Games. Nintendo hasn't sold consoles on specs for generations now, and the fanbase is not one who really cares all that much about that. For casual consumers, all that matters is that this one has Mario Kart 9 with slightly prettier graphics than the previous one, and for hardcore Nintendo fans, they'll buy it no matter what.
the nintendo switch 2 is poised for massive success—there’s little doubt about that. nintendo would have to make catastrophic missteps for it to flop. but exclusives alone won’t be enough to justify its existence. the hardware must evolve significantly at this point.
yes, nintendo hasn’t focused on raw specs since the gamecube era, but every console since has introduced substantial innovations or a significant boost in power:
- game boy advance: the first nintendo handheld to feature 16-bit graphics, a massive leap from the original 8-bit game boy.
- nintendo ds: their best-selling console to date, offering two screens (one being touchscreen) and built-in wi-fi for the first time.
- wii: revolutionized gaming with motion controls and brought casual gamers into the fold. it became a household staple worldwide.
- nintendo 3ds: introduced glasses-free 3D (that people hardly used), significantly more powerful hardware than its predecessor, and improved online functionality.
- wii u: the first nintendo console to support full HD, featuring an "innovative" gamepad with a second screen. unfortunately, it failed due to poor marketing, as people mistook it as an accessory for the wii, rather than a successor console.
- nintendo switch: rectified the wii u’s shortcomings, delivering a hybrid console that seamlessly transitions between handheld and docked play. the joy-con controllers added versatile gameplay options, and its stronger hardware (compared to the wii u) brought nintendo back into competition with industry giants.
and now, the
nintendo switch 2 looms on the horizon. at first glance, it seems like just another switch, which is why nintendo has explicitly branded it as a true successor with a prominent "2." they want to avoid the branding mistakes that doomed the wii u.
however, a successor must
earn its place. it can’t just rely on exclusives—it needs to offer a compelling reason for existing beyond “more switch games.” its hardware must be a leap forward, ensuring that players aren’t stuck with outdated technology for another 7-8 years. considering the original switch launched in 2017 and was already underpowered compared to its competition, an upgrade is long overdue.
there’s been speculation about DLSS or AI upscaling, which suggests nintendo is finally prioritizing graphical fidelity and performance to a degree. that one patent described the rendering games at 520p and upscaling them to 1080p, reducing GPU workload while maintaining visual quality. this is a game-changer for nintendo, allowing for improved performance without excessive hardware strain or extreme framerate drops.
additionally, the fact that they’re willing to let people test out the switch 2 for a hands-on event before release strongly implies it has more to offer than just a standard hardware refresh. there's something more they wanna show off. perhaps new input methods, possibly an evolution of motion controls, improved joy-cons, new ways to interact with games or maybe they wanna show off just how big of a jump the switch 2 is compared to the original switch performance-wise?
tldr: the switch 2
must be a substantial upgrade in every aspect to justify its purchase. as a true successor, it needs to go beyond iterative improvements and deliver meaningful advancements in performance, graphics, and gameplay innovation. no one is expecting 4K graphics or cutting edge visuals, but it's time for nintendo to give this successor console some more wiggle room so developers can develop some amazing titles without the need for excessive optimization.
just a week left.
