Gamers dying to get their hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 must be having a great time right now. There are plenty of leaks going around that seem to reveal genuine details about the next-gen handheld console.
We saw the Switch 2 design leak thanks to a dbrand accessory a few days ago, and then a YouTuber gave us a detailed hands-on demo of a Nintendo Switch 2 dummy unit. The device in the video is a high-quality dummy unit that reaffirms what we saw in the dbrand leak. After watching that clip, I said I’m convinced the Switch 2 will look like the dummy unit even though we haven’t actually seen the next-gen console.
It turns out these were not even the biggest leaks of the season. There’s a person on Reddit who apparently had access to the actual next-gen console. They shared plenty of info about the device, including the launch event window for the Nintendo Switch 2, its actual product name, and design details that corroborate the previous leaks.
A Reddit mod obtained proof from the Switch 2 insider that seems to confirm the information is legitimate. The mod would not share the information to protect the identity of the mysterious Redditor, but NextHandheld said they’ll show off the console on Christmas Day.
Separately, The Verge reports they’ve spoken with the Redditor, and the leaker seems genuine.
Even without people saying NextHandheld seems legitimate, the leaker’s claims make sense when you compare it with the Nintendo Switch 2 design leaks.
The Redditor mentioned that the Joy-Con controllers will attach to the console magnetically, and then we saw them in action in the Switch 2 hands-on video. They also noted the new release buttons on the back of the console, which will release the Joy-Cons. That should be enough to indicate they have access to inside information.
NextHandheld shared more than just Switch 2 design details. They confirmed that the console’s name is in fact “Nintendo Switch 2,” which hadn’t been confirmed until now. The console logo is apparently a Switch logo with a “2” on the side. The Verge says the leaker showed them “a picture of a dock, with the same logo as the original Nintendo Switch, only with a 2 attached.”
The leaker also claimed that Nintendo will unveil the Switch 2 next month at a Nintendo meeting. Some Redditors interpreted it as a confirmation that the launch event would occur on February 4th, 2025, when an Investor Meeting is scheduled, rather than next month.
We know from Nintendo that the Switch 2 should be unveiled by the end of March 2025. That’s not to say the console will be available in stores by then. The Redditor with inside access to the console did not share release date information.
While the dbrand leak and the Switch 2 dummy hands-on video did not feature information about the dock, NextHandheld did provide some details. Here’s what The Verge had to say about it:
In particular, I’ve seen two photos of a possible Nintendo Switch 2 dock and one photo of the inside of a possible Switch 2 controller rail, covered in certification logos and with copper contacts exposed, which also shows its metal kickstand hinge open at an angle. Notably, the dock was not included in the 3D scan that’s circulating among case manufacturers.
Also interesting is the claim that the Switch 2 will not suffer from the notorious Joy-Con Drift controller issue that affected the first-gen handheld. From The Verge’s report:
NextHandheld claims the controllers will have magnetic Hall effect joysticks, which don’t contain the same deteriorating sensor material and can be recalibrated easily.
If you want to go further down the rabbit hole, you should see this Reddit mod’s post on the leaker’s information, this feature roundup, and the Reddit post that started it all.
