WCCFTech is reporting on a rumor this afternoon that comes from Discord user, SoldierDelta, which the site says has previously provided information and screenshots for Team NINJA’s Rise of the Ronin on The Snitch’s server. The rumor is that Nintendo is preparing two Nintendo Switch 2 models for release. The first will be an all-digital system for $400, and the other being a standard system with a cartridge slot for $449 US. He goes on to say that the Switch 2 is known internally as NG, and Nintendo is targeting a 24th September release date, which seems a little odd to set a specific day so far in advance. Though he does go on to say that it could slip to November. Make of this specific rumour what you will.
Rumour claims Switch 2 coming in two models priced at $400+ next September
All digital model makes zero sense when the system is likely still using game cards and that price point is completely off brand for Nintendo pricing. Fake as hell.
Agree on all digital. This feels like someone was just mimicing the PS5 strategy without considering that it makes no sense when it’s a cartridge slot (which adds very little cost to production) compared to a disc drive, which requires moving parts, cooling considerations, etc. No way is that a $100 difference for a company that tries to be aggresive with price.
I will say $400 is not out of the picture at all. In fact, I would guess Switch 2 will be $399.99. If you adjust for inflation $300 in 2017 when the Switch launched is equal to $380 today (likely $400 by holiday 2024) and the OG Switch was (from a purely economic supply/demand standpoint) underpriced. That plus the features actually credible sources are hearing about and I’d think $400 is what we should be hoping for…
So people want a more powerful system but are not willing to pay for it. Noted.
I know right? Can’t have it both ways. If you want power (or even tricks like Ray Tracing and DLSS that can fake power,) you are gonna have to pay for it.
DLSS is a must have trick, and required for a Switch 2 to get AAA in 2024
Raytracing is not a trick, it demands a lot of power with a (much) better rendering, thanks to ambiant light
It makes perfect sense to release a digital version, maybe not at that price, but it would be ridiculous to release a physical only platform.
Its not a physical only platform though. Do you consider the current switch to only play physical games?
Absolutely not, but do you consider the Xbox Series X a physical only platform? Because the Series S is outselling by a lot, even though the Series X plays both. Now, had this rumor came up back in the early 2010’s, I would’ve laughed it off, but last year alone, over 72% of all game sales were digital. Capcom alone reported that 80% of all their game sales were digital. So there’s obviously a market, and if a consumer is on the edge, because of the price, a cheaper alternative could sway them to make that purchase. Not to mention that if the physical SKU is $500, then a $400 digital SKU is a much smaller pill to swallow, especially in this economy.
The difference is a game card slot is something that is barely going to effect the price difference between a model that doesnt have it, unlike a disc drive (though even that really isnt that much to add for manufacturers). The difference isnt 100 dollars in value, it would only alienate customers to add two versions they need to be aware of the differences for, with a 100 dollar difference in price, when just doing a standard, single launch model that plays both for the one price makes the most sense. Unless the more expensive model adds more storage or some other major extra features, for a system that uses both game cards and downloads, doing a digital only version is pretty pointless when the normal model can play digital games anyway and it would require entirely different manufacturing specs to make. I think if anything doing two models like this would just end up like the 2 Wii U models that they quickly discontinued one of.
Says who? I keep hearing everyone talk about these game card slot like it cost $20 to add, but where is everyone getting this from? Not to mention that if this thing is backwards compatible, it’ll use 2 slots if they do indeed change format, which they usually tend to do with cartridges. Again, if this was the early 2010’s I would agree, but both Sony and MS have proved that a cheaper digital only SKU helps push units, it’s not even a question. And with an all digital future approaching why would consumer spend more when a perfectly good cheaper alternative that plays the same games (albeit digitally) is an option. This isn’t 2011, the majority of games are bought digitally, and the trend keeps rising year over year, the data is there. Now I never said I agreed with that $500 price tag, it seems a bit steep for Nintendo, but . multiple SKUs wit one being digital makes total sense in 2024.
