Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2

They have every chance and are avoiding their own unique pitfalls already it seems.

I mean, is there a surprise? The new 3DS was the exact same way, all it did was boast a better, trackable 3D, improved power, and a c stick. I get the feeling they're working on another actual console on the side.

@Arcsol,

As much as this sounds like a good idea, I very much doubt it.

Naming it Switch 2 is brilliant. Now majority of the people will think this is a new hardware and NOT an add on like they did with the Wii U.

This is the (home)console for the next 6/7 years? Thats 2032. we got a "Pro" version of the Nintendo Switch now. for as far as I see it.

Furukawa already said back in May that "Switch next model is the appropriate way to describe it"

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2024/05/nintendo-switch-successor-announcement-is-coming-this-fiscal-year

It’s going to depend on the price, the exclusive games at launch and any unrevealed features/services as to whether people upgrade from the first console. I’m hoping for some sort of virtual console service where I can play GameCube games

The point is to build on the success of Switch 1, not just throw out a new model in a vacuum. In a way, they're well positioned to sell a bunch of Switch 2 units even without a single new game. At this stage in its lifecycle, the Switch 1 has a pile of games that barely run on it. Thanks to backward compatibility, these games should would offer a much better experience with much shorter load times and better frame rates. It'd be the preferred way to run Switch 1 games.

Or there could be something totally off the wall that is not obvious. Somebody suggested in the comments elsewhere that the new USB-C port could power a Switch 1 as a second screen. Why not? Normally a second screen adds significant cost. But there are an awful lot of old Switch 1 units out there that would otherwise be obsoleted by a Switch 2. If you give them a second life as a 2nd screen, that's free functionality. And we'd finally be able to play DS/3DS games properly again.

This is the burden of success I suppose. A flop gives permission to do something really different. A success requires continuity which creates some specific challenges of its own. My biggest worry with the Switch 2 is that it won’t be powerful enough to reestablish third party support. Other than that I think they’re doing good this time.

That’s exactly what I don’t what to happen, switch 2 games that are low gen so they also run on switch 1

I think they had no choice after the super successful Switch. The only main stream hybrid console.
It would have taken a brave person in the board to have moved away from the Switch formula.

I don’t think there will be much else to the switch 2, more powerful the joy con mouse gimmick and that’s it. But I didn’t expect any more than that.

The switch will take some beating sales wise and it’s hard to predict especially if Xbox pull out of the console market and put say Halo etc on switch 2. It could sell even more.

Reaction: Nintendo Pins Hopes On Familiar Fun With Switch 2.

That we know of.

Games that scale according to the power of the console have been around for a long time. After all, PC games have to run on a broad range of system performance profiles. I'm sure developers can build good adaptive games. I'm not worried about games that run on both Switch 1 and 2. I'd welcome them, in fact. Looking forward to the next Great Ace Attorney Chronicles installment ...

It’s all about games. Switch continues to be an amazing console, but it’s tough to put great games on it now given the aging technology. Switch 2 fixes that. Like you said, it worked for PlayStation, I don’t ser why it wouldn’t work for Nintendo - plus if it does work there is a high chance they won’t need a completely new idea over Switch 3 next time.

Agree with this article. It will definitely not last as long as the current console. It's just an upgraded Nintendo Switch. I think that Nintendo will anounce the next console something around 2028.

I'm sure it will do exactly what we expect and a little bit more but if I'm honest the whole hybrid deal has lost its novelty to me and more often than not I find myself playing on my tv anyway.

I am no longer fascinated by the 'impossible port' running on old hardware and will play them where they look best instead.

So while I understand why Nintendo have iterated I'd have preferred something different and new....

While we wait (patiently) for the April Direct there will still be plenty of interesting Switch 2 news between now and then. Expect the floodgates to be opened for 3rd party developers announcing their games are coming to Switch 2.

There was no way Nintendo was going to drastically switch (ha) things up with this console. The Switch was a huge success and playing it safe with a sequel isn't a bad thing in my opinion. More power, better controllers, etc...is exactly what some people wanted

@Arcsol no it wasn't? new 3ds was a minor upgrade to the 3ds. The new 3ds had like 5 exclusive games. I don't get what some people expected. Nintendo abandoning a successful form factor and going after gimmicks again?

@RenanKJ

It works for Sony because their console looks different. Imagine if the PS5 looked like the PS4 upgraded, the sales would've been different. Thats the magic that Sony has, they keep going due to how different the consoles look.

The GameCube was far more intriguing than Switch 2. I'd compare this more to DSi from DS.

I don’t think it can be overstated just how huge it will be to have Nintendo’s developers working with hardware comparable to even a base PS4. They’ve been stuck working on consoles that weren’t miles away from what the PS3 was capable of for the last 12 years and that thing is nearly 20 years old. Just seeing what they’ll be able to do with a new Zelda or Xenoblade etc. is going to be amazing and I’d honestly rather take an iterative machine that allows just that than have them go all in on a gimmick just for the sake of doing something different.

