Rumors of a Nintendo Switch 2 have been heating up over the past few days. Everything from rendered images of the final console to third-party cases have appeared online, and now one of the biggest Switch 2 leaks to date has arrived from a user claiming to have seen the (unannounced) console.

Over the weekend, a user named “NextHandheld” took to the “NintendoSwitch2” Reddit to note that they recently “got their hands on the final release of the Switch 2 and its dock.” The user provided evidence of this to the subreddit's moderation team, but refused to share this evidence publicly. So, while this flood of new information is certainly exciting, we urge you to take all of the following with a grain of salt. None of this is yet confirmed.

Reddit users claim that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be announced next January. They also say that it will be called Switch 2, and while this may seem like a certainty, it is worth noting that so far Nintendo has only referred to the console as “the successor to the Nintendo Switch”. According to unverified leakers, the logo will include a large “2,” which seems to be part of an effort to differentiate it from the current Switch and avoid a Wii/Wii U-like situation.

As for features, “NextHandheld” has stated that the Switch 2 will replace the current Switch's sliding rail system with a magnetically attached Joy-Con, and that the Switch 2's physical game cartridges will look identical to those currently used on the original console We reiterate existing rumors that the Switch 2 will have the same physical game cartridges as those currently used in the original console. Since we know that the Switch 2 will be backward compatible in some form, this is consistent with one of the few actual details we have.

Other details in this report include that the Switch 2 will have an LCD screen (sorry Nintendo Switch OLED users, you'll have to downgrade), sticks, buttons, and triggers are larger than those on the current Switch This includes. In addition, the included dock has all the ports on the OLED model and a new curved design that allows the majority of the Switch 2's screen to be seen when docked.

Finally, and perhaps most excitingly in my opinion, “NextHandHeld” reports that the Switch 2 will likely launch alongside Mario Kart 9, and there may even be a special edition of the console themed around this game. Considering that a new Mario Kart game has not been released since May 2014, the next installment is long overdue, and the Switch 2 launch lineup would be a natural home for the long-awaited kart racer.

All of this rumored information is quite intriguing, and much of it is consistent with previous online whispers, but as mentioned, none of it should be considered confirmed. As of now, there is very little official information regarding the Nintendo Switch 2. We do know that Nintendo has promised to announce the console by the end of March 2025, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that it will be announced in January, but don't bet on it.

With so many Nintendo Switch 2 rumors floating around the internet, we're cutting through the noise with a dedicated Switch 2 hub to address what we know are the biggest claims. Hopefully, we are ready to put the rumors to rest and a full announcement is imminent.