an issue when using the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. Getting the balance right between increased specs and better battery on the Nintendo Switch 2 could be an uphill task.
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Nintendo Switch 2 design – What will it look like?
The Nintendo Switch 2 would likely get a design revamp and we’d expect to see a slimmer design and improved display – along with Joy-Cons that would likely have had a redesign, too.
The sequel to the Nintendo Switch is far from being announced. However, Switch fans have been quite vocal about wanting an improved design – in particular, when it comes to the display.
Display itself has quite thick black bezels around the edge. In an age of smartphones that aim to have their screens go as far to the edge as possible, an improvement of this on the Switch 2 would be great.
As well as the design of the hardware, an improved screen would also add some style points to a new Nintendo Switch. In handheld mode, the Nintendo Switch has a 720p resolution and – while the art-style of many Nintendo games and the small size of the console has helped – moving up to 1080p would be a great addition.
However, upping the display quality could be another battery life-related issue for the Nintendo Switch 2 – the same goes for a slimmer design.
Nintendo Switch 2 price – How much will it cost?
There has been no price confirmation for the Nintendo Switch 2. With the original Switch priced at £279 and the new Switch Lite costing £199, we expect a sequel to cost around £300-£330 if not higher.
Any pricing predictions remain pure speculation at this point – especially with the Nintendo Switch 2 potentially being years away – so take any thoughts with a pinch of salt.
Nintendo Switch 2 games – Have any titles been announced?
Given that the Nintendo Switch 2 is yet to be announced, it is safe to say that no games have been revealed. However, we can speculate on what could be coming – the very thought is quite exciting.
We already know a Breath of the Wild sequel is on the way and it seems certain to launch on the Nintendo Switch – but what comes next? We might see another Breath of the Wild-like game on a Switch 2. Nintendo may even reinvent the series again for a new console.
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While a sequel to Breath of the Wild has been announced, we are yet to hear anything on a follow-up to fellow Nintendo success story Super Mario Odyssey. Odyssey was a long time coming but if a sequel is released early on in the life of the Nintendo Switch 2 then it will surely attract a lot of hype.
Here are a few more sequels we think we could see but are mostly just excited to think about:
- Splatoon 3
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle 2
- Bayonetta 4
- Hollow Knight 3
- Luigi’s Mansion 4
- Super Mario Maker 3
- Super Smash Bros Ultimate sequel
- New Pokemon
- Tetris 99 sequel
- Mario Kart 9
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Nintendo has a wide breadth of games to look to that it could iterate on for a future console. There are plenty of games that are typically thought of as Nintendo titles that fans would be eager to see a sequel for. Along with these games, fans have remained hungry for the prospect of seeing their favourite console games ported over to the Switch and this could happen even more frequently with a more powerful Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility – will it play older titles?
Nintendo has an unmatched library of legacy titles, and it’s hard to believe it doesn’t take bigger advantage of this on its modern platform. There is no virtual console to speak of with the exception of NES and SNES games available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
We’d love for a new model to actually take advantage of Nintendo’s older platforms – even if we have to purchase games for a second, or even a third time. Imagine being able to play Game Boy, Gamecube, Wii and even Wii U games both at home and on the go.