Nintendo's New Console Delayed
Already the rumoured recipient of major release delays, new information from industry insiders reveals the new system from one of the gaming console big three isn't likely to hit shelves until April 2025.
As reported by the Independent, translated reports place the new most likely release window in the April-June period, and fans are getting tired of waiting. This release date would mean Nintendo’s first Switch console lasted more than eight years, around two years longer than the industry standard. This time will hopefully provide with it eight years of improved device hardware, though exact specs on many aspects are still unknown.
What We Know About Nintendo's New Console
Despite a lack of specifics, there are still some leaked elements which we know or are almost guaranteed for Nintendo’s new system. Firstly, it’s likely to be functionally similar to the Switch 1, operating as a dual console/handheld system. The Switch found immense success through this route, consolidating Nintendo’s former handheld and console line of games onto one platform. The cat is out of the bag, and with Nintendo selling more than 140 million units as IGN reports, it’s unlikely to return to a split approach.
It's also essentially guaranteed that the new console, commonly referred to as the Switch 2, will offer backward compatibility with Switch 1 games. This is a tactic that Nintendo has embraced before with the 3DS/New 3DS, and it guarantees a strong game library at launch. The extra power of the Switch 2 will also likely enable better performance in Switch 1 games, which has struggled in more ambitious titles.
Nintendo has also announced a newfound dedication to avoiding the scalper problem that has infected recent gaming system releases. Though delaying release to produce more units and stricter controls on release methodology, this will hopefully allow more legitimate users to purchase units, while scalpers are left wanting.
What Player’s Hope For
There's a lot we don't know about the Switch 2 software yet, with some big hopes coming from areas where the Switch 1 falls short. The biggest of these stems from improved online support, like offering a web browser. Playing series like Slingo for real money is already hugely popular on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, but it's not easily achievable on consoles. A functional web browser would add titles like slots and table games to the Switch 2's lineup,
should Nintendo invest in this route.
Better online support would also extend to Nintendo’s notoriously underdeveloped multiplayer gaming infrastructure. Widely regarded as far weaker than what’s available on PlayStation or Xbox, Nintendo finally catching up to the competition here would do great things to draw attention to online competitive and cooperative play.
With less than a year until the Switch 2’s release, official information about the platform and its capabilities is expected any day. When it does arrive, we’ll do our best to keep readers updated on everything you need to know. Until then, if you or someone close to you is looking to buy, it might be time to start saving.
Published: by Radio NewsHub