The tilted of Switch 2 Joy Cons at the end of trailer was reminded me of Moana head tilt from Dance Battle scene in Moana 2.
https://youtube.com/shorts/fn2AL39CdrE?feature=shared

11 articles so far today since Trailer!!! It's going to be unbearable waiting for the April direct waaaa

What's the constant talk about the Switch not ina vacuum. I can't take anyone serious thinking Steam Deck or Rogue Ally or what have you is remotely impacting the Switch's market share. Crazy talk.

@Bahamut_GR Then you're forgetting what the original 3DS looked like. The screens didn't have trackable 3D, and lacked a c-stick outside of the add on you had to buy. The new 3DS and Switch 2 are the same; both have minor updates but largely keep the same experience.

It's funny how gamers/the internet have conditioned ourselves to both want something new from Nintendo, yet also something safe. Because if they had some wild "gimmick" for the hardware, the internet would have been unhappy (like they are now with "nothing changing").

I think maybe they ran into a production issue is why the reveal, then 3 months to anything substantial, then probably 2 or 3 more months to release. I think maybe when they said it would be reveled by the end of the quarter, they though they could go retail shortly after. A lot can happen in 9 months.

I think Switch 1 can be compared to the original Game Boy generation. I.e. lasting a much longer time than anticipated. If Switch 2 turns out to be a stopgap model, it will be more like the GBA, which was succeeded by the DS only a few years later.

Foldable displays might be the next frontier.

I wonder if there will be something more substantial brought to the table on the hardware front.
Like a second screen to connect to the top of the of console.
Maybe too much for a handheld-only use but playing in table-top mode means weight wouldn’t be an issue for longer play sessions.
If the second screen had a frame attached that clipped to the console, it could fold over making the clam shell design.

The USB-c port on top could be for various kinds of new peripherals or could just make it easier to charge when playing using the kick-stand.

@Arcsol I'm not forgetting anything. I still have my launch 3ds and a new 3ds xl. The new 3ds is a minor iteration. It's literally an improved 3ds. If you think that switch 2 is switch pro, then a ps4 is a ps3 pro, right?

Switch itself is Nintendo as heck, and barely any new Nintendoisms I've idly fantasized about for next gen necessitated deviation from the chosen form factor (which, of course, were biased fantasies all along because why would I want such a deviation in the first place?😆). The first trailer, concise as it is, already appears to rest this case since there aren't any established Switch features you'd particularly need extra buttons or ports for. NS2 also does continue exist in a vacuum so far since micro PCs remain their own consciously niche market with experience footnotes/caveats few dominantly console users can even imagine and the only tangible Gen 9 thing we got out of PlayBox country has been a $200 LAN streaming peripheral. There's still simply NO portable gaming experience like Switch, hence none like Switch 2 by default either - even without all the new stuff (or, as fanspeak likes to term them, "gimmicks") we've yet to hear any elaboration on.

@Jack_Goetz DSi added a camera, some extra specs and storage to make it tick... and released a glorious basketful of games that necessitated all this, ultimately even less of a meaningful "midgen upgrade" than New 3DS which at least enhanced the controls and polished the titular 3D effect. NS2 is much more on par with followups like SNES or Game Boy Advance... or, indeed, the aforementioned Gamecube - same shape, new innards, new possibilities. Its format was already nailed in 2017 - a hybrid console hardly gets any more hybrid than the design sorcery we got. Some people have simply yet to understand that this format isn't a gimmick - it's a future-proofed template to stick around for generations like shoulder buttons, thumb sticks and touchscreens introduced before it. Or were you hoping for something along the lines of once spoofed "PS9" instead?

@reporterdavid finally

@anoyonmus Agreed! The Switch brand is strong. Glad they went with Switch 2.

Switch-Tooie would also be acceptable. 😉

I'm pretty impressed you guys have mananged to say so much about that non-reveal.

The stop-gap generation? I think that sounds a touch harsh and pessimistic.

I get that fans want nintendo to always push boundaries and introduce gimmicks, but this isn't always the way forward. That kind of mentality gave us the Wii U. Do we really want another Wii U?

It seems to be more of a 'New Nintendo Switch' , than a new generation of console.

As long as it is significantly more powerful than Switch, I'll be happy. Hopefully the dock gives it a boost too

I'd like to see Nintendo's proper 2nd take on Virtual Reality (after the Virtual Boy, not counting Labo). Whether it's tied to Switch or not

The GameCube was the 3DS to the N64's DS, but as well as the unique form factor and improved graphics, it also had one of the best controllers ever. Some fantastic games too...there is a reason so many people ask for it to come to NSO.

I don't think the Switch 2 will light up the world as much as the Switch 1 with so many more competitors nowadays, but if it has a great first party lineup, it'll be another 100+ million seller.

I think we are all overlooking why Nintendo have gone down the hybrid route. If done right the portability aspect leans itself to changing and upgrading more.

