westman98

Nintendo is a Japanese company, if the "C" of the C button stands for something, it would need to make sense in Japanese as well (and probably other languages outside of English too).

@StewdaMegaManNerd
Don't see what that has to do, but yes, they did just show Z-A at the Direct.

Wouldn't be surprised if Prime 4 is a no show at the Switch 2 Direct at this point, they would have showed this trailer at the Switch 2 Direct if it was going to appear there.

Unless the game is shockingly bad, I think the next Mario Kart will be huge. The appetite for a new entry after 11+ years will be enormous (similar to how it is for GTAVI, albeit not quite to the same extent) and it will release alongside a brand new console in Switch 2 that is currently primed to be the fastest-selling game system ever.

2 general Directs within the same week, Nintendo is crazy.

GBA launched in June in America/Europe back in 2001, it's been a while since a June launch but it has happened before and worked out quite well.

Why drop a Switch 1 Direct the week before the Switch 2 Direct where it will largely get overshadowed when it could have happened earlier this year (like in February) or late last year (like in September/October, before the Switch 2 was officially announced)?

@Olliemar28
Smart Delivery is not the same as backwards compatibility. Smart Delivery is when you download or insert the disc of cross-generation Xbox game (that supports Smart Delivery) into you Xbox, and then your Xbox console automatically picks which version of the game to install based on whether you are playing on Xbox One or Xbox Series. There would still be two versions of the game since it is a cross-gen game, but your Xbox is smart about which version to install.

If Prime 4 is a pure a Switch 1 game that doesn't feature in the Switch 2 Direct and releases after the Switch 2 releases, it will get completely overshadowed.

@nocdaes
The "BEE" designator in the FCC filings has been used for all Switch 2-related hardware. That's how we know this controller is related to the Switch 2.

I know that handheld PCs are a different market, but an Xbox-branded device that can't play all Xbox games sounds like a total mess. Microsoft should just wait until 2027 for the "real" Xbox handheld and skip the 2025 device that looks to be a ROG Ally with an Xbox sticker.

@MrCarlos46
Whether or not the Switch 2 has a microphone has nothing to do with this patent, which itself has nothing to do with voice chat.

The patent has nothing to do with voice chat but rather how audio is simulated in a 3D game. AFAIK the diagrams and flow charts in the patent don't even mention a hardware microphone to pick up user inputs.

@larryisaman
Yes because GameFreak is usually the last Nintendo-associated developer to make the jump to new generation hardware.

People have been claiming that "X game looks too good for Switch, the developer/publisher must be showing off the Switch Pro/2 version" since like 2020. It's frankly getting tiring.

Mario is about to celebrate his 40th anniversary being about as popular as he has ever been, Pokemon will easily follow-suit. I don't see 100 years being a challenge whatsoever.

1 first party game per month is reasonable when you include remasters and remakes. The Wii U port well may be gone but Nintendo has a ton of legacy content to work off of from prior platforms.

@PikaPhantom
The author of that article is living in a very well-insulated online bubble, as is anyone who thinks Valve/Steam/SteamDeck will overthrow or even slightly damage Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft (to be fair, Xbox isn't selling all that well, but it's not because of SteamDeck).

@Lightsiyd
I'm willing to change my view on the PC handheld market as more time progresses but right now it certainly looks like a stagnating market. IDCs projection for 2025 are only relatively modest increase over 2024 (still well below 2023) and that's with new market entrants accounted for.

@Lightsiyd
1. Nintendo absolutely went backwards sales-wise during the Wii U disaster era, thankfully they released Switch shortly after and massively rebounded.

2. We're just 2 months into 2025, of course I can only reference 2024 sales as the most recent annual data point, come on now. My bigger point is that Steam has been gradually growing for years, yet SteamDeck has not grown with Steam itself

@Lightsiyd
1. The market has evolved backwards with a big drops in sales in 2024.
2. True.
3. And one would think Steam growing each year in CCUs would help Steam Deck sales but that evidently isn't happening whatsoever.

An early sign that the Switch 2 will be priced in Japan with the weak Yen in mind.

@Lightsiyd
The issue isn't that the PC handheld market is small, it's that sales peaked in 2023 and then dropped dramatically in 2024, which means the market is already at saturation despite being very new.

PC handhelds wont be an impediment at all to Switch 2 at its current trajectory.

@Lightsiyd
https://www.theverge.com/pc-gaming/618709/steam-deck-3-year-anniversary-handheld-gaming-shipments-idc

6 million handheld PCs sold since the launch of the SteamDeck in 2022.

FYI Sean also speculates that the Switch 2 will be released during or before the summer at $399-449 USD.

