Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date Leaked: April 2025 Gaming Revolution

The Nintendo Switch 2: April 2025 Release Date?

Rumors Run Rampant: Switch 2 Leaks at CES 2025

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been the talk of the town for several weeks now. We saw all sorts of leaks detailing the next-gen handheld’s design, and most offer the same claims. Given everything, I’m confident Nintendo has no big design secrets left to surprise gamers with. However, the leaks haven’t stopped, with CES 2025 turning out to be a big source of fresh Nintendo Switch 2 leaks. Accessory makers present at the show have brought mockups showing the console that is supposedly based on the actual Switch 2 design (above). It turns out the accessory vendors made wilder claims about the Nintendo Switch 2 than simply showing mockups and accessories for it. Some of them said the console will get an April release date, which makes some sense. What’s crazier about these accounts is that some of them claim the Switch 2 is available for purchase on the black market, assuming you’ve got money to spend. That’s all according to the Morningpicker report, which published a hands-on clip showing a Nintendo Switch 2 mockup console from CES. Genki, the third-party accessory company that introduced Switch 2 accessories at CES, claimed that all its products will be available in stores at the same time as the console “in April.” That’s going to be the release window for the new console, though an actual date is missing. A few days ago, a different leak said the Switch 2 release date would be March 28th. The date came from an unnamed source familiar with accessory makers for the console. At the time, rumors were swirling online, saying that Nintendo might unveil the Switch 2 in January. Given the new developments, a March or April release still makes sense for the Switch 2. What we know for certain is that Nintendo plans to announce the console by the end of March. The launch event should be followed by a preorder window ahead of the in-store release. The same Morningpicker report notes that some Switch 2 accessory vendors claim the console is available on the black market. The report notes that Genki and others say their mockups are based on an actual console, not 3D blueprints. These claims can’t be verified at this time, and accessory makers might always make things up to generate attention and notoriety. However, it wouldn’t be the first time a tech product has made it to the black market before its release date. We see it happen with Pixel phones all the time. More recently, the M4 MacBook Pro was sold on the black market in Russia several weeks before the official launch. In that case, the units were probably stolen from Apple or its suppliers. There is a difference, however. If the Switch 2 is selling on the black market, nobody is ready to show it. And the accessory makers have not detailed the software experience, which is a red flag. Well, either that or the units selling on the black market have already been bricked somehow. CES might be over, but I’m betting the stream of Switch 2 leaks won’t die down anytime soon. If anything, we should see even more rumors until Nintendo decides to finally announce the console.

Setting the Stage: Nintendo’s Official Timeline

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said the next-gen console will be announced “within this fiscal year.” Nintendo’s 2024 fiscal year will end on March 31st, 2025. Therefore, the Nintendo Switch 2 should be official by next April. Furukawa made the comment during the company’s earnings call for the March quarter that ended the previous fiscal year. Nintendo posted the full comment on X, which provides a little more context about the Nintendo Switch 2 release date announcement:

This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.

This somewhat narrows everything down. A Nintendo Switch 2 announcement might come anytime between this summer and April 2025. I’d expect Nintendo to unveil the next-gen console this fall, rather than wait it out any longer. There’s precedent for this, of course. But if Nintendo follows the launch recipe of the first-gen Switch, the successor won’t hit stores this Christmas. The first Switch was unveiled on October 20th, 2016. The console hit stores on March 3rd, 2017, becoming a massive success.

Navigating the Release Window: When to Expect the Switch 2

Some rumors say Nintendo will start selling the Switch 2 in the first quarter of 2025. That’s in line with the April 2025 deadline Furukawa offered. However, Nintendo Switch sales have slowed down compared to the first four years, despite the company’s release of the Nintendo Switch OLED option in 2022. Nintendo expects to sell 13.5 million Switch units in 2024, or more than two million fewer consoles than last year. A next-gen device is needed to boost hardware sales in the coming years. Let’s also remember that Sony and Microsoft are working on upgrades for the PS5 and Xbox. These console refreshes should be even more powerful than the current models. They’ll probably be available to buyers in time for Christmas, putting extra pressure on Nintendo. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of specs upgrades the Nintendo Switch 2 will get, especially compared to the upcoming PS5 and Xbox rivals. Some of them have started to leak out, and you should not expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to match the kind of power Sony and Microsoft might be working on. After all, the Switch’s main feature is that you can play it anywhere. Comparatively, the PS5 and Xbox are gaming-focused desktop-like computers that do not leave the room you place them in.

The Switch 2’s Hardware Advantage?

Some of them have started to leak out, and you should not expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to match the kind of power Sony and Microsoft might be working on. After all, the Switch’s main feature is that you can play it anywhere. Comparatively, the PS5 and Xbox are gaming-focused desktop-like computers that do not leave the room you place them in.

Beyond the Hardware: What’s Next for Nintendo?

The success of the Switch 2 will depend on much more than just hardware upgrades. Nintendo needs to deliver a compelling software lineup to keep gamers engaged. This means introducing new and innovative games that take advantage of the console’s capabilities. It also means continuing to support existing franchises, such as The Legend of Zelda, Mario, and Pokémon, with high-quality sequels and spin-offs. The company has a history of doing this well, but the pressure is on to deliver something truly special with the Switch 2. The impact on Nintendo Switch sales will be significant. It’s likely that Nintendo will continue to sell its current console alongside the Switch 2, at least for a while. This will provide a more affordable entry point for new players, but it will also create some confusion in the market. Nintendo will need to carefully manage this transition to ensure that the Switch 2 is seen as a clear upgrade. The future of gaming on the go is bright, and Nintendo is well-positioned to be a major player in this space. The success of the Switch 2 will depend on Nintendo’s ability to innovate, deliver compelling software, and adapt to the evolving gaming landscape.