Nintendo’s hot new console might be a little too hot

The Nintendo Switch 2 may have an overheating problem, which is probably the last thing you might expect from the company’s newest console. Nintendo has made plenty of improvements to the Switch successor, and this includes an increase in the performance on several levels. Nintendo has also improved the cooling, and fans are present both in the console itself as well as the new dock.

That being said, the fans don’t appear to be doing their job as well as intended for all owners. There are numerous reports from Switch 2 owners that their consoles are overheating. Reports appear to have surfaced in Japan more recently, with the biggest temperature issues popping up during graphics-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077. Some users are also reporting that the overheating problem is popping up with games like Pokémon, so it’s not just limited to the more demanding titles.

Nintendo Switch 2 overheating issues aren’t limited to owners in Japan

There are reportedly several owners in Japan who have complained about their consoles overheating, but these issues aren’t limited to Japan. Some have been complaining that they’ve noticed their consoles felt warmer when playing in handheld mode. One user on Facebook states that while playing in handheld mode, their Switch 2 felt like it was warmer than it should be after gaming for a little while. This same user also mentions that the battery feels like it’s draining faster than it should, going from 100% to 20% in just a couple of hours.

With regards to the battery, Nintendo did confirm that the Switch 2’s battery would drain faster. So, the battery is probably performing as it should. As for overheating, some users in the comments on the Facebook post claim that the console getting warm in handheld mode is normal. The older Switch models have had a tendency to get warm when playing in handheld mode as well.

Over on Reddit, another user reports that their Switch 2 actually displayed a message that their console was overheating. The message in question stated that the console was overheating and that it would enter sleep mode to cool down. According to the user, this happened twice. Both times were when they were playing the Switch 2 version of Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It doesn’t appear that this problem is widespread. That doesn’t mean, however, that it won’t be a growing problem over time. For now, your best bet is to ensure the console is properly ventilated. In docked mode, this would just mean making sure it’s in a larger space with more room for airflow. Of course, you could also take the occasional break.