Nintendo Switch 2 Report Reveals Possible Release Month

According to a new report from Japanese outlet Nikkei, Nintendo's next video game console will be released in March 2025. If accurate, that would be almost exactly 8 years after the launch of Nintendo Switch, which was released on March 3rd, 2017. For almost a year now, analysts had been predicting a late 2024 launch for the system, but recent reports had suggested the system was given a delay until early 2025. According to Nikkei, the decision to delay the system was made in order to build up more stock for the system, and prepare against the kind of resellers that plagued the PS5. 

A launch in March 2025 would make sense given comments Shuntaro Furukawa previously offered to Nikkei. Last year, the Nintendo president told the outlet that the company plans to continue supporting the current Switch with software through the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. There are still a lot of things we don't know about Nintendo's software plans for the next 12 months, but the company's recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase did start to shed some light. 

Nintendo Switch Games in 2024

So far, Nintendo has released two first-party games this year: Another Code: Recollection and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. Princess Peach: Showtime! will be released on March 22nd, while Endless Ocean: Luminous will arrive May 2nd. Beyond those four games, there's also Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, both of which are planned for release this year, but do not have specific dates attached. 

Beyond those six games, Metroid Prime 4 remains on the company's release schedule, but no window has been provided. If this truly is the last year of the Nintendo Switch, it seems likely the game will be released soon, possibly in time for the holiday season. The game would make a fitting swan song for the system, but it's also possible the game will end up getting a simultaneous release on Nintendo Switch 2, as we've previously seen with games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (which came out on GameCube and Wii) and Breath of the Wild (Wii U and Switch). 

Pokemon Games in 2024

In addition to the seven games we know about, Nintendo Switch's remaining first-party line-up should be bolstered by at least one Pokemon release. February 27th is Pokemon Day, and a Pokemon Presents livestream has been announced. Unsurprisingly, there have been a lot of rumors about what will be revealed. Rumors suggest that a remake of Pokemon Black and White is in the works, or a sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus set in the Unova region. There have also been rumors about a new game based on Pokemon Gold and Silver, which has its 25th anniversary this year. 

Are you excited to check out Nintendo's next video game system? Do you think March 2025 sounds plausible? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Reddit]