At this point, it’s been nearly eight years since the Nintendo Switch was released on March 3, 2017. The hybrid gaming device has been immensely successful for Nintendo considering that it has sold over 146.04 million units worldwide.
As such, Nintendo fans are eagerly awaiting news for the Switch successor, unofficially dubbed as the “Switch 2.” Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa recently confirmed plans to unveil the Switch successor at some point within this fiscal year, which spans through March 31, 2024.
Officially, not much is actually known about the new console, but Furukawa did later confirm that the device will feature backwards compatibility with the Nintendo Switch. This strongly reinforces the rumors suggesting that the Switch successor is slated to function as a direct upgrade over its predecessor.
Dbrand, an accessory manufacturer, curiously released an image featuring their upcoming “Switch 2 Killswitch” case. Though Dbrand initially declared that they would not be answering any questions, they confirmed rather conclusively that this Killswitch case is indeed intended for the Switch 2 when Insider Gaming reached out for comment.
We will not be answering any questions at this time. pic.twitter.com/kBQcbB2PfV
— dbrand (@dbrand) December 12, 2024
“That is correct: it is the Switch 2 with our Killswitch case on it (similar in principle to our Killswitch for the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and ROG Ally X),” responded Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz.
The image appeared to show the back of the Killswitch case, supposedly with the Nintendo Switch 2 encased inside. Later on, Dbrand showcased an animation of the Killswitch spinning, which gave us a look at the device from all other angles.
From what we can ascertain from the Killswitch’s design, the Switch 2 will bear resemblance to the previous Nintendo device. However, some observable differences have been pointed out by fans.
There’s apparently a new “C” button positioned around the home button of the right Joy-Con. This has prompted speculation that Nintendo might aim to attempt to bring back some Miiverse functionality with the new console.
“Dbrand’s CEO Adam Ijaz has confirmed to Insider Gaming that the actual design of the Nintendo Switch 2 is what’s in the case in the animations.”
“it is the Switch 2 with our Killswitch case on it” pic.twitter.com/cuU1Zzsiw4
— Wario64 (@Wario64) December 13, 2024
In an interview conducted by The Verge, Ijaz revealed that the case was designed based on the Switch 2’s actual measurements. He revealed that the new gaming device measures at “270mm wide, 116mm tall, and 14mm thick, with the console portion taking up 200mm worth of that width.”
Indeed, this would mean that the Switch 2 is both larger and taller than the Switch OLED, though it should have about the same thickness. It’s also suggested that it’ll have about an 8-inch screen.
Ijaz has seemingly confirmed a previous rumor that suggested that the Joy-Cons would be magnetically attached to the Switch 2. There will also be an ejection button at the top and back of the Joy-Con controllers. The controllers will still be detachable even with the Killswitch case covering the whole thing.
However, Ijaz claims that he doesn’t know what the “C” button near the home button is for. It’s unknown if the screen is of the LCD or OLED design.
Additionally, Ijaz notes that he doesn’t have any details about the television docking station or the device’s release date. Regardless, Dbrand is apparently aiming for a late March or early April release window for their Killswitch case.
Previous rumors surrounding the Switch 2 reports that the gaming device will utilize NVIDIA’s DLSS feature, which should significantly improve the Switch 2’s performance compared to Switch.
Playtonic Games recently dropped a not-so-subtle hint that Yooka-Replaylee is slated to be released for the Nintendo Switch 2. We’ve also heard from Masahiro Sakurai that he’s been working on a secret game project since April 2022, leaving fans to speculate that it could be a new game for the upcoming console.
With all of this in mind, things are certainly getting interesting. Nintendo is clearly preparing for a big reveal likely sometime after the winter holiday season. We’ll just have to see how things play out from here.
