The Nintendo Switch 2 has yet to be officially announced, but rumors abound. All signs point to the Japanese gaming giant developing a successor to the ever-popular Nintendo Switch, but everything from its release date to its name has so far been the subject of speculation.

We expect a significant increase in power, an OLED display, and 4K output capabilities to keep up with the best TVs. However, the latest rumors suggest rather disappointing specs, and we may not get as much of an upgrade as we had hoped. With this in mind, we thought it would be a great time to round up the best and worst rumors we've seen so far about the Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo eventually calls it).

Starting with the positives, it may not be too long to wait for the second-generation Switch to arrive. Many reports seem to be targeting a 2024 launch, but according to sources "familiar with Nintendo's next-gen console plans" (via VGC), Nintendo is planning a launch for later this year.

However, new rumors claim that it could launch as early as late summer. Yet another analyst reports that a March or April launch is a possibility, which would allow Nintendo to counter the PS5's current sales momentum; there are also reports that the Switch 2 will launch around the same time as the PS5 Pro.

Regardless of when it launches, the Switch 2 is said to feature a new 3D Mario and could have the biggest Mario Kart game to date later in its life cycle. One reliable insider claimed in August that Nintendo was developing a Mario game using the Unreal 4 game engine. This initial leak was further bolstered by reports that the Switch would launch with a new 3D Mario game. Looking further ahead, a November report from Zippo, a leaker with a reasonable track record for accurate information, said that Switch 2 will launch in the second year of its lifecycle with a new Mario Kart game called Mario Kart X. It is believed to be "the most expensive game Nintendo has ever produced.

In terms of expected specs upgrades, onboard storage is said to be 512GB, which would be significantly more than the 32GB and 64GB of the original Switch and Switch OLED, respectively. It was previously speculated that there would be a co-processor chip built into the Switch 2's dock that would boost the console's power and video output when docked and connected to a 4K TV. While attractive as an upgrade, we are not holding our breath as the rumors surrounding this chip have died down.

Zippo claimed over the summer that the Nintendo Switch 2 would be priced at $399. This is $50 more than the premium Switch OLED, and while the Switch 2's price is comparable to the Xbox Series S, it is in line with the increased cost of the hardware. An industry analyst later mentioned the $399 pricing in an interview with GamesIndustryBiz.

In the last few console generations, Nintendo's hardware has consistently lagged behind its competitors in terms of raw power, and new leaked information suggests the Switch 2 will be no different.

According to RedGamingTech, the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature an 8-core Cortex-A78AE processor, 10 streaming multiprocessors (SM), and 8 GB of RAM. While this is an improvement over the current Switch, it still falls far short of the kind of power found in the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

To make matters worse, Sharp, the manufacturer of the current Switch's display, is believed to be the Switch 2 stated that it is developing a new LCD panel for the "new console." Subsequently, VGC and informant NateTheHate reported that the rumors were spurred by the possibility that the Nintendo Switch 2 might have an LCD display to keep manufacturing costs down. That would be an unfortunate step in the wrong direction for Nintendo. After the previous Switch OLED model, the Switch 2's return to an internal display could be a deal-breaker for many players.

Equally concerning is another rumor that backward compatibility for Switch games may not be realized with Switch 2. Indeed, Nintendo has failed on this issue in the past, placing older games behind paid subscription services like Nintendo Switch Online and closing the online store front for its aging console. That doesn't make it any less discouraging, and Nintendo needs to improve its launch lineup for the next-generation Switch.