Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have escalated, as some dataminers believe that there are fully assembled units out in the wild.
As shared on the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit by user Adrien190303, Famiboards user fwd-bwd has laid out the evidence that has led him to this conclusion. We will point out that while fwd-bwd does use factual evidence, there is certainly a layer of speculation to this. So it’s highly likely that fwd-bwd is correct, but it’s not quite as certain as if Shuntaro Furukawa revealed this to the public, such as on an earnings call or just randomly on Twitter.
Last November 19, fwd-bwd shared details on FoxConn’s latest earnings call, where they seemed to hint that they were making the Switch 2. They revealed several technologies they were working on, which included a magnetic joystick (not to be confused with the alleged magnetic attachment technology for the Switch 2 Joy-Cons).
As fwd-bwd pointed out at the time, they could have been for the Switch 2, and also other gaming devices. Of course, FoxConn also does manufacturing for PlayStation and Xbox. That report ended with a forecast that their gaming manufacturing business would ramp up in Q4. To be fair, that could describe both the PlayStation 5 Pro and the Switch 2. But that takes us to today.
Today, fwd-bwd’s latest update on FoxConn revealed that they had a 223 % increase in operating revenue, year-on-year. It’s also been their highest monthly revenue since October 2021. In a follow-up, fwd-bwd also figured out that FoxConn does their financial accounting in such a way that they only report revenue after they have sent their product orders to the customer.
We will share fwd-bwd’s quote from FoxConn’s report here:
“The Group is primarily engaged in manufacturing and sales of consumer electronics products. Sales are recognized when control of the products has transferred, being when the products are delivered to the customer, the customer has full discretion over the channel and price to sell the products, and there is no unfulfilled obligation that could affect the customer’s acceptance of the products. Delivery occurs when the products have been shipped to the specific location.”
So, if we follow fwd-bwd’s train of thought, FoxConn made a lot of fully assembled Switch 2 units, and just shipped them back to Nintendo. And if that’s not enough, we have no indication that FoxConn started making Switch 2 consoles this November. So these vague rumors we have been chasing from a single factory owned by Hosiden, they may have been giving us late snapshots on the progress of Switch 2 manufacturing.
Nintendo might have already started collecting these Switch 2 units, preparing packaging, and shipping them out around the world in preparation for launch. They may not be at the retailers yet, but they could already be four or five steps ahead, such as having the consoles stocked in warehouses.
It’s also possible, though unlikely, that Nintendo hasn’t finalized packaging and other details. But if Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has something to say about it, this may all be part of a grander plan to prepare large stocks of the Switch 2 for launch.
