Summary
If you bought a Nintendo Switch 2 console, you’ve probably noticed how the console can get a bit toasty if you use it outside during the summer. It’s not just you, though—Nintendo Switch 2 consoles are overheating left and right.
Nintendo has issued an official public service announcement via its Japanese customer service channels, cautioning Nintendo Switch 2 owners about the risks of using the console in high-temperature environments. The company has clarified that the ideal operating temperatures for the console are between 5°C and 35°C (41°F and 95°F, respectively). The thing is that we currently have a particularly hot summer in many parts of the world, with temperatures often exceeding the 35°C threshold, sometimes with ease. In Japan, where Nintendo issued this warning, temperatures have risen all the way up to 37°C, and Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued an extreme heat warning for the Tokyo area. It’s not just Japan—there’s smoldering heat all around the world right now. So yes, your console is going to overheat if you use it outside.
The warning follows a surge of user reports over the summer detailing consoles overheating and crashing. Many have shared experiences of their Switch 2 consoles becoming excessively hot to the touch before suddenly shutting down. Some users believed the overheating was linked to the console working harder while downloading game files or updates in the background. Others reported that the issue was most prevalent when the console was in docked mode, a configuration that naturally limits airflow compared to handheld play. Turns out it’s just really too hot outside for the console to cool itself properly. The console is not really made to operate at temperatures over 35°C, so anything higher can push the console’s internal cooling system beyond its operational limits, leading to thermal throttling or an emergency shutdown to prevent permanent damage.
This probably won’t be a problem for many. If you have AC at home and you keep your console docked as a home console, it’ll probably be fine. If you lack AC and your home gets particularly hot, or if you take it outside during the summer or try to use it inside a hot car, it could overheat easily. The original Nintendo Switchsuffered from the same issues, so this isn’t really a new problem, but the same thing can happen to your phone or your laptop. It’s a reminder to take care of your hardware just as well as you’re taking care of yourself right now. It is, too, having a hard time.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s latest hybrid home console, with more powerful graphics and processing, a larger 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR, and more online features.
