Nintendo Switch’s successor must overcome one major challenge

The latest news connected nan Nintendo Switch’s successor, colloquially referred to arsenic nan Nintendo Switch 2, excites me. Unfortunately, it besides demonstrates a awesome hurdle that Nintendo Switch 2 will person to overcome.

While Nintendo has yet to spell each retired successful position ofexplaining what nan Switch 2 is yet (or if that’s moreover its name), we did study successful nan company’s latest financial results that nan console will beryllium backward compatible pinch Nintendo Switch titles. That’s a triumph for not conscionable Switch 2, but crippled preservation and nan Nintendo Account system. Although backward compatibility is simply a nett triumph for Nintendo’s adjacent system, arsenic it was for nan PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, it reminds maine that Nintendo must win wherever PlayStation and Xbox person struggled this generation.

Namely, Switch 2 needs to consciousness for illustration a neccaessary upgrade from nan Nintendo Switch. PS4 to PS5 take has been slower than expected, apt because group haven’t felt nan request to upgrade successful bid to bask nan games they are playing nan most. While backward compatibility is simply a nett bully for nan Switch 2, I conscionable dream that doesn’t besides mean that Nintendo is relying connected group mostly playing Switch 1 games connected nan caller system.

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Earlier this year, PlayStation boasted that it had 118 cardinal monthly progressive users, but revealed that astir half of those were still connected PS4. We’re astir 4 years into this caller console generation, and it still seems for illustration a batch of group haven’t recovered it basal to make nan upgrade yet. That makes sense, arsenic nan astir celebrated games like Fortnite and each new Call of Duty are still connected last-gen consoles.

New PS5-only exclusives for illustration Returnal, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Astro Bot person been great, but slow to trickle out. Even respective years successful to nan existent procreation of console gaming, it feels for illustration nan past procreation ne'er ended. That sentiment is only slow starting to change, now that much and much large third-party games, for illustration EA Sports College Football 25 and Grand Theft Auto VI, are dropping last-gen consoles. Overall, I deliberation that has wounded Xbox and PlayStation, and I’m worried nan aforesaid point is going to hap to Nintendo.

Nintendo has sold complete 146 cardinal Nintendo Switch consoles and 1.3 cardinal units worthy of package connected that platform. People person monolithic Switch libraries of games they adore and person sunk dozens, if not hundreds, of hours into. As such, it make consciousness that Nintendo doesn’t want its players to wholly time off each of that behind. Even if group only bargain a crippled aliases 2 for Switch 2 astatine release, they’ll person a elephantine backmost catalog of titles to bask connected it.

Nintendo Music’s’ cardinal creation shows conscionable really galore celebrated franchises person a beingness connected Nitnendo Switch. Image utilized pinch support by copyright holder

The point is, location needs to beryllium much than only a crippled aliases 2 exclusive to nan caller strategy to buy. Nintendo can’t power third-party developers, but I’m worried nan Switch 2 will deficiency an personality retired of nan gross if astir of its motorboat exclusives and games released passim its first twelvemonth are cross-gen titles besides disposable connected Switch. The Switch 2 needs an personality of its own, particularly if it is genuinely a Switch 2 and not immoderate benignant of wildly different idea.

If Nintendo isn’t careful, it could perchance make nan aforesaid mistakes PlayStation and Xbox made during their past console transitions. If group are going to driblet 1 strategy for another, location needs to beryllium an ample, worthwhile logic to upgrade. Nintendo, thankfully, has nan use of its first-party games for illustration Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being arsenic celebrated arsenic third-party unrecorded work games are connected different platforms.

If Switch 2 tin present exclusive follow-ups to those games, aliases aggregate titles pinch akin imaginable for being monolithic hits, wrong nan first twelvemonth of nan console’s life cycle, group will consciousness nan request to upgrade. And if they do, Nintendo tin person a smoother modulation from 1 console to different than some Sony and Microsoft did pinch their latest gaming platforms. As we proceed to study much and much astir immoderate nan Switch 2 ends up being, this will stay 1 of nan biggest challenges for Nintendo to overcome.