So it really is just the switch pro. Such a shame, was hoping for some of that nintendo magic and got the most boring update they could muster

I don’t think this is a “stop gap,” I think the Switch is here for quite some time. The Switch has always been marketed as a device and never a console by Nintendo. “The Switch Family of Devices,” they’ve been planning it since the launch of the original. It seems like they might treat their new devices as phone upgrades. Of course they’ll bring new features, but I don’t think we’ll what was in the past.

@DoubleDate I think the Switch 2 will get much more than just 3 years as Nintendos main console!

Tbh, I can’t see any handheld from Sony or Microsoft selling enough to justify their existence, or their respective manufacturers long term support.

@Deljo At the end of the day, while having a cool new gimmick can be fun, I think the Switch 2 is doing the right thing by building on the Switch’s foundation. The Switch lacked classiness, something previous Nintendo consoles had a ton of, so hopefully Switch 2 has that. But geez, Switch 2, your Mario Kart.

@OorWullie Not sure about specs but its probably a little bit more powerful than a PS4 pro and probably close to the Series S in terms of power.

Which if true is really good.

@GrailUK I’m convinced that most people who assert that Steam Decks and other handheld PCs are a threat to Nintendo don’t own one themselves. I love my Steam Deck to death but there’s a whole list of reasons why it (and handheld PCs on the whole) doesn’t serve the same market as the Switch/Switch 2.

I’m sure there’ll be people out there who won’t buy a Switch 2 now that there are other options that can play big AAA third party games on the go but is that the market who made the Switch such a success to begin with? Absolutely not

I think that it looks compelling. I also do not think that the PC handhelds really compete with it. Maybe a lite version, but the main issue is the software. No PC game is going to detect docking and automatically switch resolution and settings as well as bump clocks to drive those increases. The best that can be done is to stop and adjust them yourself, but even the Steam Deck (which I love) will not report the resolution of the TV when plugged into it to the games. You have to go all the way to system settings, select the new resolution and restart the game. And the ones that do not run SteamOS? No contest in usability.

Another key component to the Switch 2's success will be its base price. $400 will already be pushing the envelope for a lot of families in today's world economy.

If the price were to go even higher, like the rumored $450 base price, then in my eyes it virtually guarantees lesser lifetime sales in the ballpark of 70-80 million rather than the Switch 1's 140 million.

It needs to be affordable in the eyes of a family who used to see the possibility of three Switch 1's for $1000~, but who now would only see the possibility of two Switch 2's for the same $1000.

PC uses hardware machine learning, Switch 2 will use Nvidia's machine learning.
So far all the leaks have been true, so Switch 2 has Ampere Nvidia (RTX 3000) hardware.

Nothing stop gap about moving from Switch 1 adding hardware ray tracing, hardware AI upscaling & hardware frame generation. None of this was on Switch 1, this isn't a GameCube to a barely upgraded Wii HW. Nor Wii to WiiU (at least this was a bigger jump).

Machine learning will help portables even more than traditional consoles or gaming GPUs to easily push AI based pixels without killing the battery on a lower end SoC. Diminishing returns have been here for a few PC GPU generations and have from even PS4 Pro-> PS5 Pro.

Switch 2 will be more of a 'revolution' than the Wii was if we get a new Mario Paint game that have logical movements for gimmick controls with mouse movement in Switch 2 Joy-Cons.

I think more of a move from Switch 2 to Switch 3 could have a harder time moving from previous generation hardware when it hits more diminishing returns on just better Nvidia hardware with what multi frame generation or Neural rendering? How does that in theory either help Nintendo first party games? A few more frames with the same input latency, or movie quality assets on an 8 inch tablet?

@Zarraya This is a very important point. Ease of use is a very important factor for mainstream appeal. And its direct competitors still are severely lacking in that regard.

@anoyonmus I'll be very happy with that. Comparable with Series S is about the best I'm hoping for. That would be quite a leap from Switch, which is basically a PS3 Pro. With DLSS as well, 1st party games are going to look incredible. Although that Mario Kart glimpse was a little underwhelming. Hopefully that was just a tech demo.

"The Switch 2 is boring- and that's exactly what Nintendo needs." -The Verge

Ouch. I am already bored, why should I pay 300-500 € to buy something boring?

@Bahamut_GR If you're expecting a massive graphics update with the switch 2, you're kidding yourself. It's going to be like the new 3DS and Wii U where it's slightly more powerful. I'm a nintendo fanboy like no other, but they'll never prioritize power. That new mario kart didn't look much different than the one we have now.

The logo is horrible. The 2 is just so bland. Maybe roman numerals sandwiched between the Joy-Con like icons would have been better?

If there was ever a time to just iterate on a good design, this is it. The competition indicates the concept is gold for the current market. The one thing Nintendo has that no can compete with is their IP. Mario Kart and whatever else they have up their sleeve along with a massive backwards compatible catalogue will move units now, not some gimmick. At the end of the day no one really cared much about the 3D. The 3DS started moving when Mario showed up.

This is the best way to go for both Nintendo and consumers. When you make consoles that are wacky for the sake of it you ruin backwards compatibility and virtual console compatibility. People who purchased virtual console games attached to their Nintendo Accounts with the Wii U couldn’t carry them over to the Switch.

Consoles need to look at Steam as the model for their online purchases. Each console should be able to do what the previous one did. Names that aren’t [Console] (number) should be avoided. Otherwise you get the confusion associated with the 3DS/2DA/New, Wii/Wii U and whatever the heck Microsoft has been doing with its awful console names.

Just up the power, keep the Nintendo Switch name and just change the number at the end, and make good games that show off the improvements well. That is all you have to do.

What I am seeing from this comment section is that the switch 2 is nothing but a "slightly" more powerful switch. And everyone cares more about gimmicks that could or could not fail, rather than actual good games. Also for a console to be good, it needs to physically look completely different from the previous console.

I guess I'm the weirdo that hasn't seen enough to say how powerful the system is, and is just hoping for something that is more than "slightly more" powerful than the switch 1 that will just continue to build on the foundation that was laid down by the switch 1.

@Arcsol the 3ds to new 3ds was like PS5 to PS5 pro. The Wii to wiiu was like PS2 to PS3. What are you talking about?

I'm relieved that Nintendo finally unveiled SOMETHING official. They finally gave us an official name for the product, an official full look at the product, and an actual date for further information about the "successor".

Now I can strip the word "successor" from my vocabulary, if I choose to. I never have to use the word again, if I don't want to lol.

So now the wait is on for April, and then the real struggle begins, to actually preorder AND get hands on the system, once it's released.

I do feel like April is a long time to wait for actual information on the system, after we've all waited months and months, just to get this reveal video.

I can't complain though, because there is an ACTUAL date for a Switch 2 Direct.

Nintendo could have said, "There will be further information on the Switch 2 sometime between NOW and December 31st, 2025."

I'm actually kind of shocked at this point, after the way they have "handled" Switch 2 so far, that they didn't handle it in that way, this time, but I think they know what the constant delays and silence have done to some of us, up until this week.

I'm excited for the launch games, and excited to finally purchase the system and get hands-on time with it.

I look at it as a revision of the original Switch, with improvements and various fixes.

I think that it's fair to say that anyone that enjoyed playing games on the original Switch will have, at bare minimum, the same, or a similar experience with Switch 2, but with the promise of deeper, more detailed first party games, and probably a far greater variety of 3rd party modern games, so I think most people will be pleased with the final product, if not overjoyed.

@nhSnork Thanks for the detailed response, but you've totally missed my point. The article says "But the base offering here appears to be the least immediately intriguing home console the firm has put out since, what, the GameCube?"

I'm merely pointing out that the upgrade from Switch to Switch 2 is about as intriguing to me as the DS to DSi.

The original Switch was such an incredible idea that I'm glad Nintendo haven't tried to innovate just for the sake of it.

They also have had a great track record when not trying too hard.

NES to SNES
Game Boy to Game Boy Advance
DS to 3DS

I'm more than happy with a more powerful, iterative piece of hardware. And the potential mouse controls opens up a huge new option for games.

Come on...the GameCube had the controller with an unconventional layout and different face button shapes plus the first first-party wireless controller. And this controller has remained the go-to tool for Super Smash Bros. since Melee.

@larryisaman in theory yes they're going for different markets but I can still play all switch games on the steamdeck, normally with better performance, and since I got the sd about 18 months ago I haven't played the switch hardware since

@OorWullie even more powerful than a PS4 is also good but we should wait till April to know the exact specs.

Hopefully and most likely the Switch 2 will be Nintendo's only system for the next 8 years. I do think they should have a portable only and TV only model with cheaper prices. I have never once undocked my Switch in 8 years.

@MSaturn yes, that whole "Nintendo being in its own bubble" thing has some pretty major downsides, such as the over-reliance on first-party games (and thus the utter lack of cross platform launches and abolition of exclusivity) and the lack of proper support from third parties, as you said. I wonder if we'll ever see a simultaneous release of a AAA game on all of the consoles. I guess not

This just feels like one of the most pessimistic articles I have read in a very long time. Nobody expected something totally different. Is this a ‘safe’ move? Maybe it is but why not? Why go out of the way to take a huge risk?

@Medic_alert sadly, I'm wholly with you

@Ulysses Yet, People still buy over $1000 phones every year. Nintendo should price is it in range with the likes of the SteamDeck. Because that would be the main competition for it.

And yes the Switch 2 is looking like an iterative console. ANYONE who thought it would by any different is just lying to themselves. Nintendo wasn't going to go back to a TV based console and compete again with MS and Sony. Very simple, that would be financially ruin the company. So you'll either get a Switch like device or a completely different handheld. And you can then easily see why Nintendo chose to go the "Switch like" route here.

@sanderev you're thinking around 400? Oof, I'd see this easily becoming something around 4500 reais here in Brazil

I would never call it a stopgap, it would make the console and all these years of waiting feel less valuable.
Overall, it definitely feels more like an evolution from Nintendo, rather than a revolution.

