We already have a pretty good idea of the Nintendo Switch 2′s power and specs, and now we have a better idea of its appearance, too. A video of a 3D-printed dummy shows how Nintendo ballooned its handheld with a larger screen and a few extra buttons and ports.
YouTube channel SwitchUp posted a video claiming they received a 3D-printed Switch 2 dummy made to help designers create cases. If that sounds sketchy to your ears, SwitchUp said the mock-up came from case designer iVoler, which “wanted to get their name out there.” Nintendo has been able to keep a pretty tight lid on its console so far, but it would necessarily need to send out specs of its console to third-party case designers to have more accessories available at launch.
The supposed Switch 2 is a bigger device than the first Switch. That’s partially due to the new 8-inch display, though, with bezels similar to those of Nintendo’s original handheld console. The size bump may make it easier for adult-sized hands to handle. The Switch 2 also has more rounded corners but maintains the same thin frame that made the original Switch so famously light. However, there’s an additional button on the Switch 2 controller that wasn’t there on the original JoyCons. SwitchUp speculated it could be an in-game screen capture button.
There’s still a headphone jack, power and volume button, and back kickstand. What’s new is a USB-C port on the top. While the bottom still houses what appears to be a proprietary charging port to plug into an official Nintendo dock, we’d love to see if you could also charge it with any spare power brick we have lying around the house. If it accepts power and peripheral connections, it may be compatible with docks made for steam decks or other handhelds. Knowing Nintendo, that’s not a likely scenario, but it’s fun to dream.
Another interesting note about the iVoler case is that it still includes slots for carrying your Switch cartridges. Nintendo officially mentioned last month that the Switch 2 would be backward compatible to some degree. If the case is truly made for the upcoming Switch 2, it could be more confirmation Nintendo is sticking with physical media at roughly the same size. All the while, competing console makers are edging away from physical game ownership. The PlayStation 5 Pro doesn’t ship with a disc drive in the box.
Switch 2 hype is at such a fever pitch that Chinese accessory sellers are already promoting cases and glass protectors for the still-unannounced sequel Switch. There’s not much more to go off of with these doodads and screen protectors other than that Nintendo’s silence is all the more deafening.
Case and tempered glass accessories for Switch 2 appear in Alibaba pic.twitter.com/50AcXJuRJL
— Wario64 (@Wario64) December 3, 2024
We’d love to finally see it in person, but Nintendo has only acknowledged the console exists and promised to announce something by the end of its fiscal year, which ends next March. Spanish-language Nintendo-focused site Nintenduo claimed, based on anonymous developer sources, that the Switch 2 release was pushed back to June or July. While there’s nothing to verify that, the lack of official word from Nintendo is a little concerning as we head into the new year.