It’s getting to the point where Nintendo should probably just come forth and announce the Switch successor on their terms, while it still can. Because, for the second time this week, another credible source has revealed alleged information about the company’s next piece of hardware. This time, the leak contains some important details about the handheld-console hybrid, including the name of the device and a potential new feature coming to the original Switch’s best feature.
A Reddit user with the username NextHandheld took to the social media platform claiming to have seen and held a final version of the Switch successor and its dock. This anonymous user had their claims verified by tech site The Verge, which reported it “heard and seen enough to think they might be legit.”
Among the most interesting claims made by the source in a lengthy Q&A Reddit thread is the console’s name — simply “Nintendo Switch 2.” It’s a safe bet considering how mega successful the Switch has been for the company. For anyone holding out hope Nintendo would lean into nostalgia with a name like “Super Nintendo Switch,” there is no doubt disappointment.
In addition to the name, the user said the console’s version of Joy-Cons features Hall-effect analog sticks. Hall-effect sticks, which use magnets and electrical conductors for stick inputs rather than physical and easily ruined physical connections, will be a huge step up from the notoriously faulty sticks of old. The buttons on the new Joy-Cons are also reportedly clicky and slightly bigger than the original (something previous leakers have also claimed). Despite its super-size, the Switch 2 is supposedly lighter than the original.
The most intriguing tease made by the user was about the new dock. There’s a chance it will do more than charge the device and beam the handheld’s image onto a bigger screen this time around. The dock can reportedly draw up to 60 watts of power, 15 more than the console itself. The difference suggests it could be capable of dishing out additional power for the handheld to use while docked.
The source confirmed that the dock had an HDMI port capable of outputting games in 4K (as well as two USB-A and one USB-C ports, and an ethernet port). But when asked about evidence of the dock’s ability to do more, they stopped suspiciously short of denying additional capabilities.
“The dock has a fan?” one user asked, to which they replied, “this is the right question.”
In the case where the Switch 2 does get some form of boost from being docked, it would be a smart addition that could further future-proof the device. Aside from the limitless library of PC as a platform, most gamers who pick up a Steam Deck or ROG Ally over Nintendo’s more popular alternative is due to power. Gaming PC handhelds are simply capable of playing more stuff because of their more modern innards. While the tech inside the Switch is nearly a decade old, newer ASUS’s handheld are capable of playing brand-new, graphically intense releases.
The Reddit thread that we’re crediting each of these claims to is a fascinating and comprehensive one. It’s definitely worth a scan for those who can’t wait to see what might be next for Nintendo. While Nintendo has only stated that it wouldn’t have anything to say before the end of Q4, this leaker says a reveal will likely be scheduled for sometime in January.
All of the news comes right on the heels of the Nintendo Switch passing a gargantuan milestone right at the tail end of its lifecycle. On Wednesday, game industry analyst Mat Piscatella revealed that the Switch has surpassed the PlayStation 2 in lifetime sales.
“Switch now ranks 2nd in all-time units sold across all video game hardware platforms in the U.S., trailing only Nintendo DS,” Piscatella wrote on BlueSky.
While Nintendo has yet to provide a figure, Sony’s PS2 has old 160 million units worldwide as of 2024. At last count, the Switch had sold 154 million units, suggesting the late year holiday rush helped push the eight-year-old console across the finish line.
