THE Nintendo Switch 2 It must be one of the most talked about consoles in gaming history, despite it not having been released yet. The countless theories and rumors surrounding its alleged release date, specifications and design are constantly spreading across the Internet like wildfire. I’ve been partial to these rumors for some time now, indulging myself every now and then and even holding out hope that some of them might be true, as dangerous as that might be.
However, the longer these rumors continue to be just that, the longer Nintendo takes to properly show off its highly anticipated console, the more I question whether it’s too late for the Switch 2. I’m starting to feel like this is all a little pointlessthat there is no hope that the Switch 2 will reach the same heights that its predecessor managed to achieve in 2017. Many factors have led to this bleak outlook, but perhaps the worst offender is Nintendo itself.
Nintendo is revealing the Switch 2 completely wrong
It is announcing unexpected information
Nintendo tends to withhold information until the last minute before releasing it during a crowd-pleasing Direct. I spent a long time hoping a game would be announced, but I was disappointed with no information and the hope that maybe it would appear in the next Direct. I don’t even want to begin to think what it must be like to be a Hollow Knight fan waiting endlessly for Silk Corner. Then, I understand the art of being patient when it comes to Nintendo products and I was more than happy to wait for the Switch 2.
However, Nintendo decided it would market the Switch 2 all wrong. Firstly, let fans speculate wildly, chasing rumors and theories like they were gospel without confirming the console’s existence. So it announced it very early on, with absolutely no significant details other than that it would eventually exist. Since then, Nintendo has dropped occasional information, including whether the Switch 2 will have backwards compatibility, but has largely stuck to the dreaded “This Direct will not contain any information about the Switch 2“mantra.
I was still quite content to wait, despite Nintendo’s insistence on not sharing any information plus the fact that sometime before March 31, 2025, the Switch 2 will be revealed. However, the longer this goes on, the more times people insist that the Switch 2 will be announced next Tuesday, only for it, unsurprisingly, not to be announced, and the more times Nintendo releases entirely new hardware out of nowhere. On Switch 2, I feel more like all of this is pointless.
If the Switch 2 had been announced when demand for it was at its absolute peak, before everyone started saying the Switch is impressive for the Switch is impressive despite its aging hardware, it would have seemed like an understandable upgrade. However, based on the little information about the Switch 2 that players have, it looks like it won’t be more powerful than a Steam Deck, a console that has been improving since it was launched and offers an ideal portable experience capable of playing modern AAA titles.
The Steam Deck already does what the Switch 2 will do
You can’t just play modern Triple-A games
I always thought it was unfair to compare the Switch and the Steam Deck. Firstly, the Switch was released five years before the Steam Deck, when the available technology wasn’t available to make something so powerful. Secondly, Nintendo wanted a different kind of handheld, one that could play the games it makes, not necessarily AAA titles. Of course, the Switch’s success meant more developers wanted to port their games. However, it is clear that it was always intended to be able to perform BOTH at best and nothing at the level of Cyberpunk 2077.
Most importantly, the Steam Deck had the opportunity to learn from all of Nintendo’s mistakes. Nintendo had no competitor to look up to, as it was the only company that made handheld devices like the Switch. However, this no longer happens and Nintendo has had years to learn not only from its own mistakes, but also from its many new competitors who are creating bigger and better consoles all the time.. Unfortunately, if the Switch 2’s leaked specs are to be believed, while it’s powerful, it won’t be able to do much more than its competitors already can.
This wouldn’t inherently be a problem if it weren’t for the fact that the Steam Deck is cheaper now than ever, especially if people buy a refurbished one, as it sells for less than the Switch’s base price. In comparison, the Switch 2 will likely launch for a significantly higher price as it is a new console with a lot of impressive hardware packed into it. Of course, this is all speculation, but it’s happened before, like when the PlayStation 3 launched for much more than the Xbox 360 and lagged behind in sales until Sony finally lowered the price.
The longer Nintendo takes to introduce the Switch 2, the more I feel compelled to get a Steam Deck.
I started to question what’s the point of the Switch 2 if it’s as capable as a Steam Deck but costs more. The longer Nintendo takes to introduce the Switch 2, the more I feel compelled to get a Steam Deck. Its games far outperform those on the Switch, and the bonus of having early access titles as well as games that would never be ported to the Switch is appealing. If the Switch 2 had launched alongside the Steam Deck, it might have looked appealing. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and now its only feature that stands out is its exclusives.
I still have hope for the Switch 2
Exclusives can save you
There’s still a part of me that has hope for the Switch 2. I love my Switch and have spent countless hours playing some of the best games on it. The sheer number of games I repurchased on the Switch just to play in the shower or bathroom is irresponsible. It’s a fantastic console, which changed the way I and I’m sure many other people have looked at games. I want nothing more for the Nintendo Switch 2 to be an absolute successand I know deep down it probably will.
I feel like if Nintendo’s marketing for the Switch 2 focuses more on the AAA games it can play and less on those exclusive to the console, it will be a huge mistake.
The Switch 2 has brand recognition and will no doubt have a plethora of exclusives that are sure to appeal to newcomers and existing fans alike. The improved hardware will mean that Nintendo’s first-party titles will be able to compete head-to-head with Sony’s.at least in terms of ambition, and I’m personally very grateful that this means that Monolith Soft will no longer be so restricted. In that sense, the Switch 2 will be absolutely worth it.
However, I feel that if Nintendo’s marketing for the Switch 2 focuses more on the AAA games it can play and less on those exclusive to the console, it will be a huge mistake. I don’t want to hear that the Switch 2 can play games Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring because the cheapest Steam Deck can already do this. What I want to know is what the original Switch 2 games will be and what Nintendo, Monolith Soft, Intelligent Systems and others are cooking up behind the scenes.
If the Switch 2 launches with games at the same level as Breath of Nature that are not available anywhere else, has a chance of being truly successful. At the very least, it will bring me back, something I’m sure Nintendo is desperate to achieve. I still believe that Nintendo waited too long to release the Switch 2, and I also believe that, as impressive as its competition is, there is a pointlessness to it. However, I am hopeful that the Nintendo Switch 2 It could still be a worthwhile purchase, despite everything.