@MrCarlos46
Nintendo already produces some Switch units in Vietnam and Cambodia, they'll absolutely do the same for Switch 2.

There is no way Legends Z-A doesn't show up at the next Pokemon Presents.

@MrCarlos46
Yes, that's almost certainly how it will be done.

I don't think dual screens are ever making a return, and I think it's ridiculous that you need to rotate the Switch 2 in order to attach the second screen. With that being said, I do like how the render shows a somewhat sturdy hinge system that won't snap under the slightest bit of force.

That webcam camera accessory looks cool, it's small and cheap enough that I could see Nintendo selling something like it, though I doubt more than a small handful of games would ever use it.

@Lightsiyd
Still probably won't have any impact, PC handhelds remain super niche and the most popular one (SteamDeck) doesn't even have a retail presence.

@KBuckley27
PS5 Digital retails at $449.

Makes sense as I expect Switch 2 games to be priced at $70 as the standard rather than $60. There's no way Nintendo will let people buy two Switch 2 games (worth $140) for just $100.

Biggest question is if Nintendo had a Switch 2-specific voucher program.

A few short years ago I would have said Miiverse is pointless.

But nowadays, with mainstream social media platforms becoming complete hellscapes, rebooting Miiverse for Switch 2 would be very much welcome.

Sadly, I don't see Nintendo doing that as it would probably require too much effort.

Launch price of new Nintendo platforms in the 21st century in the US:

GBA: $99.99
GCN: $199.99
NDS: $149.99
Wii: $249.99 (w/Wii Sports)
3DS: $249.99
Wii U: $299.99 (Basic) & $349.99 (Deluxe w/Nintendo Land)
NSW: $299.99

GCN, 3DS, and Wii U received price reductions within 4-8 months after launch due to lower-than-expected early sales.

The way Andrew Wilson worded his response makes it seem like he thinks Madden is already on Switch, even though it isn't lol

The NDS and 3DS each sold over 9 million units after the launch of the 3DS and Switch respectively. I think the Switch can also sell over 9 million units after the launch of the Switch 2, especially since the Switch 2 will occupy a much higher price bracket at launch (it will likely be priced at $399-449 whereas the Switch models are priced at $199-$349).

Either way I don't think Nintendo cares that much about whether the Switch outsells the PS2, all attention is on the Switch 2 at this point.

I'm pretty sure that NERD patent pertains to the upscaling tech used in Super Mario 3D All-Stars (specifically for Sunshine and Galaxy, which were upscaled to 1080p).

https://store.steampowered.com/charts/topsellers/global/2025-1-14

Seems like there was an issue that is now fixed, Steam Deck actually ranked at #4 during the week from Jan 14 to Jan 21.

In other words, the Switch 2 reveal had 0 impact on the Steam Deck.

Curious if Microsoft/Bethesda will announce a Switch 2 version now that the Switch 2 reveal is out of the bag.

Edit: They did not.

$400-450 (and its regional equivalents) is a good price range, anything above that could potentially compromise sales, even from early adopters.

No surprise, Switch 2 is probably the most highly-anticipated game system ever.

@GinMiguel
24 racers on the track simultaneously

That isn't an IR camera, it's the plastic wrapped around the edge of the JoyCon.

I think IR cameras are gone for good, which makes sense given that very few games used them.

@Tasuki
Well good thing the name is Nintendo Switch 2, not Switch U.

@Tasuki
This must be a joke, nobody is confused by appending a "2" to the name (just look at the PlayStation 2).

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.

• Very happy the name is indeed Nintendo Switch 2, nobody will be confused that it is a Switch 1 accessory or Pro model (even if the overall design of Switch 2 is very similar to Switch 1).
• A new Mario Kart being the one game shown likely means it will be a launch or launch window title for the Switch 2.
• The Switch 2 experience will last from April through beginning of June, this likely implies a late June or July launch.

@HotGoomba
*Looks at Wii U
Make that -80% better

https://i.imgur.com/sXJKZCq.png

@Zeebor15
If the Switch successor is called the "Nintendo Switch 2" (which seems to be the case) then nobody will be confused.

If this is true then it's a shame it leaked, as it is a genuinely new and unique feature (for a console).

@Toastmaster
Nvidia tech is better suited than AMD tech for thermally-limited hardware like Switch, and for Switch specifically, they provided a very good graphics API (NVN).

DLSS is also the industry leader in AI upscaling, so that's another huge benefit for Switch 2 and other future Nintendo game systems as we head into a future where gaming hardware will have to rely more-and-more on AI to handle graphics rendering/output.