Accessory Maker Claims Nintendo Switch 2 Photo Leak Is Real

Summary

Two real-life photos and ten CAD renders said to be depicting the Nintendo Switch 2 emerged online on September 18.
An official of gaming accessory maker GeekShare subsequently said that the leak is most likely real, citing sources familiar with Nintendo's plans.
Even if the leak is legitimate, it is only believed to depict an older Switch 2 prototype carrying the X6 designation. The latest suspected variant of the device is rumored to be designated as the X8.

The newly surfaced Nintendo Switch 2 leak is likely real, according to a representative of a well-known gaming accessory manufacturer. The claim indirectly implies that the official announcement of Nintendo's next console could be imminent.

The first alleged images of the Switch 2 surfaced online on September 18, originating from China. The leaked batch included two real-life photos, with one of them showing the console-facing side of the new Joy-Cons. The other depicted what's said to be the unannounced device's printed circuit board (PCB) sitting inside its frame, as well as its Joy-Con shells. The leak also included ten CAD renders depicting the device from numerous angles.

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By Dominik Bošnjak

Nintendo Switch 2 Leak Is Likely Real, GeekShare Official Says

While the jury is still out on the images' legitimacy, the leak has now been given some additional credence by a manager at gaming accessory maker GeekShare known as Hotneca. Taking to Chinese social media platform Weibo on September 18, Hotneca said that both the photos and renders are consistent with what they expect the device to look like, citing sources familiar with Nintendo's Switch 2 plans. They have hence concluded that the leak is most likely real. The GeekShare official did, however, note that their sources have not seen the final version of the Switch 2 yet.

Attempts to access the Weibo post now bring up a notice that says "This microblog does not exist."

Nintendo Switch 2 Leak Likely Depicted Old Console Prototype

Be that as it may, the leaked images don't seem to depict the finished product either, as suggested by the one showing its PCB with an "X6" designation. This label has already surfaced online in some shipping manifests of Nintendo's Taiwanese suppliers back in early May 2024, and is believed to be connected to an early Switch 2 prototype made circa October 2023. More recent versions of these manifests contain an "X8" designation, suggesting that the Switch 2's design has been updated in the meantime.

If the September 18 leak is indeed legitimate, then there is a plausible possibility that Nintendo will announce the Switch 2 in the days ahead, even if it originally had different plans. That is assuming that the Japanese company will want to avoid having its next big hardware announcement spoiled by any additional leaks. And if the recent rumors about the Switch 2 entering mass production in September 2024 are to be believed, more near-future leaks seem inevitable and could plausibly occur as soon as the first units appear on factory floors.

Another implication of the September 18 leak is that the upcoming device will retain the overall form factor of its predecessor. This goes against some recent rumors that the Switch 2 could feature a dual-screen design.

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