Originally released in March 2017, The Nintendo Switch is in its sixth year — and fans are desperate for news of a successor to the beloved console. While games like Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4 continue to deliver exceptional experiences, it has never received the long-rumored “pro” update or any substantial hardware revision.
This is why even leaks that can be quickly disproven about a Switch 2 have received plenty of attention. While Microsoft and Sony duke it out over the console market, it proves that Nintendo has run away with this console generation.
The latest rumor making the rounds on Twitter came from user @ChitoGamingLive, in a post that claimed an announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 would be coming this year with a Q1 2024 release date. The tweet also included two alleged images of the console’s box and manual.
Many were quick to point out multiple inaccuracies visible in the images. The first is a matter of proper grammar, with fans pointing out that the cover art of Tears of the Kingdom as seen in the image incorrectly capitalizes “Of” which is not accurate to the game’s actual title. Similarly, the manual switches between “Joy-con” and “Joy-Con.”
The inconsistencies don’t stop there, with my personal favorite being that the Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition box art in the “leaked” image uses the game’s Wii background and the logo itself omits the word “Chronicles” entirely.
Despite this tweet being obviously false, it has gained widespread attention from Nintendo fans generally eager discuss the concept of a Switch successor. The average lifespan of modern consoles is roughly six to seven years, and the Nintendo Switch is smack in the middle of that right now. While it is amazing the console can still run the likes of Tears of the Kingdom with minimal (but not zero) issues, there is a growing need for a Nintendo console with more horsepower.
With one of the highest installation bases of any console ever made, at over 125 million units per Nintendo’s 2023 financial reports. That puts it in third place for console sales, only behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. With the potential that the Switch’s lifespan is over, that leaves over 125 million switches with owners wondering how a successor will accommodate the library of games they have collected on their console.
During the FTC v. Microsoft trial surrounding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard a sticking point for the FTC was that it did not consider the Nintendo Switch a comparator against the current generation of consoles from Microsoft and Sony (Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 respectively).
Despite differing hardware capabilities (the Switch can’t deliver the same graphical fidelity as its competitors) that hasn’t stopped its hybrid form and catalog of Nintendo exclusives and third-party titles from helping it sell incredibly well. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has sold over 40 million copies alone. By comparison, PlayStation 5 has sold 38 million and the Xbox Series consoles have sold roughly 21 million since 2020.
The Switch has been unbeatable, and whatever its inevitable successor is will likely continue that popularity. We’ve come a long way since the doomsaying days of the Wii U era.
