This article was posted on April 1st, and as such the first paragraph and thumbnail lean into that. The rest of the article is our genuine prediction, regardless of how outlandish some of them are.

Nintendo's next console may release in May. Or it may not. I don't know. I have no sources to base this on. I just wanted to write that because it sounds funny. The Nintendo Switch 2 may release in May. Or it april release in April. But it certainly won't december release in December. Guess we'll find out tomorrow during the one-hour long Direct.

Hey, since you're here, why don't we talk about what we can expect from the Switch 2? Both stuff that can realistically happen, and some out there theories/unrealistic wishes. This should be fun! Yeah, let's try to predict what the Switch 2 will have in store. Let's-a go!

But I Already Have Switch Games


"So you're getting a new console, huh?"

This one's not really a prediction, since Nintendo already confirmed it's happening, more just a reminder. Most of the Switch games will be backwards-compatible with the new console, with the only exceptions likely being the stuff that used the IR cameras in the joycons. In fact, the recently-announced Digital Cards likely came about as a way to transfer games between the consoles more easily.

The more interesting stuff to speculate about is Switch 2 versions of Switch games. For comparison, the PlayStation 4 has had games that were upgraded to the PS5 version with better graphics and support for the DualSense controller, either for free or for a 10 USD tax. Will the Switch 2 follow suit?

Pretty much all the Switch games would benefit from this upgrade just for the higher resolution textures, but there are three games in particular that would benefit from the new joycons: Splatoon 3, Metroid Prime Remastered, and Pikmin 4. I'll talk about why in the next section, but hopefully Nintendo offers an upgrade path for games (and hopefully it's free).

The Plural of House Should Be Hice...


... if the plural of mouse is mice.

Nintendo's promotional material for the Switch 2 has used a sideways Joycon a lot. This has led people to speculate that the next console will have a mouse feature, and that seems to be all but confirmed. If this does come true, Nintendo will want to showcase it with some games.

That's why I mentioned Splatoon, Prime Remastered and Pikmin earlier. Assuming this functionality isn't just baked into the console and needs to be implemented on a game-by-game basis, those 3 getting upgrade options makes sense, as these types of games tend to work better with that control scheme. 

Another safe bet for mouse controls would be Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. In fact, there's a very real chance the game's development got restarted to integrate the mouse functionality when it was decided that'd be a thing. I have no sources to back this up, though, it's just speculation.

You know what would be absolutely amazing for Mouse controls? A new Mario Maker! Creating your own levels would be infinitely easier with a mouse than it is with a stick. Depending on how strongly they want to push this functionality, this could even be a launch title.

I See Right Through


A picture of the eXtremeRate DIY Replacement Shell for the Nintendo Switch.

Clear plastic. That's it. That's the segment. I want a clear plastic version of the Switch 2. I absolutely love clear plastic electronics, and having it on the Switch 2 would be amazing. I'll even settle for the just joycons, just give me SOMETHING!

Mario Smash Zelda


Looks like Link read the title of this section.

There are 3 games you can expect on every main Nintendo console: a Super Mario game, a Legend of Zelda game, and, starting with the N64, a Super Smash Bros. game. We don't expect Zelda to have a new mainline entry soon, as Tears of the Kingdom released in 2023 and Echoes of Wisdom was last year, so that one will probably be somewhere in the middle of the Switch 2's lifecycle.

A far more likely game to come out soon is a new 3D Mario game. The last one we got was the Bowser's Fury add-on for the Switch version of 3D world. Mario hasn't had a full-fledged 3D game since Odyssey in 2017, when the Switch first launched. Chances the mustachioed plumber doesn't show up tomorrow are slim to none.

Which leaves us with Smash. Where do you even go after Ultimate? That game was an absolute monster, with every new fighter revealed being an event in-and-of itself. How do you top that? You kinda can't, which is why we're expecting Ultimate to get the Mario Kart 8 treatment: A new version on the Switch 2 that will receive even more content. It might not be announced tomorrow, but it will happen soon afterward if it does.

I Like My Screens Like My Coffee: Pitch Black


The OLED model Switch, which came out a few months after I bought a regular one.

Prediction: The Switch 2 will have a screen. I know that sounds unrealistic, but let's try to guess what this hypothetical might look like. The first console had a 1280x720p screen, so the next one is likely to have at least a 1920x1080p one. At that size, there's no real point in going much higher, it's harder to tell the pixels apart, and it eats more battery.

Now, the big question is, LCD or OLED? The Switch got an OLED model late in its life span, so hopefully they go straight to that this time around. Looking at the reveal trailer, the screen seems darker, like an OLED, so here's hoping!

But What About Second Screen?


The Nintendo 3DS. Weirdly enough, the 2DS came after this one.

Ok, let's get into some outlandish predictions! Back in February 2011, Nintendo launched the 3DS, a console that allowed you to see 3D images without the need for glasses. The only other mainstream gadget to offer this was the HTC Evo 3D phone from the same year. Unlike HTC, Nintendo would support their device until the Switch's launch in 2017.

But then they did nothing with the tech. That's kinda weird, isn't it? Which is why we're expecting this technology to make a comeback with this new console. That said, we don't expect it to be on the main console, since this tech requires a camera to keep track of your eyes, and there doesn't seem to be one on the Switch 2, plus it would drive the price up.

Instead, we expect an additional screen that you can purchase separately. The Switch 2 has a USB port on both the top and bottom of the console and, while we don't know anything about those ports, the top one could be used to send video to another accessory. The current Switch already does that with its port. Such a screen would also allow for 3DS backwards compatibility.

The biggest problem is going to be the weight. The current Switch is about 300 grams depending on the model, and the new one is likely to be heavier. That would make a dual screen solution, assuming the two screen are equal in size, about 700-800 grams if we're generous. That's heavier than the Steam Deck, with a center of gravity positioned a lot higher.

This is all, of course, a pipe dream. It's possible the extra screen accessory materializes without the 3D, or that a 3D version of the console comes later, or maybe none if it happens. This is just the second most unrealistic prediction in this article.

A Whole New Reality


Why do I get the feeling this looks more fun than it actually is?

There's about a 30% chance the Switch 2 will have VR support. This sounds completely outlandish, but the reason we're even entertaining the idea is pretty simple: LABO! More specifically, the VR LABO kit that had several virtual reality activities to try out. That always felt like a sort of prototype for proper VR support.

Now, adding VR support for the Switch 2 will require quite a lot of additional stuff. The way we'd see it is an enclosure for the console that will use its screen to display the content, and some add-ons for the joycons to let them work with inside-out tracking from said enclosure.

This all sounds far-fetched, and very likely quite expensive, but we could see it happening. If it does, it would create a new cheap entry-point for people who want to get into VR, and compete with Meta's Quest line-up.

Switch 299

Let's get down to Earth and wrap things up with possible pricing. The Switch launched for 299 USD back in 2017. Expecting the new console to be as cheap is optimistic to say the least, but it's probably safe to assume they won't go above the 499 that the PS5 and Xboxes go for. If we were to hazard a guess, the console will launch at 399, with a very hopeful 349 as a possibility.

Those are our predictions and hopes for the Switch 2. Are you excited about the Switch 2? What are you expecting from Nintendo's follow-up to arguably most successful console? Let us know in the comments below!