Nintendo Switch 2 might be stuck in the past if the latest leak is true
Nintendo's next console might lack a key feature fans want
Updated: We finally know the Nintendo Switch 2 price and Nintendo Switch 2 release date, it will release on June 5 for $449.
😬 Nintendo Switch 2 might not output at 4K based on the latest leak
🤔 A new report says that dev kits lack 4K output, raising concerns about the console's future-readiness
🤨 Dev kits typically have higher specs, so the absence of 4K output is puzzling for game development
🤷♂️ However, the leak contradicts earlier reports about a staggered dev kit release timeline
We should learn all the juicy details about Nintendo's next console tomorrow during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.
However, the latest Nintendo Switch 2 leak may worry fans. It's been reported that the Switch 2 might be capable of outputting at 4K when in docked mode – which seems unthinkable for a console released in 2025.
Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson says some developers say Switch 2 dev kits don't have a 4K output.
“I heard this from one developer at GDC and also heard it separately in an email but the dev kits, or some of the dev kits, don’t have a 4K output,” Henderson said on the latest episode of Insider Gaming Weekly.
The report says that the lack of 4K output on the Switch 2 dev kit doesn't necessarily mean Nintendo's next console won't render games at that resolution. But the reasoning Insider Gaming provides doesn't really make sense.
Dev kits are usually equipped with more memory and powerful specs to help with development. For a developer to create a game running at 4K, the dev kit needs to be capable of displaying that resolution – otherwise it'd be like working in the dark.
The new Nintendo Switch 2 leak also goes against Insider Gaming's prior report that the Switch 2 launch would be staggered. The report said third-party developers wouldn't have access to dev kits until June, but now it sounds like that isn't the case and that only indie studios are still waiting for development kits.
It seems unthinkable that the Nintendo Switch 2 wouldn’t be able to output at 4K resolution when connected to a TV in 2025. The Switch can output at 1080p, and a bump to a 4K resolution would be significant.
Sony and Microsoft introduced consoles that could output at 4K with the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X in 2016 and 2017. The PS5 Pro is also capable of running some games at 8K resolution.
If the Nintendo Switch 2 is only capable of hitting 1080p, it could make the console feel already dated, and won’t do the new system any favors when it comes to Nintendo Switch 2 vs Nintendo Switch comparisons.
The good news is that the months of speculation and rumors are almost at an end, as Nintendo will reveal all during tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct presentation. We’re expecting to hear the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date as well as the Nintendo Switch 2 price and release date. You can follow along with all the announcements on our Nintendo Switch 2 Direct live blog.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
