Rumors of an alleged Nintendo Switch 2 Lite are growing because a very strange clue appeared in an “official” place: the account portal of Nintendo showed off new hardware code called “OSM”and that ignited the imagination of half the internet. For now, the only really solid thing is that the code exists and that Nintendo has not explained what it means, so everything else moves between reasonable theory and good smoke.
The “OSM” code and why the rumor exploded
Everything starts from a discovery in the Nintendo Account Portalwhere a hardware identifier called OSM. The juicy thing: when consulting that code, the portal returns an image associated with Switch 2, but the “known” code for Switch 2 would be BEEso OSM could target other model (or to a simple internal placeholder).
From there the classic “broken telephone” was born: the unofficial interpretation that OSM could mean “Ounce Small Model“, that is, a smaller and lighter version (wink wink: Lite). The key point to not sell smoke: several analyzes also warn that this image could be a reused resource or an incomplete element of the portal, so OSM does not confirm a product on its own.
What is known about Switch 2 (and what a “Lite” would change)
To understand why the rumor hits home, it helps to look at the starting point: lThe Switch 2 (current model) arrived on June 5, 2025 with a price of $450 and includes a 7.9-inch LCD screen at 1080p and 120Hz, as well as 256GB of internal storage. It also brings Joy-Con 2 with magnetic attachment and new features such as mouse controls and GameChat (with a free trial period that expires on March 31, 2026).
So what would a “Lite” entail? Historically, “Lite” in Nintendo usually means cheaper and simpler: more compact equipment, fewer “premium” parts, and focus on laptops. In the case of Switch 2, the most repeated speculation is that a Lite would seek to lower the price (or at least make it more digestible), although there are still no reliable leaks about specific cuts (screen, vibration, dock, integrated controls, etc.).
Even if Nintendo wanted to release a Lite soon, the component cost context remains a topic in the public conversation, pushing brands to balance price, power and margins. In other words: a Switch 2 Lite sounds logical as a strategy, but it could also be difficult to square if the priority is to maintain good performance and an aggressive price at the same time.
If Nintendo is really preparing a family of models (Lite, OLED, “Pro”, whatever), it would make business sense: a more accessible version expands installed base and that drives game sales and subscriptions. But today, with what is on the table, the “OSM” is an interesting clue, not a console ready for pre-sale.
Keep reading:
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• Nintendo takes the first step to retire the original Switch: what’s next?