New Donkey Kong Game Reportedly Releasing for Nintendo Switch 2

A new game tied to Donkey Kong is said to be releasing on Nintendo's upcoming successor to the Switch. For the past few years, rumors have continued to swirl about what Nintendo might look to do next with one of its oldest characters, Donkey Kong. Some rumors have indicated that DK could be making his return to the 3D scene in a title like Donkey Kong 64, while others have suggested that a game similar to Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze could be on the horizon. Whatever the case might be, it sounds like a new Donkey Kong game is still happening, but it won't be seen until the Switch 2 launches. 

Coming by way of an insider named Zippo, who has had accurate Nintendo scoops in the past, it was said that a new Donkey Kong game is in development for Nintendo Switch 2. This new report from the insider didn't add much context to this future DK project, but the game is said to be in the works at Nintendo's EPD Tokyo studio. Beyond this, Zippo said that when they talked about this game previously, they did so far too early in advance. To that end, they apologized for sharing info previously that got some fans excited. 

"I've gone and gotten this double checked with every possible source possible and I can safely say EPD Tokyo's [Donkey Kong] game is still very much a thing. I'm going to apologize, because, to be frank, I talked about this game way too early," Zippo said in the blog. "The only other thing I can say about it is that it has indeed been moved [to] Nintendo's next console. That's it. When I have more, you guys will be the first to know."

When Will Nintendo Switch 2 Release?

Assuming that a Donkey Kong game is heading to Nintendo Switch 2, the next question becomes when this prospective console will release. At the time of this writing, Nintendo hasn't even announced that it's working on a new console, let alone a platform that will be a successor to the Switch. Still, it seems quite apparent that the lifespan of the original Switch is beginning to wind down and it's simply logical that Nintendo's next hardware will be similar to the Switch given how popular it has proven to be. 

In recent months, reports have suggested that Nintendo is currently aiming to let loose the Switch 2 in the second half of 2024. If this is true, it means that Nintendo could begin talking about the platform in the final months of 2023 or the early months of this coming year. Beyond getting a new Donkey Kong game, reports have also claimed that Nintendo is developing its next 3D Super Mario title that will serve as a launch game for Switch 2.