Wrong. Even changing format will not require 2 slots. Their cartridges are literally sd cards. They can change the system format and still allow for one card slot.
Of course they can, but will they? Claiming they will keep the same size format is as correct as me saying they can change it.
The series X is being outsold only because of production. Microsoft has not kept up with demand and has underproduced the series X. They have done this for a reason which is the push to go digital. Microsoft sees the disc side of it for console and thinks if they can get rid of physical the people will just buy a pc which a majority of uses their OS
And we’re exactly is your source for this? Or are you spewing nonsense for sake of an argument?
I agree
Nah, the price point is not going to do Nintendo’s any good. This makes no absolute sense whatsoever that is legit for people’s budgets.
The $500 one, yes. A cartridge slot costs peanuts compared to a disc drive. No way that would cost $100 more for the consumer.
$400 is not out of the question though. If you adjust for inflation $300 in 2017 when the Switch launched is equal to $380 today (likely $400 by holiday 2024) and the OG Switch was (from a purely economic supply/demand standpoint) underpriced. That plus the features actually credible sources are hearing about and I’d think $400 is what we should be hoping
Honestly it just sounds realistic. Like the wii U had two models. The Sony and Xbox have two models. The OLED was pretty popular, I can see them having an entry level and premium version of the system. That’s all that’s being said. I don’t know about them being all digital, a cartridge reader is not as cumbersome as a disk drive. So I don’t see why they would drop it. Screen size and such maybe. But with that kind of MSRP I would guess both new “NG” systems would be more than just the current switch. Guessing the Gameboy camera is back. probably increased storage, especially if they have legacy support for switch 1 games. People gunna need closer to 128gb starting, especially with bigger games coming.
Well, the cartridge reader hardware cost is not the difference. It’s the profit margin of digital sales being a lot bigger than for retail sales.
It would be incredibly stupid for Nintendo to discard physical copies when they are pumping out more physical copies then ever before and there is a high demand from Nintendo buyers for them. Even disregarding the fact they have the games on them, people are buying them up as collectibles like amiibos. They would be majorly shooting themselves in the foot, especially with something so easy to implement and publishers paying to print them.
Are they though? That physical number keeps dropping year after year. Last fiscal year 48% of all their sales were digital. So they clearly aren’t pumping out more physical copies. Now I’m with you, I don’t want physical to every disappear, but let’s be realistic, an all digital console is coming, maybe not this generation, but it’s definitely coming. Especially when we are now downloading half of our physical games before we can even play them.
That sounds about right to me. The Wii U hardware doesn’t have enough power to have more third party content.
Yeah, because Nintendo would axe their retail presence for an all-digital console, especially with how much flack they get for delistings. How stupid is the guy that made this up? $500 is a little absurd as well. No way they’d EVER do this. So stupid.
wish they would have announced a new switch this year. Its been long enough already and when comparing with the pc handhelds coming out the switch is my last choice to pick up and play. Im holding off on playing most of my new switch games until the new system comes out and hopefully is backwards compatible for better performance.
tired of the crappy switch performance on games. Ive left it behind in favor of pc handhelds. Im hoping the next switch is backwards compatible so i can play my games with better performance. As long as its under 500 ill pick it up. It would be cheaper than most pc handhelds out now. Albeit, less games available but nintendo 1st party is always top notch, except for recently I feel like their just milking the system
Performance isn’t an issue with the switch at all. You are just being a hater because you’re not getting the high end crap for dirt cheap. Go play your PC while I play my switch anywhere I want and my gaming pc while at home or my Xbox. My PS5 gathers dust so won’t be playing it.
Maybe the screen will be a QLED this time and at 8 inches..for that and new tech $499 is not out of the question regardless of the version… however I bet 449 and take the difference of the two … either way it’s exciting!
Idk i can’t say for certain but based off the PS5 i originally thought Sony had a physical only PlayStation 5, but now that i own a PS5 physical edition it can play physical games and download digital games as well. I can only assume that a physical Nintendo Switch would be the same and the digital Nintendo Switch would be for digital downloads only.
