All the gaming console rumors: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 Pro and more

2024 isn’t the year to expect a lot of new game consoles. We’re in the middle of a generation and we’ve already seen updates to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S. If the precedent of previous generations continues, the wave of new consoles is likely to be four years away.

And if the precedent of previous generations continues, the wave of new consoles is likely to be four years away.

And yet we hear a lot of hardware rumors these days. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are all sort of working on new products. We’re also on the cusp of a second generation of handhelds. For example, the Steam Deck. Companies such as Lenovo and Asus are also developing new versions of their devices.

Indeed, they’re also working on new versions of their devices.

Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is the most anticipated console. Fans call it that because it was rumored to come out in 2024. But now it’s expected to appear in 2025. The Verge reports that its March release is imminent.

Nintendo Switch 2 is the most anticipated console.

Few details are known about the system itself. Developers were reportedly given a look at it during last year’s Gamescom, but Nintendo hasn’t revealed anything concrete yet. Bloomberg reports that the system may include an 8-inch LCD display, while Digital Foundry claims it will use Nvidia’s T238 chipset and that the visuals and performance will be on par with the PS4 and Xbox One. Everything else, such as how similar it will be to the current Switch, remains a complete mystery.

Anything else, such as how similar it will be to the current Switch, remains a complete mystery.

PlayStation 5 Pro

If the Switch 2 is still a year away, the PlayStation 5 Pro could be coming very soon. Rumors of an updated console have been intensifying in recent weeks, with reports giving a glimpse of what that console could be. Some publications and content creators claim to have leaked internal documents with the system’s specifications. If those specs are to be believed, the system could get a 45% faster processor, as well as PlayStation Spectral’s Super Resolution feature to smooth out frame rates and improve image quality.

The system could get a 45% faster processor, as well as a PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution feature to smooth out frame rates and improve image quality.

There’s every reason to believe the rumors are true. According to The Verge, developer kits are on sale now, and Sony wants to have supported games ready by August. That could mean the PS5 Pro will be released in late summer or early fall.

The Verge reports that the rumors are true.

Xbox X

If Sony and Nintendo’s consoles are just rumors, Xbox has plans. After a legal battle with Microsoft posted documents revealing that the company was planning to upgrade the console to a mid-generation system. The system was supposed to include 2TB of storage, a new controller and more for a price of $500.

The system would have included 2TB of storage, a new controller and more for a price of $500.

An update to the console would have included a new controller.

Since then, rumors have surfaced that Microsoft has very different plans. Perhaps the company will settle on a white Xbox Series X model without a floppy drive. Images of the device have even surfaced. Such a redesign would make sense, given that Microsoft released a black Series S last year. But it would be a major change in Microsoft’s ambitious plans.

Another redesign would be a major change in Microsoft’s massive plans.

Steam Deck 2

Besides big systems, there’s a lot going on in the portable PC realm. The Steam Deck received an OLED upgrade last year, and Valve has announced plans for a second-generation release. Details on the new device are not yet available.

Don’t expect Steam Deck 2 anytime soon, however. In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Valve’s Lawrence Young offered some speculation on when we might see the device: «A true next-gen deck with a significant increase in power won’t be available for a few years at the earliest».

The Steam Deck 2 will be available in the next few years.

Asus ROG Ally 2

If Steam Deck 2 is still a few years away, the sequel to Asus’ Rog Ally could arrive much sooner. In an interview with Techlusive, Arnold Su, a spokesman for the company, said that the company will, «most likely» release the new handheld later this year. It’s a quick update, with only a year and a half between Rog Ally models. That may seem like an aggressive release plan, but it makes sense considering Valve currently holds a stranglehold on this area. Competitors will have to work twice as fast to catch up.

Rog Ally will have to work twice as fast to catch up.

Lenovo Legion Go 2

ROG Ally — isn’t the only Steam Deck competitor facing an update: the Lenovo Legion Go could get a sequel, too. This information comes from the Lenovo Innovate conference, where company spokesperson Clifford Chong confirmed that Legion Go 2 is in development.

An update to the Legion Go 2 is in the works.

«This is a product category where we see potential and where we will continue to invest» —Chong said. «We’re looking at when it’s the right time for the next generation to provide even more opportunities». It’s a vague opinion that leaves room for Lenovo to backtrack on its plans, but it sounds like the company is serious about the portable PC race.

So far, that’s not the case.