Don't Expect The Nintendo Switch 2 To Be Too Powerful

Nintendo confirmed our suspicions earlier this week, shocking fans everywhere by announcing its next console in the most Nintendo way possible – not via a major livestream or celebratory broadcast, but through a straightforward tweet from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa. Since then, gamers have been clamoring for any new info regarding the company's next big swing in the console arena. Nintendo has not been forthcoming with any specs or planned launch titles in the days since its initial announcement, fans are pretty sure that a clear picture of the Switch successor's capabilities managed to slip out this week. While it's definitely exciting to know that Nintendo is actively planning to put out its first new console in nearly a decade, gamers might want to manage their expectations regarding the power of this gaming platform.

In recent days, fans have combed through everything from Nintendo shipping manifests to inside scoops to try and figure out what kind of console the so-called "Switch 2" might be. A member of the Famiboards message board claims to have learned that the console will offer 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, making for a system that's faster and offers significantly more storage than even the newest OLED Switch model. However, gamers who know their next-gen hardware will no doubt recognize that this would still put the next Nintendo system well behind the capabilities of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Unfortunately for gamers who hoped that Nintendo's next console would blow the competition out of the water, that seems to be a recurring point in the leaked Switch 2 specs and the system's first rumored game.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), CentroLeaks helpfully compiled a list of details gathered from various sources, painting a decent picture of what the new Nintendo console can do. The noted leak account corroborated the rumors about the 12GB of RAM and the 256GB storage capacity, but also added a number of other details that fans are intrigued by. The system will supposedly be fully backwards compatible with older Switch games, suggesting that the new console will use similarly-shaped cartridges (though Centro Leaks notes that they'll look a little different). The console is expected to be a bit larger than the Switch, featuring an eight-inch screen with support for ray tracing. The new console will also allegedly be able to support 4K graphics when docked, which means it will also be a hybrid system like the Nintendo Switch. 

[Nintendo Switch 2 Leaks Compilation: Everything We Know About the Nintendo Switch Successor]

Lots of information regarding the successor to the Nintendo Switch has been popping up over the last few weeks. While we have covered most of the trustworthy rumors and leaks, we wanted... pic.twitter.com/H4ZdvjSL3e

— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) May 10, 2024

CentroLeaks urges fans not to put too much stock in recent rumors regarding pricing and first-party launch games, but expressed confidence in the previously listed specs. While all of this suggests a decent-sized jump forward in tech from the Switch, these specs would also mean that Nintendo is still lagging behind Sony and Microsoft's capabilities. That's not such a big deal if the console has the hot new games to back it up, but the rumors surrounding the first big Switch 2 game have suggested that Nintendo still has one foot in the past.

Since the reveal of the new Nintendo console, leakers and industry insiders have been working to let fans know what to expect from the Switch successor, including what might be in its game library. According to posts from noted leakers Midori and PapaGenos, Nintendo may be developing a remastered version of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," with the latter report suggesting that Zelda may be playable in the updated game.

While it would be kind of poetic for Nintendo to launch its new console with a new take on the game that put the Switch on the map, folks on the internet have had a mixed response to these leaks. Many aren't too bothered, saying that they just want Nintendo to continue to put out great games, regardless of the platform's bells and whistles. Others are complaining that they just want to see Nintendo stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other gaming titans once more. Some are concerned that Nintendo is banking too heavily on past successes to carry the company into the future. Even though the Switch still has some advantages over its competitors, it seems Nintendo is really going to have to pull out all the stops to win over some gamers.