As Nintendo is getting ready to officially reveal more details about its upcoming console, the Switch 2, more rumours surrounding the console have been popping up. The Famiboards forums recently saw a post by user LiC indicating that Nintendo also has a pro controller for the Switch 2 in the works.
A patent application spotted by LiC gives us more details on what seems to be a pro controller. Sporting the label BEE-008, the device seemingly has support for Bluetooth and NFC, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. This would indicate that the version of Bluetooth being used by the controller will be at least 5.2 in order to support LE Audio.
The presence of the headphone jack would lend further credence to previous rumours indicating that Nintendo would be baking online voice chat directly into the Switch 2’s operating system, rather than relying on a smartphone app for voice chat as the company currently does for the original Switch.
Rumours about the voice chat on the Switch 2 came about thanks to a patent application spotted back in March. Part of the patent also indicated support for proximity-based voice chat. This would essentially mean that, in multiplayer, players that are closer would sound louder and clearer than those further away in the game’s world.
While Nintendo will be giving us more details on the Switch 2 during a dedicated Direct slated for tomorrow, there have also been rumours about the company’s plans for video game releases. One rumour from March indicated that Nintendo has a three-phase plan for games on the Switch 2.
Where the original Switch saw a mix of third-party and first-party releases during launch, with the Switch 2, Nintendo reportedly wants to first focus on first-party releases during the launch window. A second and third phase, set for later in the year, will likely involve more third party releases.
Lending more credence to this release plan, according to WCCFTech, developers part of studios under the Embracer Group have also not yet gotten their hands on a development kit for the Switch 2.
As for when the console itself will launch, a more recent rumour indicates that the Switch 2 will start becoming available for pre-order starting on April 9. This comes from internal documents and emails from a US retailer.
When it comes to how much the Switch 2 will cost, analysts believes that Nintendo doesn’t want to alienate the fans it got from the original Switch. To hang on to the audience, SuperData Research co-founder Joost van Dreunen said that Nintendo will likely price the Switch 2 at $399. According to van Dreunen, this price point would allow Nintendo to also compete with handheld gaming systems like the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally.
van Dreunen also believes that the decision to include backwards compatibility in the Switch 2 with games for the original Switch came about because Nintendo wanted to focus on platform longevity.
“For Nintendo, the Switch’s eight-year tenure aligns with industry-wide trends toward digital monetization reducing dependency on hardware refresh cycles,” notes van Dreunen. “Nintendo’s strategic focus on backward compatibility for Switch 2 suggests the company views platform longevity as core to maintaining its efficient capital deployment model. Rather than cyclical hardware releases driving growth, the emphasis has shifted to maximizing software revenue and digital engagement across extended platform lifecycles.”
As we get closer to the official Switch 2 Direct, check out our thoughts on what would be the right pricing for the console.
