Massive Mario Kart 8 leak reveals Nintendo NX logo that predates the Switch

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It's no GameCube startup animation, that's for sure

Switch
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The internal logo for the Switch's precursor, the Nintendo NX, has been revealed for the first time. 

Translator and self-described game preservationist Paul Kelly shared a clip of the animated Nintendo NX logo on Twitter. The short animation was apparently found buried in a recently leaked Mario Kart 8 Deluxe build dated for October 18, 2016. Interestingly, the Switch was officially announced that same October, just under five months ahead of its global launch. 

It doesn't hold a candle to the GameCube startup animation (and really, what does?), but the rotary phone-like Nintendo NX animation is kind of cute in a minimalist sort of way.  

The Nintendo NX was the subject of countless rumors back in the pre-Switch days. Nintendo officially acknowledged the console's existence in March 2015, seemingly as a way to head off concerns that it would abandon traditional consoles after the colossal failure of the Wii U. The eclectic design of what would become the Nintendo Switch continued to trickle in through patents, leaks, and rumors, and most fans remained skeptical right up until the big reveal. 

Just under six years later, the Nintendo Switch has passed 114 million units sold. Nintendo says moving to its next console remains a "major concern," but the company has repeatedly stated that the Switch still has a lot of life left in it. Nintendo also isn't ruling out a potential price hike for the Switch console family, but reports indicate the price should at least hold for some time. 

If you're wondering, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe leak that unearthed this Nintendo NX logo is still being dissected by data miners, preservationists, and Nintendo sleuths, but it's already yielded some other interesting snippets. Just look at this creepy-cute Toad placeholder art. 

Nintendo doesn't even want you to have pictures of emulated Switch games, so it's probably not happy about this leak. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.