Compelling Nintendo Switch 2 release date clues come courtesy of a noted leaker, Shuntaro Furukawa, and Nintendo itself

Three separate and recent events have lent some weight to the idea that the Nintendo Switch 2 could be released in mid-2024. While there have been some quite wild claims that the next-generation console was shown off to some lucky executives from Xbox at the Tokyo Game Show, more grounded leaks have started tapering off lately since the Gamescom rush. But thanks to Tom Henderson, Shuntaro Furukawa, and Nintendo itself, there appear to be some new strong hints at the Switch 2 release date surfacing.

Starting off with Henderson, a few days ago the leaker, who has built up a positive reputation mostly in regard to PlayStation 5 leaks, made something of a cryptic comment on X. He said:

Really excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 and its tech. We'll see "Launching on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC" a heck of a lot in 12-18 months.

This doesn’t seem to mean the Switch 2 will launch in 12-18 months (Oct 2024 – March 2025), it implies that the console would have already been available for some months beforehand as studios start including the device in their third-party game development. So, this could hint at a Nintendo Switch 2 release date falling around mid-2024 (after April and before October?). This timeline ties in neatly with comments made by Shuntaro Furukawa in a recent interview with Nikkei, with the Big N’s boss stating this about the Switch successor:

I can't talk about the specific subject. We are constantly researching and developing hardware, but for the fiscal year ending March 2024, our focus is on expanding the Nintendo Switch business. The biggest hurdle in any era, not just limited to the "Next Console," is whether we can deliver something customers really want. (Machine translated from Japanese.)

After March 2024, Nintendo would be able to put the majority of its focus on a new console. The company has just announced that online services for 3DS and Wii U software will be ending, with early April 2024 being the fated date for those who still play 3DS and Wii U games online (Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter will still be available as will StreetPass which uses local communication for connectivity). This plan would have been in place for years and is simply procedural, but it would also give Nintendo plenty of server room in mid-2024 for supporting a new console, like the Switch 2.

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