Random: GameShark's AI successor claims to know Switch 2 release date, then retracts

We know everyone Desperate for news about Nintendo's next hardware, but an audio company is working on creating an AI-powered successor to Nintendo Expert in the game (Yes, really) A company that claims it will launch a product in conjunction with the launch of the Switch 2 wasn't on our bingo cards this morning.

As noted in A Press release sent earlier todayand was spotted before Digital trendsAudio electronics company Altec Lansing Bolding has claimed that it will officially launch Ai Shark, which is allegedly an AI-based version of the old cheat cartridges we all had back in the day, alongside the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 in September 2024. The product was announced in CES 2024.

Nintendo hasn't even announced a name for the Switch's successor – not even a codename – so the fact that Altec Lansing mentions both names is… And The release date is more than a little surprising. Here's the section of the press release that got everyone talking:

“The innovative gaming software is set to represent a major leap forward in the gaming experience, providing enhanced gameplay for entry-level users. The official launch is scheduled to coincide with Nintendo Switch 2 in September 2024.”

Naturally, this caused a sensation on the Internet. Has Altec Lansing leaked the Switch 2 release date? Is Switch 2 the official name? Multiple outlets, including DigitalTrends and IGN, reached out to Nintendo and Altec for clarity. And industry reporters like Omran Khan Jason Schreier stated that these are just guesses – an Ai Shark spokesperson reached out to Schreier to say so.

DigitalTrends' Giovanni Colantonio received two responses from the company behind Ai Shark after the article was published. The first response stated, “Nintendo has not set an official date, but it will launch in the fall of 2024.” Which… although it's not a very bold prediction, it's not an official thing. Additionally, the spokesperson was firm on the new console's name, release plan, or existence.

However, just 30 minutes later, Colantonio received another response — supposedly from AI Shar founder Todd Hays — saying Nintendo “has not officially clarified the launch,” and this time it's back to the fall 2024 window. So… it's really just a guess.

As mentioned above, it's understandable that people are desperate for Switch 2 news, but announcing your own AI version of GameShark while dropping a Switch 2 “bomb” is probably not the way to do it.

As a guess, it's probably not a million miles away from the truth. We're all hoping that 2024 will be the year a new Nintendo console comes out, but no one knows, and everyone wants a slice of the pie. So why not throw in a believable window then?

However, as Imran Khan says in his book tweet, “There is no possibility that an unlicensed company would have any official idea of ​​Nintendo's launch plans.” So this is just a whole lot of nothing.

What makes this even more interesting is that this is second An AI-focused story coming at CES 2024. A few days ago, an AI-powered hologram of Mario was making the rounds online after terrorizing guests at the show. Earlier today, Proto Inc. reached out to us. To clarify that “the 3D AI animation seen briefly today is an incomplete proof of concept” and that Nintendo was not involved.