I suspect the fact it seems so soon means this “Switch 2” will simply be a (big) hardware upgraded Switch 1. With mostly the same design, same compatibility, but now some games would be “Switch 2 Only”.
It would break the “you have to buy everything again” that could push some customers in the hands of Valve and it’s Steam Deck. It would actually be a smart move to be the “same as Steam” (store+dedicated hardware) but with Nintendo IP.
Future will tell, but I think it’s the less risky move that could give big benefits on the long run.
I’d bet money that the next one has backwards compatibility. Afaik Nintendo has never made a handheld that didnt get at least one generation of backwards compatibility. Gameboy had several devices with backwards compatibility. Then the GBA had DS backwards compatibility for it. DS had 3ds. I suppose the 3DS didn’t if you view it as its own thing rather than the upgrade to the DS. Also I’m ignoring the single game devices and the tiny pokemon thing.
I could see them at some point trying to separate handheld and console again just because handheld has been their safety market while they experiment with console. But I doubt now is the moment they do that. And I’m not sure how they do it. Maybe release the switch 2 then after a bit release a console that fits its own niche the way the Wii did (it was great for groups and feeling generally more physically interactive)? But what is that niche that a switch 2 doesn’t also fill? Maybe something like the vita tv device? Budget non portable model. Or maybe a console that does a better version of the GameCube 3ds combo. It has more power and its own games, but also acts as a dock that can play switch and switch 2 games if you dock one in it. I dunno.
That being said, Nintendo has no debt and a ton of cash on hand. They can fuck around and not find out for like 30 years.
Thanks for buying the Switch and a huge amount of games, you will not like our next move, but we have a bunch of new games of your favorite ips to shut your fuck up. Kiss.
As much as I know Nintendo would love to sell the same games again, I doubt they’d rather put in the time and effort to port the most popular games than put that effort towards being able to continue selling the Switch’s pre-existing back catalog on the new system.
edit: However, I can definitely see them doing the PS5 thing and charging $10 to upgrade Switch 1 games to take advantage of the Switch 2.
Omg I’d rather them just release a new console. It pissed me off that there were certain games I couldn’t play on my 3ds because I didn’t have the shitty little joy stick.
It fucks over both customers. People without the new one can’t play the few exclusives, but then they release only a small handful of exclusives as to not ruin their sales, which fucks over the people that bought the 3ds with the joystick.
While not having the extra joystick may have been an additional reason, the primary reason normal 3DS couldn’t play New 3ds games was because the New 3ds was significantly more powerful than the original 3ds. For games that only required the extra stick and not the extra power, you could actually just get a grip with the joystick nub and play them just fine.
So, they literally did release a new console, but unlike most makers, they specifically ensured backwards compatibility with multiple generations of their products.
I suspect the fact it seems so soon means this “Switch 2” will simply be a (big) hardware upgraded Switch 1. With mostly the same design, same compatibility, but now some games would be “Switch 2 Only”.
It would break the “you have to buy everything again” that could push some customers in the hands of Valve and it’s Steam Deck. It would actually be a smart move to be the “same as Steam” (store+dedicated hardware) but with Nintendo IP.
Future will tell, but I think it’s the less risky move that could give big benefits on the long run.
I’d bet money that the next one has backwards compatibility. Afaik Nintendo has never made a handheld that didnt get at least one generation of backwards compatibility. Gameboy had several devices with backwards compatibility. Then the GBA had DS backwards compatibility for it. DS had 3ds. I suppose the 3DS didn’t if you view it as its own thing rather than the upgrade to the DS. Also I’m ignoring the single game devices and the tiny pokemon thing.
I could see them at some point trying to separate handheld and console again just because handheld has been their safety market while they experiment with console. But I doubt now is the moment they do that. And I’m not sure how they do it. Maybe release the switch 2 then after a bit release a console that fits its own niche the way the Wii did (it was great for groups and feeling generally more physically interactive)? But what is that niche that a switch 2 doesn’t also fill? Maybe something like the vita tv device? Budget non portable model. Or maybe a console that does a better version of the GameCube 3ds combo. It has more power and its own games, but also acts as a dock that can play switch and switch 2 games if you dock one in it. I dunno.
That being said, Nintendo has no debt and a ton of cash on hand. They can fuck around and not find out for like 30 years.
Thanks for buying the Switch and a huge amount of games, you will not like our next move, but we have a bunch of new games of your favorite ips to shut your fuck up. Kiss.
As much as I know Nintendo would love to sell the same games again, I doubt they’d rather put in the time and effort to port the most popular games than put that effort towards being able to continue selling the Switch’s pre-existing back catalog on the new system.
edit: However, I can definitely see them doing the PS5 thing and charging $10 to upgrade Switch 1 games to take advantage of the Switch 2.
Seems so soon?
Six years seems about right. There were 4 and a half years separating the Wii U and the switch. 6 years between Xbox one and series X.
Omg I’d rather them just release a new console. It pissed me off that there were certain games I couldn’t play on my 3ds because I didn’t have the shitty little joy stick.
It fucks over both customers. People without the new one can’t play the few exclusives, but then they release only a small handful of exclusives as to not ruin their sales, which fucks over the people that bought the 3ds with the joystick.
Lose-lose.
While not having the extra joystick may have been an additional reason, the primary reason normal 3DS couldn’t play New 3ds games was because the New 3ds was significantly more powerful than the original 3ds. For games that only required the extra stick and not the extra power, you could actually just get a grip with the joystick nub and play them just fine.
So, they literally did release a new console, but unlike most makers, they specifically ensured backwards compatibility with multiple generations of their products.