New leak suggests Nintendo is considering serious upgrade to Switch 2 soon
The siblings are fighting again, but as Sony and Microsoft duke it out to see who can become the most unpopular among the ever-angry gaming community, Nintendo is once again sitting in the corner and happily playing with its toys.
Whereas Microsoft has been rocked by yet more Xbox layoffs, and Sony has confirmed PlayStation is stopping physical discs, Nintendo looks like it's in everyone's good books as it gets ready to release the long-awaited The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Added to this, could the Red Team be about to see the dollars roll in with a rumored Switch 2 upgrade?
Even though it doesn't look like we'll be able to play GTA VI on the Switch 2 (although you never know), Nintendo is riding high on the success of the Switch 2. It wasn't exactly a surprise when the gaming giant confirmed the console's existence in January 2025.
Despite complaints about price hikes during the RAMageddon rush on AI, the Switch 2 was a record-breaking success that went on to become the fastest-selling console in history and shift over 19 million units worldwide.
Switch 2 tipped for OLED upgrade
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There's still some way to go if the Switch 2 is going to get anywhere near the PS2's 160 million units as the best-selling console of all time, but as the OG Switch sits in second place, it doesn't feel impossible.
According to the Korean website ZDNET Korea (via Nintendo Everything), the Switch 2's sales could boom with a little help from an OLED upgrade. Although unconfirmed, the outlet suggests that production of a Switch 2 OLED wouldn't start before the end of 2027, pencilling in a potential 2028 release.
A mythical Switch 2 OLED launch three years after the base model's release would jump ahead of the first Switch getting its own OLED variant four and a half years after the OG.
ZDNET Korea added: "There is a possibility that Samsung Display will supply the OLED, just as it did for the Switch 1. The extent of the price increase resulting from the adoption of OLED is a variable."
Citing unnamed sources, ZDNET says, "Nintendo is considering releasing a Switch 2 OLED with the resolution upgraded from HD (1280x720) of the Switch 1 OLED model to FHD (1920x1080)," and with the Switch 2's native resolution already being 1080p in handheld, that makes perfect sense.
Why didn't the Switch 2 launch as OLED?
OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) screens are seen as far superior because they offer improved picture quality and efficiency when compared to standard LCD screens. This is due to pixels generating their own light.
Due to this, there were complaints that the Switch 2 didn't launch with an OLED screen, even though it's billed as a next-gen system. With Nintendo managing to launch the Switch 2 at a reasonable $449.99 price tag, that would've skyrocketed due to the soaring manufacturing costs and part requirements.
Ongoing supply chain issues and costs have already pushed the Switch 2 to cost $499.99, with insiders claiming that it'll evaluate the current state of the market before committing to releasing an OLED version.
Just like we saw Nintendo stagger the release of the Switch Lite (September 2019) and OLED (October 2021), these little refreshes are a clever way to extend a console's lifecycle.
With richer colors and improved visual fidelity, a Switch OLED could be well-timed for everyone's hopes that a 3D Mario Odyssey sequel is already being worked on.