Recent leaks about the Nintendo Switch 2 have stirred significant unrest within Nintendo of America, according to two former staff members, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang. These leaks, which include alleged reveal dates, upcoming games, and even mockups of the device, have disrupted the company's internal operations and potentially diminished the excitement of the official announcement for fans. Images of the Switch 2's motherboard and Joy-Con have also surfaced online, intensifying speculation despite Nintendo labeling these as "unofficial."
In a video on their YouTube channel, Ellis and Yang, who both served over a decade at Nintendo and managed numerous leaks, expressed their belief that the company is extremely frustrated with the situation. Yang humorously mentioned the "hot exclamation mark emails" that signify the severity of the company's reaction, indicating a high level of internal stress and chaos as staff juggle leak investigations alongside their regular duties.
Ellis praised Nintendo's investigative team, confident that they would uncover the source of the leaks. Both former employees dismissed any speculation that Nintendo might be orchestrating these leaks, emphasizing the company's deep value in maintaining surprise for its announcements. They stressed that these leaks are severely disrupting Nintendo's efforts to successfully launch a new console, a task already challenging given it's been eight years since the original Switch was released in March 2017.
Genki Nintendo Switch Mockup Images from CES 2025
3 Images
The leaks could alter how fans perceive the official announcement, according to Yang and Ellis. As a result, Nintendo may need to reassess its product security measures and hardware reveal processes, which haven't been updated since the last major launch.
While Nintendo has yet to officially unveil the Switch 2, they have confirmed that it will be backward-compatible with original Switch games and will support Nintendo Switch Online. The console is not expected to launch within Nintendo's current financial year, pointing to a release no earlier than April 2025. An official announcement is anticipated in the first quarter of this year.
