The latest round of Nintendo Switch 2 rumors suggests that the upcoming console, whose name has yet to be revealed, could have entered mass production.
That's according to MST Financial senior analyst David Gibson, who took to X/Twitter to post something interesting about Nintendo's lead assembler, Hosiden.
“No one seems to have noticed Nintendo's assembler: Hosiden is spending ¥2 billion on production equipment and ¥1 billion on automation in fiscal 2025 for its largest customer in the entertainment sector (Nintendo),” Gibson writes. He adds that he expects “news in September and a launch in March 2025 for [the] “next device.”
The chart included in the post shows an increase in spending on automation, as well as the addition of spending on production equipment and a new factory based in Vietnam. If anything, it shows that some form of hardware manufacturing could be underway at the Osaka-based assembler.
It seems no one has noticed that Nintendo assembler Hosiden is spending ¥2 billion on production equipment and ¥1 billion on automation in fiscal 2025 for its biggest customer in the entertainment sector (Nintendo). Still waiting for news in September and the release of the next device in March 2025. pic.twitter.com/APGEGGSyS8September 4, 2024
In related news spotted by VGC, industry leaker Nate the Hate took to the comments section of a post on the r/GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit about Hosiden's spending increase. Nate simply comments that the Nintendo Switch 2 “has backwards compatibility.”
This isn't the first time we've heard about the possibility of backwards compatibility on Nintendo's next console. Last year, a Nintendo executive hinted at backwards compatibility for the Nintendo Switch 2 during an annual Q&A session for shareholders.
At the time, they said, “With Nintendo Switch, we can connect directly with multiple customers via Nintendo Accounts.
“As we transition from Nintendo Switch to the next-generation console, we will do everything we can to make the transition seamless for our customers.”
While backwards compatibility isn't directly confirmed for the Nintendo Switch 2, the notion of a smoother transition (at least compared to people making the jump from the disc-based Wii U to the cartridge-compatible Switch) could indicate that things like Nintendo Switch games and Nintendo Switch Online accounts could carry over to the new console.
Additionally, Nintendo has traditionally aired a Nintendo Direct presentation in September of each year. If that precedent holds this year, we could finally see an official Nintendo Switch 2 announcement this month.
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