Switch 3Explainer
Switch 3 release date: Nintendo hasn't announced one, and the Switch 2 isn't 18 months old yet
There is no Switch 3 release date, because Nintendo hasn't announced a Switch 3. Its current console, the Switch 2, launched on June 5, 2025, and had sold 23.68 million units by June 30, 2026, according to Nintendo. The gap between the original Switch, which launched on March 3, 2017, and the Switch 2 was about eight years and three months. The same gap after the Switch 2 would point to around 2033, but Nintendo hasn't given any timing for a successor.
- Switch 2
- Switch
Nintendo hasn’t announced a Switch 3, and its current console is still young. Here’s what’s official, and what the Switch’s own history suggests about timing.
Is there a Switch 3?
Not yet. Nintendo hasn’t announced a Switch 3, a successor to the Switch 2 or a date for one. The Switch 2 went on sale on June 5, 2025, and Nintendo is still adding to it this fall with new bundles, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on Oct. 29 and a European model with a user-replaceable battery.
By Nintendo’s count, the Switch 2 had sold 23.68 million units worldwide by June 30, 2026. The original Switch is at 156.59 million, and Nintendo still sells it alongside the newer console.
How long Nintendo’s consoles last
The original Nintendo Switch launched worldwide on March 3, 2017. The Switch 2 followed on June 5, 2025, about eight years and three months later.
If the Switch 2 got the same run, its successor would arrive around 2033. That’s simple arithmetic from one past gap, not anything Nintendo has said, and a shorter or longer cycle is just as possible.
The next official numbers come with Nintendo’s six-month results on Nov. 5, 2026, which will update Switch 2 sales. The Switch 2 costs $499.99 in the US after the Sept. 1 price increase, which our Switch 2 price page breaks down. Nintendo also hasn’t announced a smaller handheld-only model, as our Switch 2 Lite page explains.
For upcoming games and announcements, see our upcoming Switch 2 games list and the next Nintendo Direct.
This page is updated as soon as Nintendo says anything about a Switch 3 or a Switch 2 successor.
Official images
1
FAQ
Is there a Nintendo Switch 3?
Not yet. Nintendo hasn’t announced a Switch 3 or any successor to the Switch 2, which launched on June 5, 2025.
When will the Switch 3 come out?
Nintendo hasn’t said. The original Switch lasted about eight years and three months before the Switch 2 arrived, and the same gap would put a successor around 2033. That’s arithmetic, not a plan from Nintendo.
Will the Switch 3 come out in 2027?
Nothing official suggests that. Nintendo is still in the early years of the Switch 2 and has announced new Switch 2 bundles and editions for this fall.
How many Switch 2 consoles has Nintendo sold?
23.68 million by June 30, 2026, worldwide. The original Switch is at 156.59 million.
Is a Switch 2 Lite coming instead?
Nintendo hasn’t announced a Switch 2 Lite either. The only new hardware it lists this fall are Switch 2 bundles, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition and a European model with a user-replaceable battery.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
How long was the gap between the Switch and the Switch 2?
The Switch launched on March 3, 2017, and the Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.
Your call
How long would you keep your Switch 2?
