Topic: Nintendo Switch 2 Predictions

I'm just ready for an announcement. The rumors are fun, speculation gets the more hardcore gamer excited - but I've been diving into the rumors since the Switch Pro was first leaked years ago. I'm hoping for a reveal in the next few months, hopefully April or May.

As for what I am hoping for, repeating what many have already said - PS4 level visuals (hopefully a bit more powerful), this will be a nice upgrade as I solely game on the switch.
Haptic triggers - or something similar, Nintendo always has a surprise, and this is an area where they can get creative.
A dual screen would be interesting - maybe a second screen that disconnects when docked, and docks on your controller. This seems to be a stretch, but it could be interesting if well implemented.
Backwards compatibility is a must - and for the Expansion Pack Online members, include visual upgrades with the membership. I can see upgrades being charged, and by bundling with the expansion pass, memberships would likely grow. Ideally games like the Witcher 3 would be upgradable to match PS4 level performance.
256 gb storage at least - but this feels like a stretch for Nintendo.
Themes, eshop improvements, and music/fun with the UI. The Wii menu was so charming and fun, I'd love to see more creativity with the new system.
Really hoping Nintendo names it the Super Nintendo Switch - this would make the early 90's me very happy, and it would be differentiated enough to not run into naming confusion like the WiiU.

I really hope not. Opening up new performance options shouldn't be locked behind a payment. There's just no reason for it. Even if you want to try and make the piracy argument, all Switch games are uniquely identifiable so almost by definition there's a proof of purchase there. All they'd need to do is make it so that you can only unlock the "enhancement patch" on one account per game. Problem solved

With that said, what we're most likely talking about here is higher and/or more stable framerates, higher resolution modes. In most cases probably not much more. We're not talking about full-on remasters of games we're talking about backwards compatibility but without the restrictions of the Switch's SoC. I don't think that sort of thing should have a price attached to it.....

I've been thinking about this for a bit and honestly I think this is somewhat viable. Not necessarily for "Switch 2" specifically but just as an optional accessory that is possibly even compatible with the OG Switch. Add DS to NSO, possibly the expansion pass only, and throw this out as an optional controller. Or maybe have it as a controller bundled with some title that takes advantage of it. But also.... make an app for the Switch that allows a Switch itself to function in this way

When you have fans asking for payment options...I'm not surprised Capcom ans Squaresoft are becoming more western lol. We are idiots! Cynics are usually against stuff like that, not championing them hahaha! It's also nauseating how Youtubers claim things make perfect sense because they can make a quick buck from it, especially when they complain about it in another video lol.

I really hope that I am wrong, and there's no paywall around upgrading visuals....to be clear. I can see it as a way to push online subscriptions is my only point. I'm with you @skywake

You know what's kinda nice about scrolling through these kinds of threads? Nobody is asking for Dolby Atmos. It seems despite all the hype that Dolby has largely failed to be high on anyone's lists when it comes to console wishlists. Maybe that's partly due to the kind of demographic that Nintendo attracts but even so, still nice to see that nobody really cares

Basically if I was to rank the things that the newer HDMI standards open up in terms of how much they matter for gaming? I'd go something along the lines of:
1. eARC allowing 5.1 LPCM for greater 5.1 surround hardware compatibility
2. VRR
3. HDR
4. Higher Refresh rate modes
5. Higher Resolution modes
6. Dynamic HDR
7. Dolby Atmos

To often it feels like people flip that list entirely......

@skywake I honestly have never even heard of Atmos or eARC. I just looked them up and yeah, I don't really care. But I think you probably assumed I wouldn't given what I've already said on this topic.

As for the forum and the Nintendo fanbase as a whole, I don't think many Nintendo fans really care about graphics either, I don't really see much if any discussion on graphics and performance here aside from you. I think most of us are here for the gameplay and are more concerned with what games are going to be on the console, how many of them they can play without having to buy extra storage, and how differently they're going to play from the OG Switch.

People do like good graphics but most people just want functioning and good looking art and performance without worrying about the details.

Is part of what makes Peach Showtime good the fact that it has beautiful graphics and lighting? Yes. Would the game be even better if it looked just as good in handheld and if the loading screens didn't look like PowerPoint slides? Also yes. Between subtleties like that and just wanting some of the PC games to even exist on Switch (or Switch 2) and look and run decently, I doubt most people care about the 'how'.

@Bolt_Strike
eARC is the difference between having surround sound or not across devices and with formats other than heavily compressed DD or, with rare support from TVs, DTS. If you need it for surround sound it matters. If you have a full on surround setup or are fine with your TV speakers it doesn't

For me eARC is the difference between 5.1 and stereo. When done well, like Metroid Prime Remastered, it's a huge boost to the experience. Upgrading to 5.1 is, IMO, the single biggest upgrade to gaming I've done in two decades. More than the Switch being portable. More than HDR. Certainly more than 4K or 120Hz. More than getting an OLED. Arguably more than the jump to HD. eARC is how I got there on Nintendo's hardware

Atmos is, especially in this context, just a way for Dolby to extract licencing fees from manufacturers. But given how most people seem to gush about it you'd think it was some kind of revolutionary change. It isn't. Unless you spent 10s of 1000s on Audio or game in a cinema it doesn't matter

Also note, given your reply, the order I put these items in. You're here saying I'm the only one caring about graphics (not true) but you're saying it in response to a post where I put "higher resolution modes" towards the bottom of the post of things that matter out of these new HDMI features. Features the Switch 2 will almost surely have to some degree because that's just the standard now. These are by far the lowest hanging fruit for predictions

At the top of my list, bellow eARC which I just explained, was VRR which is a way to make lower and more inconsistent framerates appear more stable. I'm literally saying the ability for it to be LESS powerful and overcome it somewhat with VRR is more important than things like 4K or 120Hz

Was watching a video overview of the development and launch of the PS2. It got me thinking about how Nintendo might be shaping it’s messaging for Switch 2. Especially as Switch sales are being compared to PS2 lifetime sales. But actually, Nintendo needs the Switch 2 to follow the PS2 and not the Wii U after the successful Wii generation.