Despite rumors about almost everything related to its next-gen console, Nintendo has kept mum about the Switch 2. Either the Japanese titan is confident that the leaks reveal what’s in store, or the leaks reveal the opposite of what they plan to release.

Aside from having some spicy information from Genki during CES 2025, Nintendo fans are still on the edge of their seats as they wait for Nintendo to release the Switch in Q1 2025, during one of many months mentioned in the rumors and leaks. Understandably, many are excited but are not asking the right questions.

Will Nintendo release it this Q1, or will we just receive a nice, exciting trailer with Sabrina Carpenter before March 2025 ends? We’ll have to back these rumors up with available facts to answer that question.

When Will Switch 2 Release?

The Original Switch’s Release Date

The OG Switch was released last March 2017 but was announced in October 2016. Considering how Nintendo announced the console that eventually saved them from years of declining revenue, it would make sense to give time for a full-on marketing campaign right after the Switch 2 is announced.

A sudden release date without prior announcements may affect consumers' responses. While many Nintendo enthusiasts will swiftly purchase the console as soon as it is released, others recently purchased a Nintendo Switch over the holidays and can’t or will not buy another until after a few months.

Five months after its announcement, the Switch became available to the public. The same could happen to the Switch 2. According to Nintendo, the successor to the Switch will be announced within the fiscal year, around March 2025.

If Nintendo follows the same pattern, the console might be on many store shelves this August.

Pokemon Is The Biggest Franchise In The World

With a total revenue of almost $100 billion, Pokemon is the largest franchise the world has ever seen. From snacks and merchandise to video games, Pokemon has one of the most widely-recognized characters, and it would be a shame if Nintendo launched the Switch 2 without any Pokemon games.

Unless they release the console in August, which is coincidentally the rumored release date of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

After much critical reception for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet not being optimized and full of bugs, you’d expect that Nintendo has learned from their mistakes. After all, they made the original Switch after experiencing their Wii U mistakes and realizing it is best to capitalize on their intellectual properties. Nintendo will make bigger and better Pokemon games this time, that’s for sure.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus revolutionized modern Pokemon games, using several open-world world areas and allowing players to quickly capture Pokemon by throwing balls at them. Skip the fight and get your Pokemon, which is one of the best things Pokemon Legends: Arceus did for the franchise.

Now that another spin-off is being developed under the Pokemon Legends series, fans can expect to play next-gen Pokemon on Nintendo’s next-gen console.

Nintendo Consoles Are The Best Christmas Gifts

Nintendo handhelds have always been the holiday highlights for many fans, kids and adults alike. We’re just halfway through January, and many Nintendo fans have finally gotten their hands on the Switch OLED for the first time since its release.

In that case, many of them are still in the honeymoon stages of their shiny new handheld, so another imminent purchase of the Switch 2 is out of the question.

If Nintendo plans to finally push the Switch past the PlayStation 2 as the best-selling console of all time, they will have to give a bit more time for the OG Switch to reflect that number. Besides, August 2025 is the perfect time for many parents and fans to plan for the holidays ahead, and it would be perfect to have the Switch 2 as one of the available holiday gifts.

This will also avoid the mistake they made with the Wii and Wii U. As we all know, the Wii U is not a complementary device for the Wii; it is a different console. Having the Switch 2 release very close to the recent Christmas might put off less informed customers who just had the Switch over the holidays.

An announcement in March and an official release in August could also allow for a more robust marketing period where Nintendo will inform many customers that the Switch 2 isn't Wii U 2.0.

Many leaks and rumors also speculate that Nintendo might rush to gain revenue as soon as possible. While this can't be easily dismissed, Mr. Furukawa's comment that they will announce more details about the Switch 2 within the 2024 fiscal year indicates that Nintendo has already forecasted its financials as it prepares for the upcoming Switch 2.

Nintendo knows the console will bring a lot of money, and they are in no hurry to get it as long as they know it will be a groundbreaking development for the video game industry.

While Nintendo has yet to announce anything about the Switch 2, a conservative August release is more realistic based on the facts above than many have been talking about the March release. This is also speculation, but laying down some facts from Nintendo's statements will help fans set their expectations.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will come eventually, that's for sure. 2025 is going to be a better year for many gamers.

Whether you feel that the initial March release is what will happen or you think that an August launch makes more sense, be sure to stay updated with the latest gaming news and stories by following Gfinity Esports.