Name of the more expensive gaming handheld confirmed?

Nintendo could present the successor to the Switch this year, at least that is what several leaks suggest. When the presentation will take place is still up in the air, but there are already initial rumors about hardware, features and games. The lifespan of the original Switch also seems to be finally coming to an end.

Almost seven years ago, on March 3, 2017, Nintendo launched the Switch, a home console that combines mobile and stationary gaming. The hybrid console has since been reissued several times, for example as a Lite version (buy here) or as an OLED version. However, a more powerful Switch Pro, which many were expecting, never materialized. Now, instead, leaks are piling up about a potential successor.

Nintendo has started production of the Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch rumor mill is boiling again. Famiboard user “fwd-bwd” is said to be able to confirm the name of the new Switch console on Reddit. According to him, the successor will simply be called Nintendo Switch 2, confirming previous rumors. In addition to the console, the logo will also be slightly larger, but the frame will be narrower and more modern.

Because of PS5 Pro: Nintendo Switch 2 to be introduced next year?

Shuntarō Furukawa, President of Nintendo, has via Twitter the existence of the Nintendo Switch successor has been officially confirmed. Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be available in the current fiscal year and therefore by March 2025 will be presented. The actual release could then take place between April and June. The original Switch will be more than 8 years old at this point.

A launch this year is probably rather unlikely because of the PS5 Pro, so Nintendo will probably keep some distance until the new console is officially presented.

How much does the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?

There have been rumors for some time that Nintendo will increase the price of the console. While Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, 399 US dollars other leakers expect significantly higher prices. The analyst Hideki Yasuda expects a Maximum price of 500 US dollars In addition, games will cost up to 80 euros in the future, whereas the current maximum is 70 euros. Rumors suggest that there will be widespread availability at launch. According to this, more than 10 million consoles will be delivered in the first few months.

The Nintendo Switch was launched in March 2017 (Image: Nintendo)

New hardware: Tegra T239 including Ampere GPU

Although the current Switch is still impressive with its sales figures, the technology of the console is hopelessly outdated. The current models still rely on a modified NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Tiwhich was originally published in 2015. The SoC

These mainly include the processor (CPU), graphics chip (GPU), energy management, wireless technology such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and the memory. Snapdragon or Apple Bionic are well-known SoCs on the market.

Overview of Snapdragon SoC models Based on the Maxwell graphics architecture, which was also used in the GTX 900 series.

Rumors about the SoC of the Switch 2 have been circulating online for some time now, according to which the console will be based on the Tegra 239 “NVN2” (GMLX30-R-A1). The SoC is to be manufactured by Samsung using the 7 nm LPH process, offer ray tracing and DLSS functions and bring significantly more performance.

Image: Twitter (@Wario64)

DLSS probably ensures higher resolutions

The official technical data is not yet known, but is suspected 1,536 CUDA processing units48 tensor cores, 12 RT cores and 8x ARM Cortex-A78C performance cores. There will also be 12 GB of LPDDR5X-7,500 RAM and 256 GB of internal UFS 3.1 storage. 1 to 1.5 GB of RAM will probably be used by the operating system.

The pure GPU performance is expected to reach about the level of the Xbox Series S. Specifically, the Switch 2 in the dock should achieve a nominal computing power of around 4 TFLOPs. Although the console cannot keep up with the current Playstation 5, the new hybrid console will bring with it some advantages.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch OLED is the latest model of the hybrid console. The OLED version has a 7-inch OLED panel, a wider stand and an integrated LAN port.

However, the performance difference could be due to Nvidia Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) The games are calculated natively in a lower resolution and then upscaled using AI. However, it is not clear whether Nintendo will use the Tensor AI accelerator of the Ampere GPU for this, or whether the ARM chip will have dedicated hardware.

This time even with two fans!

According to a recent leak from China, the Nintendo Switch 2 will even have two fans – directly in the console and in the dock. The dual fan design could be necessary because consumption in the dock could be between 15 and 30 watts. In the dock, the GPU clock speed is said to be increased from 800 MHz to 1.2 GHz. In handheld mode, consumption is said to be around 5 watts. The hardware will probably be powered by a 60 watt charger.

Two USB-C ports and magnetic JoyCons

Unlike the original Switch, the Nintendo Switch 2 will have two USB-C ports. Of course, there will still be a port on the bottom that connects to the dock. But there will also be one on the top that will make charging more convenient in handheld mode and table mode. Apparently, the Switch2 will also have an integrated microphone, which could indicate a voice chat function. There also seem to be new JoyCons that attach magnetically to the console.

Pictures: Twitter (@Wario64)

Render images: The Switch 2 gets a larger display

There are currently rumors that Nintendo is planning two versions of the Nintendo Switch 2, which differ in the display used. The basic version is said to have a 8 inch LCD It will be equipped with a processor manufactured by Sharp. The screen edges will probably shrink significantly compared to the old Switch. This is also evident in render images that were recently leaked.

Image: Twitter (@Wario64)

There will also be an OLED version, with a display from Samsung. According to the latest rumors, the OLED panel will have a refresh rate of 120 Hz, with a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. The peak brightness is interesting, which is expected to be 1,000 cd/m², which would make HDR1000 possible. However, this version will not appear until later in the life cycle of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Pictures: Twitter (@Wario64)

Nintendo remains loyal to the cartridge

Unlike its competitors, Nintendo will probably not launch a “digital-only” console. Instead, the Nintendo Switch 2 will once again rely on modules, with the new cards using Samsung’s fifth generation of V-NAND. It will also probably use the same format as the old cartridges. At least it is therefore conceivable that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible.

Image: Nintendo

This is confirmed by rumors that the current devkits are backwards compatible. User NateDrake claims, among other things, in the gaming forum Resetera that game developers have already been informed about backwards compatibility. This would also confirm the rumors about the renewed use of an Nvidia SoC.

Launch titles and graphics patches for these games?

Some older leaks assume that several first-party titles will receive a graphics upgrade. This “next-gen patch” is intended to make games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4 and Super Mario Wonder look even better on the new console. As Eurogamer and Video Games Chronicle report, it will be at Gamescom 2023 private Nintendo demos for game developers Apparently there was a demo with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which with higher resolution and frame rate than it ran on the Nintendo Switch.

Tears of the Kingdom could receive a next-gen update (Image: Nintendo)

In addition, Nintendo allegedly died Unreal Engine 5 Demo “The Matrix Awakens” was demonstrated on the new hardware. The tech demo was originally released in 2021 to show the performance and graphics capabilities of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X. The usually well-informed leaker “I am A Hero Too” also provided initial clues on Reddit about the planned launch titles. According to this, Square Enix is currently porting the Final Fantasy VII Remake on the next hybrid console. Furthermore, Sega is apparently working on a Persona 6 Implementationwhich, however, would not be released until the end of 2024.

According to insider Paul Gate, several major developers are also working on AAA titles for the console that are due to be released during the launch period. This is specifically said to be a publisher that did not release any games when the original Switch was launched. Gale also says that there will be “significant ports, parallel releases and exclusives”. Leaker @NWeedle, for example, talks about a release of Assasin’s Creed Shadows and a port of Assasin’s Creed Mirage. Assasin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey are also due to be released as a bundle.

Over 300 developers are working on Nintendo Switch 2 games

As part of the Games Developers Conference, developers were asked which platforms were currently the focus of development. Around 300 respondents said they were developing games for the Nintendo Switch 2. However, it is not known which games these might be. In addition, 32 percent said they were looking forward to the next Nintendo console. A total of 3,000 developers were surveyed.

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