While Nintendo is getting ready to reveal more details about the Nintendo Switch 2, rumours have popped up that indicate that the company has already started shipping units of the console to North America. As caught by Reddit user Icy-ConcentrationC, a post on the Famiboards by user LiC indicates that almost 400,000 units of the Switch 2 have been shipped between Janaury 17 and January 22.
Totalling up to around 383,000 units, the consoles seemingly have the USZ region code, which would indicate that they will be sold in the US and Canada. Peripherals are also being shipped, according to the rumour, including a charging grip with the product code BEE-A-ESSKA. For context, the original Switch’s charging grip had the product code HAC-A-ESSKA.
“So, it finally happened. HVBG exported 383,000 units of the completed console set between January 17th and January 22nd,” wrote LiC on Famiboards. “They were all shipped to the US, and all were of the USZ (US/Canada) region code. 41,598 units of the charging grip were also shipped to the US, confirming that HGU0620 is the charging grip with a product code of BEE-A-ESSKA, which matches the Switch 1 charging grip’s HAC-A-ESSKA.”
For context, HVBG is a Vietnam-based manufacturers that is likely involved with assembling the Switch 2 out of the various parts it gets from other suppliers. These parts would include things like the display, buttons, and logic boards.
LiC further wrote about HVBG getting a host of system parts that would likely be for the new console, including SoCs. As of December, the company reportedly got 1.2 million units of SoCs and screens. January saw even more shipments, numbering at 1.7 million.
If these rumours are true, Nintendo is likely trying to avoid stock shortage for the Switch 2 as we get closer to its currently-unannounced launch date.
Nintendo officially unveiled the Switch 2 back in January with a video. Since then, the video has hit new milestones in terms of how many people saw it. At the time of writing, the Nintendo of America YouTube page’s version of the first-look trailer boasts 21 million views.
The Switch 2 reveal gave us our first look at the console’s new design, which is going for more muted aesthetics than its predecessors. For example, rather than the JoyCons sporting bold colours, the iconic red and blue are instead used for accents around the edges and the analogue sticks.
The console will also feature a larger display, as well as a new magnet-based attachment system for its JoyCon controllers. Speaking of which, the controllers also feature a mysterious new C button, the purpose of which is yet to be revealed.
The dock for the Switch 2 has also gone through a redesign, featuring rounded corners along with a more low-profile design with more of the console being visible even when the dock is being used.
More details about the Switch 2, including launch-period games, technical information, and a launch date are expected to be revealed during the Switch 2-specific Direct slated for April 2.
