What's up with the Switch 2?

Nintendo is arguably the largest gaming company in the world. From the Legend of Zelda to Mario, it’s amassed an impressive repertoire of successful franchises. Even more so, the success of these franchises becomes even more impressive considering how they are only available on a Nintendo console.

With the Switch turning 8 years old in March, it’s high time that Nintendo releases its next console which the internet has dubbed the “Switch 2”. There has been no official announcement of said console, but somewhat trustworthy leaks have provided quite a bit of information. The most interesting leak, containing the proposed design, comes from an Amazon listing for a case created for the Switch’s successor. What truly piqued my interest from this leak was how accurate the name the “Switch 2” fits the proposed console.

The coming console seems to be more similar to that of an OLED model than the original Switch, meaning a bigger screen and better kickstand. However, the joycons – the little controller things you can take off – are more ergonomic, which is a feature I predict I will enjoy immensely as my hands find the flat black of the current Switch joycons hard to hold onto. Overall, the inputs look the same, with two joysticks, 4 arrow buttons, and the 4 classic letter buttons. The only difference is that there is exactly one extra button on the right joycon beneath what is the HOME button on the Switch. There’s been a single leak which has identified the letter ‘C’ on the button which could mean anything. Whatever it is, I personally estimate I will not be using it much.

Outwardly, the “Switch 2” looks almost identical to the Switch but is rumored to contain much better hardware, such as Nvidia’s T239 chip, meaning potential ray-tracing capabilities and perhaps even AI upscaling. Such a move would truly be a solution to what is commonly heralded as the Switch’s biggest downfall: bad graphics. What’s more,the console is rumored to be backwards compatible, allowing the use of Nintendo Switch cartridges and most likely the transfer of digitally purchased games.

Better graphics? Backwards compatible? Looking almost exactly the same as its predecessor? Does that remind you of anything dear reader? Why of course – it should remind you of the Nintendo 3DS! The Nintendo DS product line, aka the Nintendo DS and DS lite, is the most sold handheld console of all time with around 154 million units sold. The DS line is right behind the PlayStation 2 in terms of the most units sold, making it the second most sold in the world. With that insane success, the 3DS had a lot to live up to.

6 years after the Nintendo DS was released, the 3DS was announced at E3 2010 (Electronic Entertainment Expo to the unenlightened) and released in 2011 to disappointing sales. Originally priced at $249.99 USD, it was decreased after less than 6 months to $169.99 USD, and eventually sold around 76 million units (considering all models). It was largely similar to the Nintendo DS except it had a circle pad and depth slider. Additionally, it had online features that went beyond simple gaming such as Nintendo StreetPass, allowing 3DS users to connect simply by passing each other on the street.

Having taken a look at the past, let’s look to the future. Unfortunately, it seems that the Nintendo Switch 2 will not have the major exciting reveal that the 3DS did. Leakers have exposed so much that Nintendo would have a hard time getting ahead of them, meaning that they most likely have to announce it within a couple months. Perhaps we will see the introduction of new features. If you have Nintendo Switch Online, we’ve already seen the newly created Nintendo Music app that comes with an Online subscription. Maybe we’ll see more absurd Nintendo media. Additionally, I think that the Nintendo console that comes after the Nintendo Switch 2 will be unlike the Switch, similar to how the Wii U deviated in design largely from the DS. What that future console looks like, I have no idea. I believe that currently, Nintendo almost handicaps itself with its commitment to making a portable and home console all-in-one. It results in a product that is not exceptional in either field: the Switch is a little too big to be easily portable and not powerful enough to be a great home console. Therefore, there’s the possibility that Nintendo could actually go back to their old model of having a separate portable console (i.e. Gameboy or DS) and home console (i.e. Nintendo 64 or Gamecube) with some form of compatibility between the two.