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Anyone hoping for a secret reveal of Nintendo’s Switch successor just before the holidays, or even at The Game Awards was out of luck. Ninty has been pretty tight-lipped on the upcoming console, besides the initial acknowledgment of its existence back in May earlier this year, and the later confirmation that it will at least be backward compatible earlier last month.
While Nintendo is keeping everyone, myself included, in the dark over the Nintendo Switch 2, brands like Dbrand have been picking up the slack. On December 13, the well-known accessories brand launched a page on its website revealing a full 3D render of its ‘Switch 2 Killswitch’ case.
Even though we’ve had no official confirmation of how the Switch 2 will look from Nintendo, Dbrand has put its alleged appearance front and center, showing off its additional button and slightly larger frame to the current OLED model. The case, which is part of their existing Killswitch lineup, doesn’t shy away from the fact that the proposed Switch 2 looks almost identical to what we’re used to - with the centered display and Joy-Cons at either side.
The extra button has been seen previously in past leaks, like those from another accessories brand, Satisfye. Satisfye shared a teaser to social media about their own Switch 2 case, which was swiftly deleted afterward but not before some eagle-eyed fans took some screenshots. There, a blurry representation of the upcoming console can be seen displaying an additional button next to the ‘Home’ location on the current model. Unlike Dbrand, the details of Satisfye’s case were likely shared prematurely, with no official remnants available online to be seen.
Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz, however, has been pretty forthcoming over their Switch 2 accessory. Ijaz spoke to The Verge to confirm that the Switch 2 should be “270mm wide, 116mm tall, and 14mm thick.” The CEO stated that Dbrand has “actual dimensions” at its disposal, which are based on a 3D scan of the device. Ijax also shared that to this “understanding,” the new Joy-Con controllers also connect magnetically and detach from the handheld from an eject button at the back.
Come on Nintendo, just let me buy the Switch 2 already
Any Switch 2 news that doesn’t come from Nintendo directly should still be taken with a bit of Mario-sized grain of salt. While I own a fair few Dbrand products and can vouch for their quality (especially where the Steam Deck Killswitch case is concerned) that doesn’t mean the 3D scan they’re working from is the real deal. Additionally, Dbrand is a third-party accessory brand, and its products aren’t made alongside the gadgets it produces cases and decals for.
Regardless, seeing the reveal of this case stumble into my work inbox last Friday evening just reminded me of how much I wish Nintendo would get the official Switch 2 announcement over and done with. As of now, we’re approaching the current Switch’s eighth birthday, and as much as I adore the handheld, it’s definitely showing its age.
Just recently I completed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and while I had the exact charming Zelda experience I expected, my playthrough was a target for slowdown and frame rate issues - a reminder of how much I wish we had new hardware to take advantage of. Don't get me wrong, never in my 30+ years of being a Nintendo fan have I expected their hardware to offer up the best performance available. It's more the unique control schemes, new features, and actually interesting hardware decisions that I'm excited for, and at this point I just want to know what I'm in for. We've had years of speculation, rumors, and leaks - I'm tired, and the Switch is getting colder.
Whenever I'm in the mood for some portable gaming, it's become increasingly hard to argue for picking up Ninty's system when my PS Portal and Steam Deck are sitting right there. Both handheld devices can offer up performance miles ahead of the Switch, and even have more to offer if you're knowledgeable about sideloading and emulation.
While I'm not expecting the Switch 2 to roll out the full patch tracing visuals and give even the PS5 a run for its money, I just want to know what is coming. The mysterious Nintendo Switch Playtest has me more intrigued than ever to see what the Switch 2 will bring, besides its new game launches, and I just wish Ninty could tell me more.
Hopefully, I might not have to wait much longer for more news. Drand’s Adam Ijac told The Verge that they are working towards a “late March or early April release” for the Killswitch case. That timeframe does line up fairly well with the official statement from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa to expect an unveiling before April 2025. With the New Year closer than ever, that’s only over a four-month wait until we might finally see what Nintendo has been cooking up.
If you’re quite happy still picking up new peripherals for your current handheld, our best Nintendo accessories and best Nintendo controller guides are full of our recommendations. If you already have plenty of Switch controllers, microSD cards, and other accessories, our best Nintendo Switch headset guide is full of our top picks to give you the best audio experience on the Ninty machine as possible.
