Rumor: New details on Nintendo Switch 2’s dock, Joy-Con without drift, more

The past few weeks have been absolutely nuts for Nintendo Switch 2 rumors. Something that’s been going around lately are claims from Redditor user “NextHandheld”, who says he’s not only seen the system, but was even able to get their hands on it.

We’ve not shared any of those rumors as it all just seemed a bit too outlandish, but The Verge spoke with them and now says they’ve “heard and seen enough to think they might be legit.” The Verge is a respected outlet, and in a way, is putting its reputation on the line for mentioning that. Nothing is confirmed still, but we felt that this would at least be worth sharing – and you can decide whether or not to believe it.

First up, The Verge says it’s “seen two photos of a possible Nintendo Switch 2 dock, and one photo of the inside of a possible Switch 2 controller rail, covered in certification logos and with copper contacts exposed, which also shows its metal kickstand hinge open at an angle.” Also, the device could very well just be called Nintendo Switch 2. The dock won’t have any additional ports, but “there’s a physical magnetic click when you attach them, and that you’ll press a much larger button on the controller, one that’s physically connected to a magnet, to release.”

Something current Nintendo Switch owners will be happy to see is that Joy-Con drift may no longer be an issue. The new controllers are claimed to use the magnetic Hall effect joysticks, which avoid the same deteriorating sensor material and can be recalibrated easily.

Previous image leaks have suggested that the new kickstand has a U-shaped rail. However, The Verge points out that “it could be beefier than some of the mockups floating around”.

Moving back to the dock, The Verge saw a photo it “has big feet around back, ones positioned so it can lie down horizontally without blocking a set of vents.” The dock is also apparently rated for 60W and the actual unit is rated for 45W – the current Nintendo Switch is 39W charger for both docked and handheld modes, which only provided up to 18W for the handheld.

Finally, as for an announcement, NextHandheld’s source has heard that could happen in January, but the Reddit user isn’t committing to that. They’re unsure about launch timing, but it will supposedly release in dark grey followed by a white model, and one themed with a Nintendo game that hasn’t received a themed Switch yet. Note that NextHandheld said they’ve never turned the system on, played any games, and has no clue about other details such as a potential microphone or camera, storage space, performance, screen, or launch games.

Thanks to The Verge for today’s news, and you can also check out the Reddit thread here. Past Nintendo Switch 2 rumors, including images that have made the rounds, can be found here.