The Nintendo Switch 2 is real. That much is obvious, but I think it’s frankly adorable how the company behind it is trying to obfuscate its existence as much as possible. There are even games announced for the system, like Yooka Replaylee and My Time At Evershine, although they are merely in development for an untitled console. But let’s face it, it’s the Switch 2.
Whenever a Nintendo Direct or Indie World Showcase rolls around, the announcements are immediately rebutted by the proclamation that upcoming hardware will not be discussed on stream, putting expectations to rest, so we don’t go in hoping for a new console to floor us. In reality, the reveal will more than likely be incredibly business-like and boring, announced with a press release preparing us for an event at a set time and date to pull back the curtain.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Isn’t Going To Be A Surprise
After the commercial failure of the Wii U, Nintendo found itself in a strange position. It had to win back the mainstream audience it had lost. It did so with a console that anyone could understand thanks to its catchier name, engaging its players like the Wii before it while chasing hybrid ideas that the Wii U failed to fully capitalise upon. Previously codenamed the ‘NX’, I remember the internet being awash with outlandish leaked concepts that tried to pass themselves off as a legitimate look at hardware, while poorly Photoshopped lists of games littered forums long before Nintendo broke cover itself. When the Switch came along, it was oddly subdued.
It was revealed in a theatre presentation where features like HD Rumble were treated as a big deal, while new titles like Splatoon 2, Arms, and Super Mario Odyssey took to the stage. It wouldn’t be until E3 that a greater light would be shun on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but after seeing a bunch of millennials party on the roof with NBA 2K17 or play Skyrim on a plane that was all we needed to know exactly what the Switch was all about. This was the console we’d all waited for, but its successor won’t be the barn burner its older sibling turned out to be.
PS5 was no different when it came to keeping consumers in the dark. Weeks before release, we had no idea how backward compatibility would work on the console, and then it turned out to be one of its best features.
If anything, I can see it being a conservative follow-up with many of the same features, along with backward compatibility, so Nintendo can maintain its existing audience while giving them a good excuse to upgrade. That’s why the continued secrecy is so confusing. The first Switch is long in the tooth at this point, and without a mid-gen refresh outside the OLED and Lite, has been showing its age for a very long time. Some would argue it was lacking when it was released, considering the framerate drops seen in major titles.
But It Is Going To Be Worth The Wait
The thing is, I don’t think any of us expect or want the Nintendo Switch 2 to be radically new or different. So long as it’s more powerful and plays all the games I already know and lots of new ones, I’ll be happy. The improvements I’d like to see are more gradual, like giving the user interface more personality or upgrading archaic systems like friend codes.
It’d be nice if the store wasn’t so laggy, too.
While it has the best library a Nintendo console has ever had, Switch doesn’t feel like a Nintendo console much of the time. It is simple, dry, and does what it says on the tin. If this is the case for what comes next, why the secrecy? Let us know before it ends up leaking anyway.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is both a home console and a handheld gaming system in one package, with various versions offering better specs for dedicated enthusiasts.