You are correct. Physical just means the drive is there to play physical games. All systems have digital.
No way this is real. Nintendo tries to keep their prices competitive. I believe in a $400 price for the Switch 2, but a $100 price hike to add a cartridge slot doesn’t sound all that realistic to me. And why even have two models for that reason unless Nintendo wants to phase out physical copies? It made sense with Sony since a disc drive is more expensive to add and removing it cuts costs down, so those that only play digital games can buy a cheaper model. A cartridge slot is much cheaper to add and Nintendo is competitive with their prices. This rumor is bogus.
I really hope it’s not real because Nintendo did once said that they are trying to keep their games at 60$. 500$ price point for a console is a no-go for Nintendo. I know gamers won’t allow this to happen for them. It might ruin the console market for consumers.
Most Nintendo 1st party games on the NG Switch will cost $70. Most, but not all. Games like 3D Mario, Mainline Zelda, Animal Crossing, Smash, Mario Kart and Splatoon will definitely cost $70. You can thank Sony for that because there’s no way in hell Nintendo will undervalue their premiere exclusive games against PS5 $70 *exclusive games.
*Also on PC
Yeah I doubt it because Nintendo will later make claims about the rumor that is not true and about the console 500$ price point procedure.
I heard from my cousin that the Switch 2 will cost $700, that it will use satellite transmissions and the games will be playable on 5G phones!
Enough joking, I can’t wait for Nintendo to unveil its next console, a little tired of all these “rumors”…
Not buying Nintendo would do an all digital version, a cart slot is not the same hit to your costs as a disk drive. And Nintendo need the cheaper version to have a card slot, many of their customers are at the poorer end of society and poorer families are more likely to buy physical still, man od not have constant internet connection….Nintendo also follow a pretty obvious trend with their mobile devices and it works for them. They will release 1 system at a time….And wait to release a fancier model when they feel sure the bigger spends will be upgrading, not faced with an either/or decision.
I think $400 is a likely price point for the Switch 2. The truth is that to get a generational power increase on the original Switch the price is going to have to go up a bit. They probably feel pretty confident that they can sell the machine at that price given the success of the Switch. Where this rumour falls apart though is the other details. $100 extra for a model with a cartridge slot? That seems unlikely. I was thinking if they’d do multiple models, they’d probably do with and without a dock, which I think would make more sense.
And then there’s the date, 24th September. As mentioned, perhaps strange they have a specific date this far in advance, but not impossible. More importantly, that date is a Tuesday. Nintendo have switched to a strategy of worldwide releases on Friday for a long time now, including for the Switch itself. I would be shocked if the Switch 2 didn’t release on a Friday. Therefore, given the above points, this particular rumour just doesn’t do it for me.
This is 100% fake plus the price for the supposed specs seems too low making this “rumor”/”leak” very sus.
Not really sure if you are trying to be funny or your joking.
I know the next successor to the switch is due, but let’s not forget that it’s not been confirmed yet, yet alone pricing.
I’d be happy to pay for one with a bigger gb on board, but I doubt there will be options for that
I personally don’t mind the price, it could be $1000 with the best specs, but I think they need to hit $300 for an all digital and 350-400 for the main one. Especially if you want families to not think twice about getting two or more systems for all their kids and what not.
It’s amazing how much a rumour can feed peoples egos
I’m cool with this. I don’t buy games physically anymore, though the $400 console would need to have at least 1TB of storage.
1TB of mobile (eMMC/UFS) storage for $400 is… delusional.
What seems plausible….
~ Multiple SKUs – We already have that with the current Switch.
~ A Fall 2024 release – Nintendo has already stated they are pushing for a Holiday 2024 release. If it comes out a month or so earlier than that, not a big deal. Also, Nintendo had released consoles in the late Summer/Fall before. The NES released in July of 1983 in Japan, and October 1985 in North America. The SNES released in August of 1991 in North America. The N64 released on September of 1996. So this is not out of the ordinary.