The name itself seems to prove this will be the generational successor to the Switch, but seemingly just that... no gamepad, no Wiimote, no dual-screen, no 3D sensor... something's missing here... I have an insane theory its connection with the original Switch, but it's so unvelieable that maybe I won't share it until either Nintendo does, or doesn't (have).

They haven't even talked about it specs, visual potential, screen resolution, or if it will be 4K on the TV at least (which frankly, wasn't even the selling point of the current-gen console trailers, it was all talked on their respective events)...

I just hope the best for the console, maybe you could assume it will be a success based on the current Switch's, but considering the competition it's going to have all-around (remember, iPhones are now capable of running the RE4 remake), they will have a lot of ground to NOT repeat the Wii U's mistakes.

The Wii U's first mistakes were confusion around the branding and the lack of clarity. Here, it's almost on the verge on making mistakes around convincement... why should the consumer consider it an evolution of the Switch 1? Can it prove to compete with the other handhelds? How will it coexist with the PS5 (PRO) and the eventual PS6?

@gabrigoes I'd say €400 would be the lowest possible price. They could make 2 SKUs, one with 256GB storage and one with 512GB storage built in. For 400 and 450.

I'm surprised that they actually used the media's generic placeholder name.

@Qwiff The DS was originally to be a 3rd pillar though, hence only coming 3 years after GBA. Because it took off so well, they phased out the GBA. So it was the retrospective successor. Perhaps it was always intended to be, but they wanted to be careful due to the previous attempt at a 3rd pillar, the Virtual Boy.

@Deljo This is exactly what I’m talking about though. The vast majority of people who bought a Switch are not remotely interested in jumping through hoops to play games and just want to plug it in and go.

The mouse controls would be pretty neat. I'd love to see the old Mario Paint along with a more advanced sequel.

@Thomystic Actually I'm happy they picked a very generic name for the console. Because there can be no confusion what this device is going to be. A lot of peple thought the Wii U was an accessory to the Wii, while it was an entire different console. So people didn't buy it.

The name "Switch 2" is iterative, so people can say. "This is the better Switch, because bigger number is better". Nintendo is also going to need to advertise it aggresively once the launch lineup has been announced. And I do hope they won't fail with that.

Basically - though I would've loved to play them on the Switch 1 - I'd say they should move Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 over to the Switch 2 launch window as exclusives.

IMHO I get the sense that Nintendo has just gone and set itself up really well for the future in a holistic way.

The trick for the Big N is not to just sell a lot of consoles (although this does definitely help with the bottom line LOL). The trick is to gain and retain customers / and customer relationships.

For Nintendo, they have a lot of IP that can really bring in gamers when they are young, or that parents will want to get for their kids. So customers get involved with the Nintendo brand when they are young.

But there is other IP / 3rd Party games that the young gamers can move up to down the road on the Switch platform.

And then down the road, those young gamers will become parents and then get to introduce Nintendo games to their kids, etc, etc, etc.

So this Nintendo accounts moving seamlessly from Switch to Switch 2 becomes a big thing for continuity.

Also . . .

The Switch 2 isn't different enough from the Switch 1 as to make the Switch 1 immediately obsolete. So if Nintendo can keep support up for the Switch 1 for a while, then they get to retain the bulk of those gamers.

But the Switch 2 is also a line in the sand, so anyone potential gamer that has been holding out for the Switch 2 can get into the game and get a Switch 2 and join the party.

And for anyone that has had to duct-tape their OG Switch together because they dropped it one too many times, well . . . the Switch 2 is going to be here to help you move on.

LOL. I haven't started drinking today yet. Honest!

My switch is running on fumes and overheats so i will get this one as a replacement but the hype is minimal.

It's certainly not love at first sight for me, I can tell you that much. True love takes time. I need to be convinced. Nintendo seemingly becoming like Sony makes me uneasy. I'm even starting to doubt if Nintendo really cares about innovation anymore. A part of them has died today.

But it's early. The new Mario Kart looks fine for now. Even though I'm doubtful about mouse controls (unless there's a new Mario Paint!) and I think any new features will be minor, we still don't know what's in the system itself yet. Wake me when it's April...

@Lord That's where the potential DLSS comes in. It takes the "low gen" games and makes them run in 4k and high fps.

@gabrigoes yeah I think those days are gone. It used to happen for a brief time back in the GameCube era but no more.

I’m personally happy with the Switch 2. I think with the Switch Nintendo has found a niche that they can fill really well. The would be crazy to abandon it. I think the evolution of Nintendo consoles from now on will look like the evolution of the dual shock controller, lol. Just little tweaks and improvements. Even the name “Switch 2” suggests this is the case. Power will just be limited by the price point they want to hit.

Nintendo knows how to actually make games and design them well for people on the go or sitting at home. They'll be fine with this especially since they will be one the last-men-standing when it comes to console exclusives. I will buy this Day 1 if bots don't beat me to it.

Very nice article - I agree 100%

I'm... happy? Not excited, honestly, but not disappointed either.

