Summary

  • Switch 2's new controllers will use a magnetic system for easier attachment, different from the current rail design.
  • The console will be larger than the current Switch models, but smaller than a Steam Deck, with an 8-inch LCD display.
  • It's not expected until 2025, with a focus on launching with a compelling library of games.

The Nintendo Switch is over 7 years old now and fans are starting to get antsy waiting for a successor. Nintendo has kept its cards close to its chest so far, but now, a significant leak appears to reveal a key detail about the new controllers for the purported Switch 2, which will be different from the current design.

👁 A Nintendo Switch OLED model running Resident Evil Revelations 2
Better graphics aren't what a Switch 2 needs the most

Nintendo is expected to launch a Switch 2 later this year with upgraded performance, but there are more important things the company needs to address.

The new Joy-Con will be magnetic

That key difference is that the new controllers (which may or may not be called Joy-Con) use a magnetic system to attach to the body of the console. The current iteration of the console relies on rails that the Joy-Con slide into, which is also the case for a few PC gaming handhelds with a similar design. A magnetic attachment could be most similar to the Lenovo Legion Go in that the controllers need to move less in order to attach. However, the Legion Go still has a mechanical lock, so this seems to be different from that approach, too.

The information comes from Spanish outlet Vandal, citing accessory manufacturers that apparently got to touch the new console, but not see it. Yes, we're serious. According to the report, these companies were given the opportunity to touch the console inside an opaque box that conceals its look, but allows them to get a feel for the hardware in general.

This difference does raise a significant concern in that current Joy-Con models likely wouldn't be compatible with the new console, at least not in handheld mode. However, the report claims that the console will indeed support the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. It's possible that Joy-Con would also be supported, but only in wireless mode, similar to how they can be used with a Nintendo Switch Lite.

Bigger than the Switch, smaller than a Steam Deck

The other key piece of information from this report is that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be larger than the current Switch models, albeit not as big as a Steam Deck. Previous reports have pointed to an 8-inch LCD display being built into the console, which would make a larger size mandatory.

However, being smaller than a Steam Deck is interesting considering that device only has a 7-inch panel. That being said, the large trackpads on the side of the screen along with the thicker controller could be part of the reason Nintendo's console is still smaller overall.

Coming in 2025

Finally, the report claims that the Nintendo Switch 2 won't arrive in 2024, and instead is planned for 2025, which also lines up with previous reports. According to Vandal's sources, the hardware itself is ready, but Nintendo is holding it back to launch with a more compelling library of games. After all, the Nintendo Switch's success was greatly influenced by the strong lineup of titles available within the first year, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 2.

Aside from this information, previous reports have pointed to the Switch 2 using an Nvidia chip based on the Ampere architecture with support for DLSS. It's also been speculated that the Switch 2 may feature backward compatibility with the current generation.