Former Nintendo of America employees shed light on the impact of recent Switch 2 leaks, highlighting the significant internal disruption and compromised element of surprise for fans. Leaks have revealed potential release dates, upcoming games, and even device mockups, including images of the motherboard and Joy-Cons. Nintendo has officially labeled these as "unofficial."
In a YouTube video, former PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, leveraging their combined decade-plus of experience at Nintendo, discussed the internal fallout. Yang emphasized the intense negative reaction within Nintendo, describing the situation as a "high-stress situation" and a "pressure cooker" environment due to ongoing leak investigations adding to already heavy workloads. Ellis confirmed that Nintendo's internal investigations are underway and will ultimately identify the source.
The leaks have undoubtedly diminished the element of surprise surrounding the official announcement, impacting fan anticipation, according to both Ellis and Yang. They firmly dispelled rumors of internal leaks, stating that Nintendo would never intentionally compromise the surprise factor, a core value emphasized repeatedly to employees.
Ellis anticipates a reevaluation of Nintendo's product security protocols following this incident, given the eight-year gap since the original Switch launch in March 2017. This extended period may have highlighted weaknesses in their hardware reveal processes.
While all information remains unconfirmed until official announcement, Nintendo has stated that the Switch 2 will offer backward compatibility with original Switch games and feature Nintendo Switch Online. The launch is not expected within the current fiscal year, meaning a release date no earlier than April 2025.
