Altec Lansing, a headphone and speaker company, recently leaked the timeline for when the Nintendo Switch 2 is to be released. This was done in a press release about Altec Lansing being the inaugural licensee for AI Shark (formerly GameShark). IGN reports that the release of AI Shark will be in September 2024, coinciding with the release of the Nintendo Switch 2. However, the press release was changed to state “Altec Lansing plans on introducing its new offering in time for the holiday season 2024.” The intention of leaking this information is unclear. Social media posts have claimed that both AI Shark and Altec Lansing have started to backtrack on this situation.

A second update (attributed to AI Shark founder Todd Hays now) says that Nintendo “has not officially clarified launch” and walks back the Fall 2024 window. A very high possibility AI Shark is just guessing here or trying to grab press with a weird marketing stunt.

— Giovanni Colantonio (@MarioPrime) January 11, 2024

IGN also updated their article to later state that “Both Digital Trends and Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier have now reported receiving statements from Altec Lansing that seem conflictingly to double down on the Fall 2024 date and also claim the date is ‘guesswork’.” The announcement itself sent excitement throughout the Nintendo community with many fans excited for this date. At this time, Nintendo has not given an official release date for the Nintendo Switch 2. Many believe that this date was based on internal talks in the industry and market timelines.

This announcement has caused Altec Lansing to overshadow their announcement of their licensee agreement with AI Shark. AI Shark is a new technology that helps to aid players with their game rather than using cheat codes to manipulate the game. The founder of AI Shark, Todd Hays, believes AI Shark will “redefine the gaming landscape on a global scale.” The parent company of Altec Lansing, Infinity Brands, will hold an investment stake in AI Shark. Altec Lansing intends on using this software in their headphones, with the added potential of using it in keyboards and mice. These companies are planning “to harness the potential of AI in gaming, setting the stage for a new era of immersive gameplay.”

AI has transformed other areas of the online sphere, with many different things now being able to be created with it. Altec Lansing missed an opportunity to put the spotlight on this new technology being implemented in the gaming world. Fall 2024 will be one to watch for sure.