Nintendo Switch 2 reveal: why we could see the new console this month
Nintendo's Switch successor could finally be revealed during September
👀 All signs point to the Switch 2 being announced this month
📆 Nintendo has held a Nintendo Direct every year in September since 2016
📉 Hardware sales have also dropped and Nintendo has revealed all its upcoming games
🤔 Nintendo could take some of PS5 Pro’s momentum away
We already know Sony is set to announce the PS5 Pro this month, but will we also see the Nintendo Switch 2?
Nintendo promised to reveal its successor to the Switch before the close of this fiscal year, which ends March 2025. However, now feels like the right time for Nintendo to tease fans of what’s to come, and history suggests a reveal is imminent.
Nintendo has held a dedicated Direct presentation in September for the last eight years in a row, so it would be a shock if it were to break that streak now. We’ve also seen every big Nintendo Switch game announcement for this year and early 2025, along with an Indie World and Partner showcase. All that’s left is for the Switch 2 to be revealed.
Why the time is right
There are several reasons why Nintendo could announce the Switch 2 this month. Nintendo saw hardware sales fall significantly in its most recent quarter despite revealing a healthy lineup of upcoming games. That’s not a surprise considering the console is approaching its eighth year on sale and practically everyone who wanted a Switch will have already bought one. However, it should spur Nintendo to get its new console out sooner rather than later.
There’s also the fact that most consumers know the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon. Even if you’re not clued in with all the latest gaming news and announcements, the console launched in March 2017. You don’t need to be an expert to know a new Nintendo system is long overdue.
The balance Nintendo needs to strike is to ensure it doesn’t tank existing Switch sales but also generate excitement for its new console, and it can do this in three ways.
1. Big up backward compatibility
Nintendo has sold a lot of Switch games, and it has a strong lineup of future titles on the way. Nintendo won’t want people to stop buying its latest games, especially as it’s due to release key titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership.
It’s paramount, then, that Nintendo hammers home the message that the Nintendo Switch 2 is backward compatible. It would be even better news if older games received some enhancements when played on Nintendo’s new hardware, but getting the message across that every game you already own will work on Switch 2 is key.
2. Cut the price of the Switch
With the Nintendo Switch selling so well since launch, Nintendo hasn’t needed to drop the price. Yes, there have been time-sensitive deals – especially over Black Friday – but the console’s price point has remained constant.
Dropping the price of the Nintendo Switch Lite, Switch, and Switch OLED would certainly lead to a surge in sales and give Nintendo some momentum leading up to the Switch 2’s expected May/April 2025 release date. It’d also provide a great option for those who don’t care about having the latest and greatest console when the Switch 2 does release.
3. Jump on the PS5 Pro hype train
With Sony set to reveal the PS5 Pro in the coming weeks, some gamers will be eyeing up the more powerful PlayStation 5 as an upgrade or a way of entering the PlayStation ecosytem for the first time. But if Nintendo can show a more appealing alternative is on the way, even if it isn’t a like-for-like comparison, it could turn the heads of some consumers.
Nintendo will want to make sure that gamers spend their money on its console over Sony’s, and if it delays annoucing the Switch 2 until after the PS5 Pro launches, it could miss out. A Switch 2 reveal could make choosing between the two new systems a much more difficult decision.
Nintendo Switch 2 is getting closer
Nintendo will be carefully weighing up the best time to reveal the Switch 2, but at least gamers can rest assured knowing we’re closer to an announcement than ever. After close to eight years of rumor and speculation, that’s a relief for any Nintendo fan.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.