It's safe. It has a "2" so people don't get confused.

Yay.

ok, so FINE, they are stuck with the "hybrid design" because switch sold so many units.

but does ANYONE believe that detachable joycons and "tabletop mode" are the keys to the success?

said it before, saying it now: shouldve been a dockable handheld with full, solid controls and "nintendo tough." no joycons. 😐

Switch 2 is more of the same (which is great for me) with a graphical upgrade, refinements and perhaps a couple of small additions.
They are playing it safe, I can't blame them from coming off the back of the Switch's success.
Calling it Switch 2 avoids the pitfalls the Wii U had, making everyone clear it's the next gen system and not a add on. Third party support should be strong too from the start also.
It will sell well in my opinion, but nowhere near the the level of the original Switch's sales.
Others have played catch-up and are taking small chunks of the market for themselves, Lenovo, Steam and Sony obviously too.
Luckily they have very strong, unique and high selling IP to fall back on.
If they can launch with a Mario Kart within the launch window period this should get them off to a good start.
Comparing it to the 3DS seems very fitting, I think it will succeed but to a lesser degree..
65 - 70 million is my estimate for it's lifetime sales along with a five year lifespan compared to the Switch's 8.
Exciting times lie ahead, I'm intrigued to watch and see how Nintendo navigate the next few years and am happy to come along for the ride...

Yup, it looks like it'll be a smooth transition to Switch 2. Keeping the Switch branding, calling it Switch 2, Mario Kart as a launch title(after MK8D sold 60M+) The Switch 2 is already looking great and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

@Arcsol Very much so wishful thinking. The on-the-go feature will probably be a staple of Nintendo consoles moving forward because it's practically the only incentive it has over PC hardware as a game system. They wouldn't make a different and more grounded system, nobody would buy it. Playstation and Xbox are already struggling to create enough incentives for people to continuously support new console generations while Nintendo already has their winning formula figured out. Nintendo has no reason to make an entirely different series of consoles when their current model already struck gold.

I love the smooth design. Will be getting it day one!

The NDS and Wii have such a strong mental stranglehold on some people that they think Nintendo platforms must have some kind of gimmick to be interesting or successful.

The Switch 2 being a more powerful Switch is the best move Nintendo can make.

Looking forward to it. The Switch is still selling over 12million over 7 years in. So dropping the Switch brand or trying anything out of left field would just be silly.

If people still want Switch to this extent then the best thing to offer is the Switch but better. its not uncharacteristic for Nintendo to make an iteration on succesful hardware.
NES -> SNES
Gameboy -> Gameboy Advance
Nintendo DS -> 3DS

The numeric naming convention is different but I think the WiiU demonstrated the problem of trying to be too clever with a name. It can just lead to confusion.

It’s pretty much what I expected; a next Gen Switch.

Tbh if you look at some of their other consoles they too were really just a better version of what came before. The SNES was a cartridge based console that was far more powerful than the NES that came with controller that had more buttons. No one was complaining that it was ‘too similar in concept’ to the NES.

However, the trailer reveals that the Switch 2 can do everything the Switch can do. I’m more interested to see what it can do that the original Switch CAN’T do…

It'll be interesting to see how it sells. Sales numbers of their iterative, more-of-the-same hardware have always been lower than their predecessors, right, so while I predict initial sales to be incredible, it'll remain to be seen whether the general user base will feel the need to upgrade. But hey, I've been wrong before. I thought no one would buy the Switch given the poor faith the Wii U generated, and look how that turned out 🤣

@Gamecuber

"No one was complaining that it was ‘too similar in concept’ to the NES."

1) no one had ever seen that many buttons on a controller and it set the standard, changed videogames literally forever.

let alone thousands more colors, mode 7, and sample based music. SNES was a revelation.

how is "switch 2" anything like that?

2) lots of people (mostly parents) at the time could/would not justify buying another console 'when the one they had worked just fine." it was a problem for nintendo at first and definitely part of the zeitgeist if you look into it. Jeremy Parish's coverage is really good on this era. ✌️

@Gamecuber Exactly. And it’s not even been that long since they last did it- the 3DS was just a DS but more powerful and with more features. Yes it had the 3D screen but ultimately it was a gimmick that many people didn’t care about and was so unimportant overall that they soon made models without it altogether.

If it works once then Nintendo will try it again. If that fails then that’s when they upend everything and try something different, so it really shouldn’t surprise people that they’re not doing anything crazy this time.

Was the 3DS a stopgap generation? To me it seems like Nintendo learned their lesson. Like with the WiiU, they tried to innovate too much as well as have a Wii and ended up with something complex and expensive without a clear vision, and that hurt them badly. They can innovate with their accessories.

@-wc- I agree with everything you said (I was there Gandalf, 3000 years ago…). However, a lot of what you have described existed ‘under the hood’ as it were, none of which we really know about with Switch 2.

