Nintendo isn't officially at CES, but it might have stolen the show: Accessories maker Genki has brought a 3D-printed mockup of Nintendo's Switch successor, and we got to grab it and some high- Resolution photos must be taken.
Based on mockups of what we'll call the Switch 2, Nintendo's next console appears to be wider than the original, with slightly larger Joy-Con controllers that seem like they'll be more comfortable to hold. Compared to the Steam Deck OLED, the Switch 2 mockup still feels quite small, partly because the Joy-Cons aren't as clear and ergonomic as the deck's grips. But the mockup still seems closer to the size of Valve's handheld than the original Switch.
As previous rumors have indicated, the Switch 2's Joy-Cons will attach to the console via magnets rather than a sliding rail, Genki co-founder and CEO Eddie Tsai revealed. The VergeTo detach the Joy-Con from the Switch 2, you press a big button at the top of the back of each controller, Tsai says, and that button apparently pushes out a pin that nudges against the console's chassis. Yes, disconnects the magnet.
According to Tsai, you can remove the Joy-Cons with great force if you really want to, but he says, overall, they feel safe for regular use and the large release button easily removes the Joy-Cons. Separates. Tsai declined to share where he got the details of the new console.
Tsai also says The Verge There is an optical sensor located within the mounting channel of the Joy-Cons, and using another attachment the new Joy-Cons can provide mouse-like functionality. This sounds a bit like what Lenovo does With your Legion Go handheld,
Nintendo promises it will announce a successor to the Switch before April 2025And as that deadline approaches, there have been waves of leaks and rumors about the new hardware. Posted by YouTube channel SwitchUp in December a video Showing a 3D-printed, non-functional Switch 2 mockup provided by a Chinese case manufacturer. That mockup basically looked like the current Switch but larger, and it revealed some other potential changes like a new USB-C port on the top of the device and a mysterious new square button below the home button on the right Joy-Con .
A few days later, accessories maker Dbrand announced its “Killswitch 2” case, and CEO Adam Ijaz told The Verge It was designed based on “3D scans of actual hardware” based on “actual dimensions”. Ijaz also said that it was his “understanding” that the console's Joy-Cons are magnetically attached. And Dbrand's imagery revealed that the new square button had a “C” printed on it, although Ijaz didn't know what it was. A few days after that, our colleague Sean Hollister spoke to a Redditor who shared the explicit photos switch 2 dock And what appears to be inside is a Switch 2 Joy-Con.
With the April 2025 deadline getting closer every day, it seems like it won't be long before Nintendo officially reveals the Switch 2. But until that happens, at least we have these pictures to look at.
Photography Antonio G. By Di Benedetto/The Verge