The Nintendo Switch is officially on its way out as Nintendo pivots to its successor next year. With the still unannounced Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly launching in 2024, developers are wrapping up support for the original 2017 console.
In an interview with Japanese outlet Nikkei, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa confirmed that official Nintendo Switch support ends in 2025. Just one year after the new console releases, the 2017 handheld will stop receiving new exclusives and major software updates.
With Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits currently in developers’ hands, the stage is set for the next Nintendo handheld to launch in 2024. Multiple reports from Microsoft and even Nintendo SoC manufacturers have confirmed a 2024 release date for the new handheld.
However, Nintendo is still pouring a lot of development resources into its current handheld. After years of success, the Nintendo Switch is getting a swansong year of new exclusive titles including Super Mario RPG Remake, Super Mario Wonder and even a new Princess Peach game.
While some previously announced exclusives are still nowhere to be seen, such as Metroid Prime 4, the current Nintendo Switch hardware has been pushed to its absolute limits, and Nintendo is acutely aware.
For a handheld device, the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 has been reported as a powerhouse. The new handheld allegedly features hardware accelerated raytracing and support for Nvidia’s DLSS 3 upscaling, a feature both PS5 and Xbox Series X cannot use. However, the launch version of the Switch 2 won’t support DLSS 3.5 frame gen or ray reconstruction.
Other reports state that the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of running current Switch software with massive upgrades. At GamesCom 2023, the hardware was allegedly shown running a tech demo of Breath of the Wild at 4K 60fps, a massive leap from the game’s current 720p 30fps playback.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has yet to be announced, but the handheld console is expected to launch sometime next year.