Introduction: After months of leaks and rumors, Nintendo decided to put a stop to speculations related to the next generation of its hybrid Switch gaming console. The hugely-anticipated device brings about many changes mainly in the device’s visual design, but the reveal by Nintendo has been received without too much excitement in the wider gaming community. This not only hurt the company’s stock price but also put a big question mark over the possibility that Switch 2 could become a major console option that would rival Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox ecosystems.
Article: Eight years after the first Switch console came out, Nintendo decided to finally reveal its successor, the Switch 2. The same device was officially announced on Thursday, January 16, after a grueling period of numerous leaks and industry whispers. During that time, which began in late 2024, Nintendo’s legal team fought with anyone who was publishing any information on the possible Switch 2 leaks. However, the company ultimately decided to end the apprehension related to their latest product and provide an official trailer that details the new device.
Overall, it continues the general concept of Switch as a hybrid gaming platform. It allows users to both play games on the go, using the device’s screen, and do the same at home, where the console can be hooked up to a regular monitor or TV. Now, Nintendo presented the next generation of Switch devices as a bigger and more powerful version, but without giving away too many details. In fact, the same lack of direct data on Switch 2 specs may have backfired on Nintendo. That included a quick market reaction to the console reveal in the form of its stock price falling drastically. But, even with the info that is available, it is possible to construct a picture of what the new device can and will offer to the global gaming community once it comes out sometime in 2025.
Stable Switch Concept
The good news for Nintendo is the one that has the most long-term effects on the company – overall, there is clearly a niche for the Switch offer and the buzz of interest around the next console’s generation underlines this. The company published the Switch 2 first look on its YouTube channel and less than 24 hours later, it had amassed over 18 million views. This interest follows the same general pattern of user behavior that marked the first Switch console. So far, Nintendo has sold over 150 million Switch consoles. Its presence on the market arguably restarted the space of gaming handheld devices, which went into a steep decline at the end of the 2000s. Back then, smart mobile phones began taking up this market niche, but Switch reverted that trend. Thanks to it, devices like Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, just like Steam Deck, all appeared on the market and found substantial succes. Due to that, few believe that Switch 2 will fail to find its audience, but the question of market expansion and growth is just as relevant – and worrying – for Nintendo.
Switch 2 Facts
The video showcase of Switch 2 was not exactly crammed with technical details about the console. Instead, it presented an animated overview of the look and ergonomics of the new device, along with some functionalities. But, there are also plenty of established hardware facts about it as well. The controllers will be magnetic and easier to use, while a joy-con grip controller will make home gaming more comfortable. On the controllers, the buttons have a slightly different alignment, being that they are bigger than their previous version. As for the buttons, there is also one with just the letter C on it and presently, there is no mention publicly of its purpose, but could control proximity chat or similar in-game functions. The console will feature a larger screen and should be bigger than the Steam Deck’s OLED 7.4-inch monitor, but it is still unknown if it will be an LCD or OLED version. The console will feature a U-shaped stand for different placements of the screen, along with an USB-C port in its top part. When it comes to games, the console will have a full backward compatibility feature, meaning that all Switch generation games should work just fine. In terms of launch, the gaming library should include over 5,000 titles.
Hardware Questions
The showcase of Switch 2 focused fully on the design of the new device, but what is of interest to most gamers is its hardware specs. The console should be more powerful than its older version, which is going to be an eight-year-old device by the time Switch 2 comes out, even though no official data has been made public, apart from 2025. Previously, rumors suggested that it would be on par with PS4 Pro from Sony, but that has not been confirmed or further investigated. It is certain that Switch 2 will not aim for the highest quality of graphics or huge frame rates. Nintendo’s approach always favors the fun and usability factor above any race to make the best possible technological results. The same goes for Switch 2 resolution. The old models could perform at 1080p in its docked mode. That is why many believe that Switch 2 should hit 4K when it is docked, but that the handheld version will likely max out at around 900p. Anything above that would require a lot of battery storage and Nintendo clearly is not seeking to make Switch 2 cumbersome or heavy.
Handheld Console Market
In 2024, many analysts predicted that a successful Switch 2 model could put a lot of pressure on the established home consoles, especially the Xbox series. With Microsoft turning towards gaming services more than physical consoles, industry experts believed that in the more distant future, Sony and Nintendo could rule this segment of the market, with Xbox getting a distant third place. But now, with the lackluster response to Switch 2, which resulted in Nintendo’s stock price loss of four percent in under 24 hours, there is a chance that the console might face some strong challengers. These will not come from Sony or Microsoft but from other handheld devices, like the new generation of Steam Deck or Asus ROG. With these products, gamers could get a more powerful device with a larger catalog of games, which could even be cheaper than Switch 2. Additionally, many of these could offer a better handheld resolution than Switch 2. Here, with other handheld manufacturers and their devices, could lie the true danger for Nintendo and its big ambitions for the Switch gaming ecosystem.
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia