Nintendo is reportedly “very, very, very upset” over how the Switch 2 reveal has rolled out. While we are still waiting for the company to announce the console, with what feels like the most drawn-out reveal in video game history, Nintendo is fuming that much of the console has already leaked before the expected reveal later today (or tomorrow morning Japan time).
According to a video posted by popular Nintendo creators and ex-employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, Nintendo isn’t handling the leaks all that well. Former Nintendo PR manager claims that Nintendo believes the Switch 2 console leaks have spiralled out of control. Nintendo is also having a hard time grasping the fact that the company has no control over the leaks anymore. Keep in mind that Nintendo is known to have a mindset of “controlling everything”.
Nintendo’s plan has always been to surprise fans with the Switch 2. The company sees this sense of surprise as one of the best aspects of its gaming division. With these leaks, there’s little to expect now.
“The fact of the matter is they’re not different than any other company. In terms of inside Nintendo … that sense of surprise is so valuable and so important. We would hear 30-minute lectures on the value of surprise.”
The video continues to explain how severe the situation is internally at Nintendo. So much so that Yang claims the company is “very, very, very upset by this”.
We have seen Nintendo behave the same way in the past when it came to game leaks. The company has taken down pirate giants after games like Tears of the Kingdom leaked online weeks before launch. Nintendo isn’t shy about suing leakers and spending money to teach them a lesson.
However, in the case of the Switch 2, these leaks are so widespread that Nintendo will likely have a hard time nailing down the sources. The console started leaking late last year when images of the Joy-Con 2 were spotted online. We then saw the leaks escalate to the point where accessory makers were sharing cases and full videos of the unannounced console. This week, the full specs and performance of the console also leaked online.
In their defence, Nintendo has had their sweet time with the Switch 2 reveal. The console was originally planned to launch in 2024, but the company issued a full year-long delay in order to prepare stock and a strong software lineup. Everyone expected the console to be announced before the end of 2024, but it wasn’t.
Nintendo is set to finally unveil the Switch 2 this week. The reveal is expected to take place sometime today, but the world is still waiting for the company to do something. I suspect we’re waiting on Japan time, which means the announcement might take place in the wee hours of tomorrow morning in South Africa.
