The Nintendo Switch 2, as described by Dbrand

Nintendo is inching ever nearer to its promised deadline to disclose the Switch’s successor earlier than April 2025. But new leaks from case producers seem to disclose precisely what the Nintendo’s subsequent console may seem like, and some notable upgrades it may need over the unique Switch.

We had been impressed to jot down this text within the first place due to Dbrand’s just-announced “Killswitch 2” case. The web site for the product options an in-motion render of the case and, inside, a mockup of {hardware} that has some key variations from the Switch and Switch OLED: the brand new console seems to be bigger, and it has a mysterious new second button on the correct Joy-Con beneath the Home button. Accessory leaks over the previous a number of days have proven an analogous potential design for the {hardware}.

It appears Dbrand is fairly assured in its case, however we requested CEO Adam Ijaz to make certain. He says Dbrand has “precise dimensions” — not an informed guess — based mostly on a “3D scan of the true {hardware}.” (When we requested how he is aware of that, Ijaz solely stated “Nice strive, Nintendo.”)

Based on Dbrand’s measurements, the following Switch (which we’ll name the Switch 2) will each be bigger and taller than Nintendo’s Switch OLED, however roughly the identical thickness. Nintendo’s spec sheet reveals its earlier handheld is 242mm extensive, 102mm tall and 13.9mm thick, the place Ijaz says the Switch 2 ought to measure 270mm extensive, 116mm tall, and 14mm thick, with the console portion taking on 200mm price of that width.

Ijaz additionally says the kickstand will nonetheless measure round half the console’s peak at round 55mm; a diagonal measurement of the quilt glass helps earlier rumors that it’ll have an 8-inch display screen.

Ijaz says it’s his “understanding” that Joy-Cons are “magnetically hooked up” with an “an ejection button” that’s on the again of the Joy-Cons close to the highest, and his new case takes benefit of the removable controllers — he says the controller parts of Dbrand’s case can detach with them inside.

He doesn’t know what the second sq. button is beneath the Home button, which he says has a “C” printed on it. The left Joy-Con in Dbrand’s mockup nonetheless has a button on the left Joy-Con, which is the place you’ll discover the seize button on the unique Switch, so it’s unclear if this “C” button now means seize or if each buttons work otherwise. (Nintendo initially launched C-buttons on the Nintendo 64 controller in 1996 as a method to management a sport’s digicam, earlier than gamepads launched a second stick with allow you to shift perspective.)

Ijaz says the joysticks stand 6.27mm tall, and the D-pad and ABXY buttons protrude by 1.57mm, with a 180mm extensive kickstand, and again triggers that stretch 14.1mm.

While Dbrand does appear to know loads concerning the console, Ijaz is “genuinely uncertain” about its potential launch date. He says that Dbrand is working towards a late March or early April launch for its case, although. Ijaz additionally doesn’t learn about Nintendo’s doable TV dock for the Switch 2, however says that Dbrand’s assumption is that “the shape issue might be just like the earlier gen.” He doesn’t know if the display screen might be LCD or OLED.

While it’s extremely uncommon for an adjunct maker to publicly reveal this a lot a couple of product from a strong, litigious firm like Nintendo, it’s not shocking that Dbrand’s the one stepping as much as the plate. Having beef with console makers is an intentional (and sometimes enjoyable!) a part of its advertising and marketing technique, and Nintendo is a frequent goal — like that Zelda pores and skin that was a center finger to Nintendo’s attorneys, or the “(not) Animal Crossing” one.

Much of what Dbrand is exhibiting and what Ijaz is saying traces up with a video from SwitchUp exhibiting what it calls a Switch 2 mockup despatched to them by a case producer. That mockup is clearly bigger than in the present day’s present Switch OLED, and the brand new Joy-Cons are clearly larger than the outdated Joy-Cons. You also can see the second sq. button beneath the house button there, the bigger button beneath the triggers that presumably ejects them from the console, and a large kickstand just like the one on the Switch OLED.

One different good addition? A second USB-C port on the highest of the mockup, which theoretically means you’ll be capable to plug in a charging cable whilst you’re utilizing it in tabletop mode; with the present Switch, the charging port on the underside is blocked if you’re standing it up on a desk.

While we’re nonetheless ready for Nintendo to really announce concrete particulars concerning the Switch 2, the corporate has shared that the console will be capable to play present Switch video games and it’ll have Nintendo Switch Online as properly.