Switch 2 chatter, maintenance

Nintendo has two very different Switch 2 stories colliding this week: a scheduled online maintenance window on April 21 and a fresh wave of unconfirmed 2026 leak chatter. (nintendo.co.jp) (9to5toys.com) Nintendo’s network status page lists maintenance for “downloaded software,” “play using online licenses,” and Virtual Game Card features from about 11:00 to 11:30 on April 21, 2026. The notice says some network services may be temporarily unavailable during that half-hour window. (nintendo.co.jp) The same maintenance entry covers settings tied to Virtual Game Card, including setup, removal, lending to family members, and pairing. Nintendo’s U.S. support pages describe Virtual Game Card as the system that lets players manage eligible digital software across devices and family groups. (nintendo.co.jp) (en-americas-support.nintendo.com) At the same time, rumor roundups from 9to5Toys and German outlet Gigamaus say recent leaks point to a 2026 lineup that could include Zelda, Metroid, and Star Fox projects, plus a possible special-edition Switch 2. Neither report cites Nintendo confirmation, and 9to5Toys labels the details as leaks and rumors. (9to5toys.com) (gigamaus.de) One title attached to that rumor cycle is a Switch 2 remake of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time*, which 9to5Toys separately reported as a claimed holiday 2026 release. The same outlet has also written about leak claims involving a possible *Super Metroid* remake and other first-party projects. (9to5toys.com 1) (9to5toys.com 2) Battery life is the other practical detail getting attention. Nintendo’s support page says a full Switch 2 charge lasts about two to 6.5 hours, depending on the game and features in use, and takes about three hours to recharge when the console is off or asleep. (en-americas-support.nintendo.com) That range puts Switch 2 below the 4.5 to 9 hours Nintendo lists for the current Switch and Switch OLED models, while roughly matching the oldest HAC-001 Switch at the low end. Nintendo also says lithium-ion battery life drops gradually over time. (en-americas-support.nintendo.com 1) (en-americas-support.nintendo.com 2) Publishers are already leaning into the performance tradeoff. Nintendo Everything reported on April 20 that Blizzard released an official Switch 2-versus-Switch comparison video for *Overwatch*, after confirming last week that the new version supports up to 60 frames per second in both docked and handheld play. (nintendoeverything.com 1) (nintendoeverything.com 2) So the confirmed part of this week’s Switch 2 news is small and specific: a brief maintenance window and an official battery estimate. Everything else—the Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox, and special-edition-console talk—still sits in the rumor pile until Nintendo puts a date, trailer, or product page behind it. (nintendo.co.jp) (en-americas-support.nintendo.com) (9to5toys.com)