My comment was more a reaction to the disappointment some people online have expressed that the Switch 2’s format is very similar to the original system. My comparison to the NES and SNES is that at the time most consoles were an iterative improvement over the previous model (Atari and SEGA are also examples of this). Basically they were all ‘just a better box under your tv’. Nintendo’s history of innovation with things like the Wii, Switch, DS seems to give some the impression that they will always throw a curve ball, when actually they have plenty of times stuck to a similar idea but with improvements (the Game Boy line is a good example).

BTW not sure if you are from the US (forgive me for assuming if I am wrong) but here in the UK the NES and SNES were not really part of the zeitgeist in the way the Mega Drive and later PS1 were. The Mega Drive was really the first console that took people away from the computers that were the preferred medium in the 80s and early 90s (though the Master System laid the groundwork before it). Nintendo were definitely present but didn’t really try too hard to win us over (Game Boy was how most of us got our Nintendo hit back then).

Nintendo wasn’t known for their quirky “gimmicks” and innovations until the Wii/DS era. Until then, they innovated with updated/new controller configurations and better graphics.

I would argue that this is, in fact, very Nintendo. We know that it will be packed with nuanced innovations such as mouse control that aren’t obvious to see by looking at the console. Don’t be fooled by the Switch 2’s familiar form factor. This generation will be defined by Nintendo letting loose on a proven great concept with great games.

@larryisaman I do wonder if it’s sales will match that if the other times they have done similar. The DS was hugely successful but the 3DS, while hardly a failure, did not recapture the magic. Neither did the GBA after the GB or even the mighty SNES, which sold less than the NES.

@Radixxs it will be interesting to see if this is a ‘perfected Switch’. If you compare it to Sony for example the PS2 was a ‘super PS1’ (with a Trojan horse in the form of the built in DVD player for good measure). PS2 did everything the PS1 did but better.

I can sympathise with the 'stop-gap' temptation.

Hybrid was the obvious way to go after Wii U. But that's been done now. It's no good just throwing the word 'innovation' around and expecting some game-changing new tech each gen. Innovation tends to come after a certain amount of stagnation, it's the natural way of things. Switch 2 is the stagnation that was fairly inevitable.

I appreciate 'stop-gap' and 'stagnation' might have negative connotations for some, but I'm using them neutrally. I think Switch 2 will be great, regardless of stagnation.

Good. No BS gimmicks.

@larryisaman guess it depends how you want to go about it, you can readily pick up an sd card on ebay full of switch games for about £60, not condoning it but the plug and play option is right there of you want it

You're limited by having to bring everything in the box, including being able to do everything while connected to a TV or on the go, and pricing is a concern. I just don't see how they innovate or do something unique without making a pure portable or home-console. Maybe when tech like foldable screens become cheap & resilient enough to be an option we'll get a breakthrough.

This is not a DSi or New 3DS thing, where everything works with the old model & just has a couple bells & whistles if you play it on the new 1. More like a NES to SNES, GB/C to GBA, DS to 3DS, a straightforward sequel to the previous model, with the mouse thing being the little extra that adds some spice.

Already have a complaint.

I don’t like the 2 on the machine or dock!

Stop-gap is the correct way of describing the Switch 2. Why? Because it's not going to match the current Switch's sales, which means Nintendo will be under constant pressure from the shareholders. Nintendo may choose to continue with the Switch branding for 2's successor but it'll be a different beast. Maybe it'll have a 3D screen, or a foldable screen, or even move into VR, etc... Whatever the case, it won't just be a performance upgrade. I imagine Switch 2's successor will be announced in no more than five years' time.

@-wc- I'd love it if my Switch Lite could dock, I got no problem buying a separate Lite Dock and Pro controller afterwards, but Nintendo has to think of the common denominator and about price. The family that will buy the console box for their kid & expect everything they need to run the hardware to come bundled in, it's easier to have removable controllers than to add a $70 extra in the box.

I have serious concerns about the joycon-magnet-connection and that incredibly flimsy looking stand. The presentation was also far more business directed than I'm accustomed to from the Big N.

@Gamecuber I also doubt the Switch 2 can match the Switch 1's behemoth 140+million sales worldwide. Novelty plays a role, yes, but I believe the pandemic really catapulted the Switch's momentum into its final 4 years. I'm not hoping for another pandemic, but it really will require another cultural touchstone moment to cement and maintain the Switch 2's momentum a few years into its life cycle.

More Super Mario movies can supplement momentum, as well as Super Mario Land theme park success. Viral moments like Animal Crossing that get people who aren't even gamers to talk and be aware of the Nintendo brand in general. Things outside of the video game industry that help maintain a wholistic whirlwind of mainstream appeal will be crucial for the Switch 2.

Nintendo should really keep in mind that the majority of their customers are parents who buy these for their children, and they will have absolutely no idea why they should buy a Switch 2. They don't watch directs. They only see the thing in stores and think 'We already have one of those'.

@Xbox_Dashboard Better get used to it. Reggie kept calling us 'consumers' all the time, and they always talk about which fiscal year they'll announce stuff. They're a business dealing in family friendly fun.
That's why we got Echoes of Wisdom. Because they saw an untapped market. Not because they wanted us to have a new Zelda experience.