~ An all digital SKU – I know Nintendo fans have created this idol in their minds of what the THINK Nintendo is, but alas the reality is a little different. They are a business just like any other and while I feel Nintendo will be the last to 100% convert to all-digital, saying that they would not have at least an all-digital version in the mix is preposterous.
In the recent leak of the of the FTC vs Microsoft situation, it was stated that the XBOX Series S accounted for 75% of the footprint of the XBOX Series S/X install-base. 75%. That along with the success of mobile gaming on iPhone and Android as well as other hybrid consoles like the Steam Deck, Ayaneo 2, and ROG Ally goes to show that their is a significant audience out that prefers all-digital consoles regardless of the form factor. The fact that Nintendo forces you to buy the same games over and over and over again every generation is all the proof you need that they care about MONEY, not your feelings.
What seems implausible….
~ A Nintendo console SKU retailing over $350 dollars – This is something that has never happened before. The OLED Switch is the most expensive console Nintendo has ever released and that is overpriced. It’s hard for me to grasp the idea of Nintendo hardware sitting on a store shelf with a price-tag of $499. It makes SENSE if Nintendo is putting more power into this device that what we think, or if the gimmick (yes, it will have a gimmick. This is not insider-information. Just common sense based on facts and history,) is something that has a level of cost to it e.g. VR or AR, then the $499 price-tag makes sense. I just don’t know if Nintendo is gonna swing that hard at the plate.
~ Knowing the “exact” release date – While this leaker did say that the date could be wrong, Nintendo likes to hold on to information like that until the absolute last minute and it is WAY too early to be giving exact release dates. Only the higher-ups at Nintendo of Japan know that.
Synopsis
I think there are bits and pieces of truth to every rumor we have, but some people want to be relevant so bad that rather than just presenting something that while it may not be “flashy” news, is logical or even correct, they get overzealous and start ad-libbing. If this person had just said that the new console will have multiple SKUs, be more expensive than the current Switch, and would release in Fall 2024, no one would really question it because while they are rumors and not flashy ones, they are logical and has some basis of fact.
Not a lot of big thinkers in this comment section. “NO WAY THERE’S A DIGITAL ONLY EDITION.”
Meanwhile, there’s a never ending march of articles on this very website about how physical carts have these huge download requirements. About every other dev except Nintendo is making huge games. If you except Switch 2 to host these games, don’t expect them to fit on carts.
Why not? Just because digital is an option doesn’t mean the development of physical medium storage options has just ceased to exist. People seem to not realize companies use storage options like M-Disc to store these games for archival, a public version of which would easily hold all these games coming out and have incredibly high durability for a disc medium. Its not that its impossible for these games to fit on physical copies, its that these companies and incredibly cheap and have bad compression techniques(most size is from uncompressed sound and cutscenes) or in the case of disc systems, too cheap to add a 2nd disc. This is pretty much entirely on the 3rd party side of things, Nintendo makes an actual attempt. If the Switch 2 is using the same exact physical media as the regular switch, then that is extreme cheapness on their side of things.
Just going to say that the People expecting Next-Gen Switch to cost $299 knowing that Nintendo never officially cut the price of the original Switch (also cost $299) are delusional. It will cost more than 300 bux and the safest bet is 400 so far, regardless of digital only/physical. Though I wonder how much storage space they will give at that price and whether they use eMMC 5.1 or goes straight to UFS. Also will they upgrade the microsd slot to UHS-II?
Let me put this in layman terms that these know it all fanboys can understand, M$ has a digital only Xbox and Sony has a digital only PS5 .. Wtf is so hard to believe that Nintendo will have 2 different Nintendo Switch, sorry for not sugarcoating.
Digital only? Since when is Nintendo going to copy Playstation and Xbox?
Since Xbox invented paid online and Playstation invented $70 games.
I still don’t belive they going to make two separate consoles. And even if they did, who’s going to buy it when majority want backwards capability?
I wont be buying the all digital SwitchU. I need backwards compatability with my physical games or forget it. I’ll stick with what I got.
Not sure why people mian about price. On a yearly basis people pay hundreds on the latest phone, every year.