Nintendo’s next-generation console, the newly-announcedNintendo Switch 2, is apparently going to be a lot more powerful than its predecessor. Nintendo hasn’t officially confirmed or denied anything about theSwitch 2’s technical specifications, but recent leaks have suggested that the console will be quite capable for a portable device of its size. Reports allege that the Switch 2 is going to feature an eight core CPU, an Nvidia T239 Ampere chip, 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and approximately 256 GB of internal storage. Compared to the original Switch, which only has a measly 4 GB of RAM and a four-core ARM CPU, this sounds like a major improvement.
Although the Nintendo Switch is incredibly popular, it’s been difficult for developers to port their games to the system. Many major third-party titles, such as those from EA, Activision, and Ubisoft, have regularly skipped the console because it is too underpowered. Sincethe Switch 2 seems to rectify the Switch’s biggest flaw, though, many industry pundits believe that it will receive far better support from external developers, including ones that were previously unable to get their games running on Nintendo consoles. However, if the Switch 2 truly is powerful enough to run graphically-intensive games, it brings into question exactly how physical media will be handled on the system.
Switch 2 Cartridges May Not Be Large Enough to Store Demanding AAA Games
Switch Cartridges Have Some Major Downsides Compared to Blu-ray Discs
Unlike the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch and its upcoming successor both use proprietary game cartridges instead of Blu-ray discs. This, of course, makes sense, considering the two handhelds are far too thin to have built-in DVD players. The cartridge format does have some advantages over Blu-rays, thanks to its small form factor, but it is problematic in a few ways. Due to their proprietary nature,Nintendo Switch game cartridges are considerably more expensiveto produce compared to Blu-ray discs, and they are much more limited in terms of storage capacity.
The maximum file limit on Nintendo Switch cartridges can vary from card-to-card, but there is no cartridge for the console that can store more than 32 GB. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X discs, in comparison, can hold up to 50-100 GB. The limited storage capacity on Switch cartridges makes it a bit harder forgames with massive file sizesto come to the platform. The Switch itself already has very small internal storage, so it’s almost a necessity for game data to be stored on external devices.
The Rumored AAA Games That Are Coming to the Switch 2 May Not Be Complete On Cartridge
Recent rumors allege that many major third-party games, including demanding titles likeTekken 8,Red Dead Redemption 2, andevenAssassin’s Creed Shadows, are going to come to the Switch 2 sometime this year. While it would be great to play these titles on the go with a Nintendo console, one must wonder how they will even fit onto a tiny cartridge.Tekken 8andRed Dead Redemption 2, for instance, are both 80-100+ GB each, so it’s hard to imagine that they would be compatible with a format as limited as this one. Even though the rumored Switch 2 ports of these games are probably going to have smaller file sizes compared to their PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S counterparts (due to lower-resolution textures), Nintendo will potentially have to make cartridges with higher storage capacities.
Making 100 GB Switch cartridges sounds like an easy solution at first, but considering the fact that this will make physical media manufacturing a lot more expensive for publishers and developers, this may not be the path Nintendo will take. Instead, it’s possible thatmany AAA Switch 2 titles, at least ones from third-party developers, will not include the entire game on the cartridge. Players may, as a result, have to download the rest of the game to get it running on the console. This may eventually lead theNintendo Switch 2to become a more digital-only platform in the future, but it’s far too early to say for certain.
Nintendo Switch 2
The successor to 2017’s Nintendo Switch continues down the same path as its predecessor, providing a hybrid experience that supports both home and handheld gaming. Launching on July 04, 2025, with games like Mario Kart World, the basic Nintendo Switch 2 bundle comes with the console, Joy-Con 2, straps for the controller, a dock, an AC adapter, an HDMI cable, and a Joy-Con 2 grip.
