New Switch 2 renders showcase mammoth display and revamped Joy-Cons

Your first look at the Switch 2 is potentially here, and it looks like Nintendo is going with the idea of bigger is better

18th Sep 2024 15:30

Images via Nintendo

First Switch 2 Renders Appear Online

If there's one thing that Nintendo loves, it's a good leak. Well, we doubt that Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa loves leaks, but that doesn't stop the gaming giant from being plagued by them. Perhaps Nintendo's secrecy makes it the target of leakers, and when something slips out from its usually airtight security, the internet goes wild.

After years of the rumour mill going into overdrive, we finally know the Nintendo Switch successor will be announced before the end of March 2025. Although we're hoping for a release date shortly after, official news surrounding the 'Switch 2' is hard to come by - until now. 

Switch 2 renders leak online

Photos of Switch 2 factory prototypes have leaked on a Chinese website
byu/MisterSheeple inGamingLeaksAndRumours

While rumours surrounding the Switch 2 are nothing new, a potentially supersized gigaleak of news has turned up on Reddit. A series of renders show off what the Switch 2 could look like, while an update also adds some impressive specs. 

An 8-inch screen backs up previous rumours and bumps the original Switch's size from 6.2 inches, adding a full inch to the OLED's 7-inch screen. Elsewhere, there are reportedly two USB-C ports on the top and bottom to make charging easier when in handheld mode. 

The post reveals a beefy 12GB of RAM compared to the Switch's 4GB, alongside 256GB of internal support compared to 32GB, as well as HDMI 2.1 support. The most divisive addition is sure to be the revamped Joy-Cons, which now attach to the body of the console via magnets instead of the previous sliding mechanism.

Although the Joy-Cons look similar to what we've already got, the images showcase revised SL/SR buttons and front-facing player LEDs. Again, these are all things we've heard before, which don't necessarily add to the legitimacy of the leak. 

Even though the images are unverified, a source close to VGC claims to have been briefed on Nintendo’s plans and told the site that the renders are in line with what they know. If not the real deal, it's possible someone has made these renders based on what they've been informed from on high. 

Some say they're sold on the console based on the screen size alone, but note that VGC's Andy Robinson doesn't think it'll be OLED. Others are convinced this is just someone having fun with their 3D printer, and until Nintendo gives us the nod, it's hard to know what's real and what's people chasing clout online.

Like when Rockstar Games ended up releasing the GTA 6 trailer early because leakers got there first, we could see Furukawa and co. spurred into action if there's any truth to the above. The timing seems convenient when you remember a recent buzz about developers apparently being invited to Nintendo of America. 

Every time there's so much as a whisper of a Nintendo Direct, gamers go into overdrive that there will be a 'one more thing' that unveils the Switch 2 to the world. As the months slip away and that March 2025 deadline looms, surely the Switch 2's official reveal can't be that far away. The question is, have we already got our first look at Nintendo's next generation of console?

Tom Chapman

About The Author

Tom Chapman

Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.

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