Nintendo’s Next Console Could Reportedly Launch in 2024

Nintendo may be preparing to release a successor to the Nintendo Switch in the second half of 2024. According to a new report from VGC, Nintendo has already supplied development kits for its upcoming console to key partner studios, though details about the console’s hardware are still scarce.

The Nintendo Switch was released in March 2017, and despite the release of Lite and OLED models in recent years, the console’s internals have remained the same. The Switch uses the same ARM-based Nvidia Tegra X1 as the original Nvidia Shield digital media player, and the console only offers up to 64GB of internal storage, which is expandable with microSD cards.

Even though the Nintendo Switch has now sold over 100 million units and continues to sell very well, the hardware is really starting to show its age. Microsoft pledged to bring Call of Duty back on Nintendo consoles after closing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but this will likely not be possible until Nintendo releases a more powerful console with more storage.

“Although specific details on the console are being kept closely guarded, those VGC spoke to indicated that the next-gen console would be able to be used in portable mode, similar to the Nintendo Switch. Two sources VGC spoke to suggested that the console could launch with an LCD screen, instead of the more premium OLED, in order to bring down costs, especially considering the increased storage needed for higher fidelity games,” the report reads.

It’s also currently unclear if Nintendo’s next-gen console will be backwards-compatible with current-gen Switch games. However, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S both allowing gamers to keep playing previous-gen games, it would be hard to imagine Nintendo not doing the same on its next-gen console.

The Nintendo Switch recently inspired the development of handheld gaming PCs such as Valve’s Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally. However, it’s not exactly easy to replicate a Switch-like device experience using more power-hungry PC components, so it will be interesting to see what Nintendo’s next-gen hardware brings to the table. One of the Switch’s killer features is also the detachable JoyCon controllers, and it’s probably in Nintendo’s best interest to keep capitalizing on this technology on its future console.