This year may herald the final year of Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals as we know them. With Switch 2 heavily rumored for 2024, but still no official confirmation, and many players gearing up for the start of a new generation next year it can be difficult to work out whether you should you a Nintendo Switch this Black Friday.
The Nintendo Switch became the third best selling console of all time at the start of the year (according to numbers in Nintendo's financial results), and has a massive catalog of first and third party titles to explore and enjoy. It's still one of the most popular items on the shelves, and continues to hold its MSRP in the US and its slightly reduced RRP in the UK. It's certainly a tempting buy, but if you're concerned about spending $300 on a new device now, with the potential for a successor to come along this time next year, this year's offers get a bit thorny.
That's why we're working out exactly whether you should buy a Nintendo Switch over Black Friday or not. It's important to note that everything we've heard about the rumored 2024 Switch 2 is just that - a rumor - so it's well worth staying grounded in fact when considering your purchase.
Is a new Nintendo Switch coming in 2024?
Before weighing up our options, we need to work out how likely it is that a new Nintendo Switch is indeed coming next year. Back in May, Nintendo announced that it didn't have any plans to release new hardware in the 12 months of its current financial year in its annual report (according to Bloomberg). Once we get to March 2024, though, it's a guessing game. There have been multiple reports and leaks from insiders, suggesting a launch at the start or end of the year. In the swirling world of online rumors, then, it's not so much a question of whether the Switch 2 will launch in 2024, but when.
What do we know about Nintendo Switch 2?
If you're considering holding out for that mysterious launch window, you'll want to know exactly what you're waiting for. Unfortunately, that's not possible at this time. We know nothing about the next Ninty console for sure, but you can bet the rumors are floating around. There are a few easy assumptions to make. We would expect the system to run on Nvidia tech again, and with the increase in battery life with each new Switch iteration we would expect a boosted charge under the hood as well.
Beyond that we're at the mercy of leaks and rumors. The display is one point of contention on the web right now. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Sharp (the company that currently produces displays for the Switch) is currently working on LCD panels for a new console. That's LCD, not OLED like the latest console. Such a rumor was compounded in August, when VGC sourced insider leaks telling of a cost-saving LCD display on the new device. Of course, nothing is set in stone - and these are simply rumors. If true, the OLED device is going to have a leg up for handheld play over its successor - but that's a very big if at this point in time.
September then brought us Gamescom, and according to VGC, Nintendo showcased the tech it's using in the new generation console for a secret room of trusted developers. The reports told of Unreal Engine 5 tech demos, with Nvidia DLSS upscaling and ray tracing - serious boosts in performance over the current device. Will all that graphics power be slapped on a 4K screen? Or at least upscaled to 4K when docked? Despite leaks and rumors flying through the web - at this point, we just don't know.
One of the biggest things to consider when working out if you should buy a Nintendo Switch over Black Friday, though, is going to be backwards compatibility. Various sources have generally pointed to the Switch 2 being backwards compatible, though there are still leaks out there that suggest otherwise. Like with most things Switch 2, it's just too early to tell.
Should you buy a Nintendo Switch on Black Friday?
With all that in mind, it's difficult to work out whether you should buy a Nintendo Switch on Black Friday or not. We'd like to simplify it, though. If you want to play Ninty's catalog of games and you don't want to potentially wait another year to do so, you might as well pick up a console in November. There are just too many unknowns about the new generation device to safely make a bet with $300, especially when it comes to backwards compatibility. We'll stress that they're just rumors, but if true the lack of OLED display and the possible price increase inline with other companies like Sony and Microsoft could put you in good stead with a current console in hand.
However, if you want that $300 to work as hard as it possibly can for you - and you can wait another potential 12 months. It's worth holding off. It's likely that there is a Nintendo Switch 2 coming in 2024 and the overall package is likely to be more powerful than the current generation console. Backwards compatibility is a concern if you want to get your hands on the current library, but if the new device turns out to only support its own games we could see current generation consoles available for less in a year's time as well.
Black Friday gaming deals are truly going to ramp up in November thanks to Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox Series X deals filling the shelves with accessories and games. However, we're also looking to Black Friday gaming laptop deals and Black Friday iPad deals for even more portable play.