I think this is a valuable point that raises interesting discussion, whether I fully agree with it or not. There are many factors to consider. Nintendo has been playing their cards better than Sony and Microsoft recently when it comes to game consoles, so they’re naturally going to play it a bit safer. I am interested to see what new technologies they may have implemented about which we don’t have much detail at this point, but it is wise to have a Switch sequel at this time.

It’s one of the most successful consoles of all time – may yet become the best selling ever! When you catch lightning in a bottle, you don’t bet double or nothing, you iterate to varying degrees.

We all love that Nintendo is a big-ish tech company that’s still not afraid to take risks, and I hope that never changes, but that should never be the very top priority.

If this approach starts to sour, I think we’ll be more likely to see something that has more “new” to it, and that will be exciting – but making that move now would be imprudent.

Anyone feeling underwhelmed should next time not believe the fake leaks, sordid rumours and wild speculation. Nintendo never promised any such reveal, only some sort of announcement by end of March. The leakers got it wrong yet again. While they managed to find a date, they made false attributions to it, much like the last rumour proved to be the alarm clock and before that the Switch red box and OLED iterations would be the Switch Pro.

On 2 April is the actual reveal, and that was potentially Nintendo's plan for the first look. Before that a tease of some sort and a date for the reveal. The rumours pushed that out early and to include more footage than hoped. I said all along this would be exactly their path and roughly the time frame. Why? That's how Nintendo always do it, and they still have Switch games to release in 2025, notably Metroid Prime 4.

Remember, Nintendo always play safe on ultra successful systems. We would always get a Switch 2. Sit back, breathe, and wait until April for the real excitement.

@PinderSchloss this isn't quite at the Wii U level. But does look very similar in approach. Low-key announcement, reported overwhelming up front stock available, uninteresting design changes, no software hype. Mario Kart will be a port. Guaranteed.

We haven’t even seen a UI yet.

The physical form factor makes no sense to change. The Game Boy line had unbroken backwards compatibility for 16 years because it just worked.

And it is kind of funny to say this is unexciting after this is the 13th article about it posted today.

At least WiiU looked completely different. This will be like a pro model for Playstation.
Parents in stores will be “So this playstation pro thing plays exactly the same games as ps4 and ps5 but better but the switch 2 thing plays switch 1 games but better and also switch 2 only games? But you can also buy most of the games for Switch 1?”
These people do not know how a gamepad works. They don’t read gaming news or watch directs.

It will sell, but not nearly as well. The results will be that there wil barely be any games not made to work on both Switches.
Unless of course they decide to drop support for the Switch and close the stores next year, because poor Nintendo can’t possibly pay their little servers anymore.

@Owozifa well said

I think that was me. It would actually be a great idea too. In fact, that top USB-C could be for anything, maybe even allowing us to connect a camera to the Switch 2.

I'm just very happy to still have Nintendo releasing some of the best games out there. It makes me smile to see kids with Mario shirts on, and to share Nintendo with my kids. I've always preferred portables, so the Switch was a godsend for me. I don't want much more than a more powerful switch.

@Arcsol New Nintendo 3DS was just an upgrade of N3DS, Switch 2 is a successor

If they did something different you’d complain and say Nintendo was throwing away a good idea. You can’t win ever. lol

If you think a 24 player Mario Kart with much smoother models and extremely large environments is coming anywhere near Switch 1, let alone at a decent framerate and resolution, I have a bridge I can sell you

@Xbox_Dashboard Ports don't usually change up a game's artstyle, double the amount of players in a given race, redesign key visual elements, introduce drastically different mechanics, or take other features away (there's a distinct lack of Double Item Boxes in the shot at the end of the trailer). Mario Kart's a new entry, full stop.

What’s next for me is handheld MLB The Show with better graphics which is a-o, a-o-k.

@PikaPhantom it will be a Switch 1 playable game. Playable also on Switch 2. Full stop. Guaranteed.

I know a lot of people wanted something unique and quirky again since this is Nintendo, but I for one am super happy.
The Switch is the best console ever made and it is not even close.
But its age has definitely started showing with the power of its hardware.
Solution? Just make a more powerful one!
And that's it. Really no reason to fix what's not broken in the first place.
This is exactly what I have hoped would happen.

I'd also like to point out that this is what the other console companies have been doing for decades now. When was the last time Sony or MS really innovated on their home consoles? They just put stronger hardware in, pack it in some different plastic houses and in MS's case come up with some funky new name.
If they can get away with it, why not Nintendo?

At the very least, they could've given the system a more appealing name than just smacking a "2" behind it. The argument of avoiding confusion like the Wii U doesn't hold much water.

The "Super Nintendo" and "Game Boy Advance", for example, did a great job telling people it's the next big thing without creating any confusion whatsoever.

i will always play my games on a big screen tv .

@sanderev ugh, I usually buy Nintendo consoles at launch, but for, I dunno, five thousand bucks over here, I'm definitely not going to be able to