Nintendo has been remarkably secretive about the upcoming successor to Nintendo Switchalthough it has been confirmed to be released in the relatively near future. Other confirmed details include the Switch 2's backwards compatibility, and that it will retain the hybrid design of its predecessor.
Although often referred to as the Switch 2, the official name of Nintendo's next console has yet to be revealed.
At the time of writing, the gaming community is in the midst of another wave of Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, with many believing the console is entering its mass production phase. It's usually the case, especially in recent years thanks to supply shortages, that tech companies will try to stock up on excess hardware ahead of a product's official release. This is usually done in order to avoid the problem of insufficient inventory for demand, and with how successful the Switch has been, it's safe to say that there will be plenty of demand for its successor. These contextual elements are important in understanding why recent information has been interpreted as it has.
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Why people think the Nintendo Switch 2 is increasing production
Nintendo Switch 2 Famiboards leak
Famiboards is an online forum that has long hosted various Nintendo hardware leaks, even before the age of the Switch. Recently, a user on the site who went by LiC's handle received shipping data from a Vietnamese manufacturer known to produce hardware for Nintendo. According to the shipping information, NVIDIA shipped over 800,000 units of the T239 chipset to this manufacturer in September 2024. Additionally, LiC's information highlights over 800,000 RAM modules and just under 300,000 Universal Flash Storage (UFS) components, which could also theoretically used in the production of Switch 2.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Nintendo's next console will be powered by NVIDIA's T-chips, so this mass shipment of T239 chipsets to a Nintendo-affiliated manufacturer is certainly ripe for a specific interpretation. Of course, neither NVIDIA nor this Vietnamese manufacturer is exclusively tied to Nintendo – these components could possibly be for other technologies, from other companies. But the sheer scale of these shipments, along with the absence of an alternative explanation, makes it certainly seem plausible that these components are for Switch 2 production.
Is Nintendo Really Ramping Up Switch 2 Production?
It's always important to avoid jumping to conclusions when it comes to rumors and leaks, as even seemingly reputable sources, or those with strong credentials, can get things wrong. In a situation like this, where rumors are based on a range of assumptions and unconfirmed information, communities should be doubly cautious and hesitant to speak too confidently. With all that said, there's reason to believe that Nintendo is actually starting mass production of the Switch 2.
While starting mass production before officially revealing a console may seem like putting the cart before the horse, it makes sense in light of the supply shortages that have plagued the gaming industry this decade. It may be easy to forget now, but the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles were notoriously difficult to find for months after their initial launch, not only due to controversial practices such as scalping, but also due to severe component shortages, which caused demand went faster than the supply. Nintendo no doubt wants to avoid this type of situation when the Switch 2 becomes available and the hype is at its most rabid.
It's worth noting that a previous leak from Famicom suggested just the opposite: that the Switch 2's release window could be pushed back. This new information could supersede this earlier leak, but if nothing else, the contradiction serves as a reminder of how fickle this type of information can be.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, which can be played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld model, followed in 2019, with an OLED update coming in 2021.
