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There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the potential release of a Nintendo Switch successor for quite some time now, with numerous leaks and rumors fueling the anticipation.
Recently, a reliable leaker who previously unveiled upcoming DLC for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet shared information regarding the new console. While this initial information caused some confusion among fans, the leaker made a new post on the website 4chan in which they clarified that their previous post did indeed refer to a successor to the 2017 hybrid gaming device.
With all of the speculation and leaks, it seems like the launch of a new Nintendo console is inevitable. This raises questions about what fans can expect from the rumored "Nintendo Switch 2" and when it might get released.
The Nintendo Switch 2 could be set to arrive next year
First, here's some background for users who missed out on the Pokemon DLC leaks.
A Japanese user on the anonymous forum 4chan claimed to be from an outsourcing company. They leaked a bunch of details about the upcoming DLC for last year's RPG Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The leak accurately detailed the Paradox Suicune and Paradox Virizon. Both have been revealed to be Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, respectively.
Their typing is also spot-on, as Water/Dragon and Grass/Psychic. Coming to the actual DLC, the focus was said to be on Area Zero, one of the locations in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. As it was made public via the official announcement, there are two DLCs, each with a new legendary. These come in two parts:
- Part 1: The Teal Mask featuring the Pokemon with "the green mask"
- Part 2: The Indigo Disk, which showcased the "large blue turtle"
The leak ends with a mention of a graphics update that will be released for the new Nintendo Switch models alongside "DLC2". While The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC parts 1 and 2 are set to be released in Fall and Winter 2023, respectively, this DLC2 is a separate entity, as clarified by the leaker in their second post. According to the updated information, DLC2 is expected to be launched in early 2024.
Many fans brushed off the leaker's previous mention of a new Nintendo Switch model as a potential DLC-themed edition. However, that is not the case. The leaker doubled down on the fact that it is indeed a "next-generation machine."
The graphics patch is expected to make use of the improved hardware to enhance the visuals of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Currently, the open-world RPGs have noticeable pop-ins, poor textures, and other visual issues. The graphics patch will likely address these issues and provide a better gaming experience for players.
To make matters worse, they pale in comparison to other more ambitious games on the Nintendo Switch hardware. These include games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Hence, the games could do with a graphical overhaul. What is interesting, though, is that according to the leaks, the new Nintendo Switch successor will be launching alongside DLC2 in early 2024.
This makes sense for a handful of reasons
For one, it has now been about seven years since the launch of the original Switch in 2017. The aging Tegra X1 chipset in the current console needs an update as soon as possible. As such, it makes sense for the release to come in the near future.
Secondly, Nintendo has been somewhat tight-lipped on future game releases for the hybrid console. With their latest Direct showcase, they only highlighted games coming in the first half of 2023. So it is not unreasonable to assume that the rest of the year could have surprises in store.
Finally, the original Nintendo Switch was first launched in early 2017. So it makes sense for a successor to be released around the same time period next year. Taking all previous speculation into consideration, it could be that Nintendo wishes to showcase the graphical jump with their next-gen console. As such, alongside Pokemon, we could end up seeing more games that receive graphical enhancements or even ports that are infeasible on the Nintendo Switch.
Of course, other occurrences also strengthen these rumors. This includes the recent contract between Nintendo and Microsoft to bring mainline Call of Duty games to the console in the future. At the end of the day, though, all of this is mere speculation. Given the number of sources corroborating the claims of a successor, its existence does have some credibility. Now it really is a matter of "when" and not "if" they will announce the device.
