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The Nintendo Switch successor leaks keep coming. This time, they may be less than legitimate. Many images have been floating around the internet lately, allegedly depicting official box art for the Nintendo Switch successor. It is no secret at this point that next-gen hardware from the acclaimed gaming company Nintendo is in the works.
That said, this new leak may just be too ridiculous to digest even for fans that are confident a new system will be revealed soon. Let's take a look at why this leak may or may not be valid.
Is this new "Nintendo Switch 2" leak real or fake?
All things considered, this has to be the fakest leak thus far regarding the elusive Switch successor. To begin, let's take a look at the box art itself. It showcases a new design with rounded edges. The first notable highlight is just how big the handheld unit is. It is easily over twice as large as the current version, throwing portability out of the window.
The red-and-blue Joy-Con controllers now seem to come in a casing, allowing users to snap them in upward or downward positions, which seems to serve no real purpose. There also seem to be user instructions on the box in Italian. Users who speak the language confirmed many grammatical errors in the descriptions. And finally, the logo.
It is called Nintendo Switch 2, with the number indicated in a small bubble beside the name. This is an awful logo design since the "2" would not be visible to the average consumer if this box was on shelves, to begin with. Furthermore, likely, Nintendo does not want to repeat the fiasco with the Wii U.
Nintendo's ill-fated 2011 home console was plagued by poor marketing, with the company's promotion largely focusing on the device's tablet controller. This led many users, including core fans, to assume it was a new peripheral for the older Wii console. It is also unlikely the device will be called Nintendo Switch 2 as the console maker has never done that to a successor in the same family before - be it Wii U or 3DS.
The biggest proof that this leak is indeed fake is a separate video that supposedly features the UI in action. As shown in this gif from Twitter user @NintendogsBS, users are greeted with a game cartridge being inserted into the device. The game in question is the upcoming Super Mario Bros Wonder. A few things are very obvious in this concept mockup.
First, the digital store is called "Nintendo Shop" instead of Nintendo eShop. There is no reason for them to change the name given how Nintendo aims to bring over the existing accounts and store format to the next-gen. Secondly, it is odd how no new games are showcased - instead, they are all current titles that fans know about. Then there are the typing errors.
While the cover art and logo say "Super Mario Bros Wonder," the name of the game says "Super Mario Wonder." Surely the developers known for pristine polish in their software and games would not overlook something as major as this? Furthermore, this UI has far too many aesthetic bells and whistles, considering how plain the current Nintendo Switch UI is.
In fact, this leak brings to mind the oval-shaped Nintendo "NX" (official codename for the Switch) that made the rounds on the net before the actual hybrid console was revealed in 2017. Overall, this design is too outlandish and inconsistent with what we know about Nintendo.
The funny typos and errors are the final nail in the coffin for this leak. As if that was not enough, the leaker for Super Mario Wonder confirms it is fake on Twitter. Someone definitely had a fun time coming up with this concept, but fans will need to wait a while before the real deal is revealed.
