
Update []: Nintendo has uploaded the official English translation of its Q&A session:
I'd like to ask about the positioning of Nintendo Switch 2. Will other new hardware going forward be similar to Nintendo Switch, or is Nintendo Switch 2 bridging the gap toward a revolutionary next-generation platform that has not yet been announced? I do not feel an innovation with Nintendo Switch 2 that demonstrates a generational change. Is this a one-off case, or will you continue to produce hardware that inherits the concept of Nintendo Switch but updates various features, rather than hardware based on entirely new concepts?
We began development of Nintendo Switch 2 as an official internal project around 2019, but we constantly conduct R&D for new hardware, including basic technical research. Nintendo Switch has enjoyed very good fortune in that many consumers are continuing to play it even in its ninth year. On the other hand, over the course of these eight years and counting, it has become necessary to increase hardware processing performance in order for software developers to realize one of Nintendo's most valued tenets: offering new gameplay experiences. Thus, this time we decided to design the hardware with enhanced processing capability. We believe that Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza offer new gameplay experiences that could not be realized on Nintendo Switch.
Regarding your questions about the innovativeness of the hardware, it may appear that there is not a major change between Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. However, we have created new hardware and accessories from the ground up, and these are products very characteristic of Nintendo, packed full of our development team's dedication to quality through various creative efforts and integrated hardware-software development.
Going forward, we will develop a variety of new titles centered on Nintendo Switch 2 and offer new gameplay experiences. We aim to make Nintendo Switch 2 the new standard for Nintendo Switch, as hardware that continues to provide fresh surprises to our consumers.
Original Story: Nintendo has released its latest Q&A transcript off the back of its financial results for FY2025. In it, president Shuntaro Furukawa defended the Switch 2's perceived lack of innovation, with one investor questioning whether the Switch 2 is a "bridge" to a more innovative next-gen console yet to be announced.
Furukawa stated that software developers have come to require more powerful hardware over the last eight years, so Nintendo made this a fundamental goal in creating the Switch 2. He also says that while the Switch 2 may not seem particularly innovative at first glance, he is keen to stress that the hardware and peripherals have been completely redesigned (not to mention the awesome new mouse controls, of course!).
What's particularly interesting is that Furukawa specifically calls out Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza as titles that simply would not have been possible on the original Switch. We're inclined to agree with this after our recent hands on with both titles.