Nintendo Switch 2 price and release plans predicted, matching previous claims by ex-employee

Analysts have agreed with a former Nintendo employee on the potential release window for the forthcoming Switch 2. They've also suggested a possible price range, which could put it very much in a premium bracket.

One expert claims that the Nintendo Switch 2 is most likely to be sold from June, which complies with a suggestion from a former employee that the gaming giant is targeting the same month this summer.

In addition, Robin Zhu of Sanford C. Bernstein explained to Bloomberg that the console is expected to launch with between 6 to 8 million units available from day one. If true, this could result in the biggest console launch of all time.

The original Switch sold 2.7 million units in its first month, which was perhaps curbed somewhat by the much-lamented lack of launch games at the time. It certainly picked up though – Nintendo is thought to have shipped more than 151 million units to date.

And while the PlayStation 5 is widely considered to have had one of the most successful launches of all time, only 4.5 million were sold in the first quarter. Admittedly, there was the small matter of a global pandemic at the time, resulting in the infamous stock issues and scalper scandals.

That shouldn't be a problem for Switch 2 – there are no Covid conditions or lockdowns, after all – but the predicted stock count is still somewhat surprising. Not least considering the tipped price point.

Analysts believe the new console will cost from $400, with one – Hideki Yasuda from Toyo Securities – telling Bloomberg that it could cost as much as $499 (likely to translate to around £449): "The original Switch’s Nvidia chip is estimated to cost $80 per unit, while the Switch 2’s chip is likely to be in the $130-$150 range," they said.

That'll push up the price, it's claimed.

The original Switch launched at $299.99, and even with inflation taken into account, that equates to around $390 today.

That means the new model could end up being $100 pricier regardless, and more on a par with a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Still, if Nintendo knocks it out of the park with the tech, and with backward compatibility ensuring it'll launch with a far greater number of available games, there's still likely to be enough wanting to be an early adopter.