Nintendo Switch 2 Rumor Claims the System Will Have New Camera Feature

Will Nintendo's next system feature AR support like the 3DS?

By Marc Deschamps

News on Nintendo's next video game console has been limited, but rumors have been heating up over the last few months. Reports have indicated that the "Nintendo Switch 2" (as it's currently known) will be dropping in the second half of 2024. Most of the rumors about the system have suggested that it will simply offer more power than the current Switch, but it seems it might also include some kind of new camera function. A ResetEra poster named Angie apparently received info from a "Atlus insider" that previously leaked Persona 3 Reload ahead of its announcement.

"There is a new camera function with the Switch 2, not sure if it's VR," the insider reportedly told Angie.

Nintendo has been hesitant to embrace VR, but AR seems like a much better possibility. The Nintendo 3DS featured three different cameras, which allowed for AR support. The system came with a pack of AR cards that could be used with the cameras, and any photos taken with the system could be used in software, such as the pre-installed game Face Raiders. That feature was dropped in the Switch era, but it seems quite plausible that Nintendo could bring it back, and expand on the concept.

What do we know about Nintendo Switch 2?

As of this writing, official news on Nintendo's next console is very slim. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Nintendo Accounts will carry over to the next system, in an effort to make for an easy transition. Nintendo has not announced any kind of release window, but Switch has been on the market for more than six years at this point. Very few systems have lasted more than seven before a new console's release, and there have been indications that investors are worried about slowing console sales. Right now, Nintendo has just two first-party releases announced for 2024: a remaster of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and a new game starring Princess Peach.

Will Nintendo Switch 2 feature backwards compatibility?

Backwards compatibility is one of the biggest questions ahead of Nintendo Switch 2's release. When possible, Nintendo has offered support for previous system software: Wii was backwards compatible with GameCube, Wii U with Wii, DS with Game Boy Advance, and 3DS with DS. Nintendo Switch did not continue this trend, but the system doesn't have a disc drive that Wii U games would have needed, or two screens, which 3DS would have needed. Given how big backwards compatibility has been for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, it seems like a safe bet that Switch 2 will offer the feature, in order to make the transition easier for existing customers. However, until Nintendo makes some kind of announcement, fans will just have to speculate.

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Would you like to see some new features in the Nintendo Switch 2? Do you think we'll see AR support like we did for 3DS? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Wccftech]

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