YouTuber 3D Prints ‘Switch 2’ Console Based on Leaks

YouTuber XNZ has 3D printed a Nintendo Switch based on the leaked successor model’s specs. Many of the Switch’s fans are looking forward to seeing what’s next, both for the system and the company. Regardless of the hype, Nintendo appears to be waiting for the right moment to divulge more information to the public. That has not stopped people from sharing rumors and supposed leaks about the new Switch, though.

Images of the successor to the Nintendo Switch appear to have leaked recently. These pictures show off a design that looks very similar to the model of the console that gamers are familiar with but introduces welcome changes. Most notably, this system has an 8-inch screen, upgraded Joy-Cons that use magnets, and an additional USB-C port on the top, compared to the original console’s one on the bottom. People have remained skeptical, in part because most of the leaked images are mock-ups rather than a physical system.

Reddit user Future31 spotted a video made by YouTuber XNZ, who created a 3D-printed model of the rumored Switch 2 per its leaked specs. Ahead of the details, she states that she was aware of these specs and owned the model file for some time, but didn’t want to be the source of the leak. Including the new buttons, USB-C port, and Joy-Cons, this design looks close to a real Nintendo product, mainly differing in its size. Additionally, there’s a monochrome color scheme replicating the real system. XNZ makes plenty of comparisons to the old system, heavily noting the increased size. She points out that if these rumors are true, the Switch 2 would have one of the largest portable screens on the market, matching the PlayStation Portal. She then talks about the improved Joy-Cons. Many Switch gamers have used faulty Joy-Cons before, so improving the railing system with a magnetic lock and adjusting the joysticks could alleviate these issues.

YouTuber 3D Prints a Switch 2

XNZ goes on to discuss what she believes will be a key difference in the Switch 2: stronger motion sensing. She believes that the top USB-C port may be able to function as a connection port for a Switch camera and that the upgraded Joy-Cons might facilitate the design. This is also what she believes the “C” face-button on the bottom of the new Joy-Cons stands for. Camera integration is not new to Nintendo. The DSI and 3DS handhelds used these features as a jumping-off point from their older models, so this may be a reasonable conclusion to draw.

XNZ spends some time unpacking what the upgraded processing power and Nvidia T239 chip would mean for the system. She suggests that much of how the system functions in terms of battery life and its heat tradeoff is up to how fine-tuned Nintendo gets the console ahead of its release. There is plenty of speculation surrounding the release of the Switch 2. However, many gamers seem to agree that the new Switch 2 leaks look like the most credible ones yet.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.