Leaker Reveals Alleged Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Date

Summary

• The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to be officially announced on Thursday, January 16, 2025.
• The original Nintendo Switch was revealed on a Thursday back in 2016.

The much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 is poised for an official announcement on January 16, 2025, according to reliable sources. An early 2025 reveal paves the way for a potential launch in the first half of the year. The existence of the Switch's successor has been an open secret within the gaming community, with mass production reportedly starting in late September or early October 2024. This timeline is supported by a plethora of hardware leaks that have been circulating online. Nintendo has previously committed to announcing its next console before the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2025.

NateTheHate, a well-known leaker, confirmed during the January 13 episode of his podcast that the Switch 2 will be unveiled on January 16, citing anonymous sources. This announcement date aligns with Nintendo's tradition of making major reveals on Thursdays, reminiscent of the original Switch's teaser in 2016. Shortly after NateTheHate's podcast aired, The Verge's Tom Warren corroborated the news, indicating that the Switch 2 reveal is indeed scheduled for this week.

Nintendo Switch 2 Has Already Leaked on All Fronts

It's unclear whether Nintendo will follow its past strategy of a social media teaser before a full reveal event, as it did with the original Switch in 2017. A teaser could include a glimpse of the console alongside the announcement of the reveal date, possibly a day earlier. However, the extensive leaks about the Switch 2 might dampen the surprise factor for avid fans. The sheer volume of unofficial information led Nintendo to comment on a Switch 2 replica, a rare acknowledgment of product leaks.

As for the device itself, rumors suggest the Switch 2 will be slightly larger than the Switch OLED Model, with dimensions of 270 x 116 x 14mm and an 8-inch LCD screen. The Joy-Cons are expected to attach magnetically, with the right controller featuring an additional "C" button below the home key. The function of this button is still unknown, but it might be related to a rumored mouse-like pointer mode for one of the Joy-Cons.

Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Game Lineup Is Still a Mystery

While the hardware details of the Switch 2 have been widely speculated upon, the launch game lineup remains largely a mystery. RPGs like "My Time at Evershine" and "Bestiario" have been confirmed for the console, but they are not expected to be available at launch if the Switch 2 hits the market in early 2025. Nintendo is likely to leverage at least one or two major first-party titles to drive initial sales and momentum for the new console.

Source: Nintendo of America